Chapter 61: A Story

Xiao Zongting sat in the chair, yet his lips were still trembling and his face was covered in tear tracks; this old man, who had experienced life and death, had yet to calm his heart and mind.

Duan Rong picked up the porcelain pot from the tea table, poured a cup of clear water, and handed it to Xiao Zongting.

Xiao Zongting's hands shook slightly as he brought the teacup to his lips; only after taking two sips did his emotions slowly begin to settle.

Xiao Zongting looked at Duan Rong, who was standing to the side with a worried expression, and asked, "From whom did you learn this acupuncture technique?"

If it hadn't been for Duan Rong's timely intervention just now, Xiao Baijiao would likely have truly passed away...

Duan Rong sighed softly and, in a slow and deep tone, began to tell the story he had long since prepared.

"When I was about ten years old, a neighbor moved in nearby—a lonely old man whose back was already somewhat hunched."

"Seeing that he lived alone and found it inconvenient to do things, I would sometimes pick some wild fruits for him."

"Occasionally, I would also go over to help him chop wood, fetch water, and do some odd jobs!"

"After we had gotten along like this for a few months, he began to teach me painting and acupuncture."

"After teaching me for about a year or so, one day, the old man suddenly disappeared."

"I asked all the neighbors nearby, but no one knew where the old man had gone."

"Now six or seven years have passed... I have never seen him again..."

As Duan Rong spoke in his slow tone, Xiao Zongting's emotions had completely calmed down. He let out a long, heavy sigh, wiped the remaining tears from his face, and said, "That old man likely had some background... This is your own stroke of fortune, kid!"

The night he gave Duan Rong the prescription for the Internal Breath Second Stage, he had noticed that Duan Rong was very familiar with human acupuncture points; he had been surprised at the time, but had not asked in detail.

So it turned out this kid had such an experience!

This child not only brought him great comfort in his twilight years but also saved Baijiao's life; he could be considered a lucky star for his Xiaojia.

Xiao Zongting naturally did not doubt Duan Rong's story at all; after all, whether it was painting or acupuncture, these were skills Duan Rong had demonstrated in earnest.

If no one had taught him, could it be that these skills were brought out from his mother's womb?

The two chatted for a while, and after less than half a stick of incense, Gu Suxiu walked out from the Inner Room on the east side.

Gu Suxiu, with his graying hair, walked with somewhat heavy steps; a layer of fine sweat had beaded on his forehead, and his eyes held a look of exhaustion.

Clearly, this treatment of Xiao Baijiao had been extremely draining on his energy!

"Brother Gu! How is Baijiao?"

As soon as Xiao Zongting saw Gu Suxiu walk out, he stood up immediately and asked with an anxious face.

Duan Rong stood to the side, also looking at Gu Suxiu with a concerned gaze.

Gu Suxiu's lips moved, but he looked at Duan Rong, hesitating to speak.

Duan Rong immediately understood; Gu Suxiu did not know him, and what he was about to say might not only concern Xiao Baijiao's condition but even her life and death.

Such a secret was not suitable to be heard by an outsider!

Although Duan Rong was also worried about Xiao Baijiao's safety, he understood that it was no longer appropriate for him to stay here!

"Xiao Lao, I still have some things to attend to. I will come to visit the Second Miss later." Duan Rong bowed to Xiao Zongting, then turned and bowed to Gu Suxiu, before turning to leave.

Xiao Zongting's heart was tied to Xiao Baijiao at this moment, so he did not pay attention to Duan Rong's departure, only urging Gu Suxiu with his eyes.

Gu Suxiu sighed, then sat down in the chair in front of him, leaned back, and sighed, "Brother Xiao! You must still prepare yourself mentally... This child Baijiao... although she was saved this time! But if there is another time like this... I fear that..."

As Gu Suxiu spoke, he shook his head and sighed again.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Zongting felt as if he had been struck by lightning; his legs went weak and he slumped into the chair. "Baijiao... she..."

Xiao Zongting barely managed to steady himself by holding the armrest, and muddy tears slid down his eyes again.

"Brother Gu, if Baijiao passes away, it will be like gouging out my heart! You must save her somehow..."

"I watched this child Baijiao grow up! But Brother Xiao... this illness of hers, I fear it is her destiny!"

Gu Suxiu sat for a while to recover some strength, then wrote a prescription and had Zhu Xiaoqi take it to the Raw Medicine Shop to fetch the medicine.

This medicine had the effect of dispelling wind, replenishing Qi, nourishing blood, and clearing the meridians.

Zhu Xiaoqi fetched the medicine and immediately boiled it in the kitchen.

Gu Suxiu watched as Xiao Baijiao took the medicine; within a quarter of an hour, she fell asleep with steady breathing, and her complexion regained some vitality.

Gu Suxiu gave Xiao Zongting a few more instructions, then rose to take his leave.

Xiao Zongting personally saw him out.

"Brother Xiao, when I came in just now, who performed the needles on Baijiao's temples and around her neck?"

"It was that child who was standing by my side just now..." Although Xiao Zongting was answering, he was clearly somewhat distracted.

Gu Suxiu pondered slightly. "That needle-wielding technique is actually quite similar to my family's Plum Blossom Needle method..."

Gu Suxiu came from a family of medicine, and this needle method of his had been taught to him by his grandfather personally.

Moreover, this needle method had a bit of a history; it was said to have been created by a hidden weapon expert a hundred years ago, and it contained a fusion of acupuncture and hidden weapon techniques, making it actually quite difficult to master.

When he was young, he had truly suffered a great deal to master this needle method.

"That child... perhaps he has some connection to me!" Gu Suxiu then recalled Duan Rong's face, only vaguely remembering him as a dark-complexioned, sturdy-looking youth.

"Oh... he is... an Apprentice Escort newly recruited this year..." Xiao Zongting was currently worried sick about Xiao Baijiao's condition; how could he take in what Gu Suxiu was saying about acupuncture techniques?

Seeing Xiao Zongting's absent-minded and soul-lost appearance, Gu Suxiu knew he had been dealt a blow by his daughter's illness, so he said no more and took his leave.

On this side, Duan Rong left Xiao Zongting's courtyard and went to the Martial Arts Arena, where he practiced Standing Stake until the Shen hour.

Seeing that the time had arrived, Duan Rong returned to the dormitory, washed off the sweat from his body, and then transformed into a human cargo rack, heading toward the crooked willow tree on West Street.

Having quite easily completed an hour of painting work, Duan Rong packed up his stall and returned in the twilight sky...

On his way back to the Yuanshun Escort Agency, he specifically took a detour to a pastry shop and bought some osmanthus cakes and candied fruit.

When Duan Rong returned to the Yuanshun Escort Agency, he first put his painting tools in the dormitory. Although it was the time for the canteen to serve food, Duan Rong did not go to the canteen, but instead carried the two packages of osmanthus cakes and candied fruit wrapped in straw paper and headed toward Xiao Zongting's courtyard.

As soon as Duan Rong entered the courtyard, he saw Zhu Xiaoqi sitting on a small stool in front of the stove in the Outer Courtyard kitchen, tending the fire...

The fragrant smell of food had already permeated the air...

Duan Rong swallowed his saliva, walked into the kitchen, and called out softly, "Xiao Qi."

Zhu Xiaoqi turned her head, the firelight from the stove reddening her face, like a face full of peach blossoms.

"Why have you come?"

"Second Miss, is she feeling any better?"

Zhu Xiaoqi snapped a few thin sticks of firewood in two with her hands and stuffed them into the stove; she sighed and said, "She has already fallen asleep... It is her old ailment... It is just that it has been a bit fierce this year!"

Zhu Xiaoqi did not know that Xiao Baijiao's condition was serious; she still thought it was the same as previous years, that it would pass after a bout of illness.

"Take this and give it to the Second Miss for me! Tell her to take good care of her health." Duan Rong handed the two packages he was carrying to Zhu Xiaoqi and said.

(End of this chapter)