Chapter 7

“Uncle! Uncle, are you home?”

“What’s wrong? What’s going on?” An elderly man with a head full of white hair but still sharp in spirit came out. He was startled when he saw the scene in front of his house.

“Did he fall?” The old hunter immediately realized something was wrong when he saw the person on the stretcher.

“Uncle, Uncle Xun fell off the hillside outside the village. His internal organs have been badly injured. Please help him.” Xue Miaoyun said anxiously.

The old hunter, Xue Dashan, furrowed his brow as he checked the injured person. He immediately shook his head. “This is too serious, I can’t treat him. Quickly, send him to the county hospital.”

He only knew some basic medical skills and a few folk remedies. For headaches, fevers, and minor injuries, he could manage, but for such severe injuries, he was completely helpless.

“Cough… cough…”

“Old Xun is coughing up blood, what should we do?”

Xue Miaoyun quickly stepped forward to feel his pulse. Damn, there was no time left. The internal bleeding was getting worse, and with his condition, he wouldn’t survive the time it would take to reach the county hospital.

Moreover, the county hospital’s level of care was no better than the old man’s.

“This is bad, really bad,” Xue Dashan’s face turned pale. He had seen some severe falls before and knew that coughing up blood was a very serious sign.

Xue Miaoyun quickly tilted Xun Jinian’s head to prevent him from choking on his own blood.

“We don’t have time. Old Xun… Old Xun can’t hold on much longer.”

The other two people nearby, with some common knowledge, immediately realized the danger Xun Jinian was in. He was unconscious and still coughing up blood.

Zhao Fengnian looked at his friend and made a quick decision. “Miaoyun, do you know medicine? Can you save Old Xun?”

“But I’m not a doctor.”

“We can’t worry about that now. If Old Xun were conscious, I’m sure he would agree.”

Xue Miaoyun didn’t have time to think about it anymore. She had to save Xun Jinian—partly because of the original owner’s connection to him, and partly because she needed someone to rely on.

Once the college entrance exams were reinstated, Xun Jinian was bound to be politically rehabilitated. If she got into Q University, having his support would be a huge advantage. It was a move that offered her countless benefits.

“I don’t have any medicine with me right now, so I can only use acupuncture. Grandpa Ke gave me a set of acupuncture needles, I’ll go get them.”

“Good, go ahead,” Zhao Fengnian looked at another person, “Old Fang, go to the village secretary’s house and borrow an ox cart. We don’t have any medicine here, so we’ll still need to head to the county hospital.”

“Alright, I’ll go.”

Xue Miaoyun quickly ran back home and found the acupuncture set that Elder Ke had left the original host, hidden in a secret compartment in the inner room. Along with it were two medical books and a wooden plaque—all gifts from Elder Ke.

The original owner had some talent in traditional Chinese medicine, but unfortunately, her time studying was too short. After Elder Ke passed away, there was no one left to teach her. Then, when her biological mother died, she became nothing more than a servant to the Song family, with no time or opportunity to read those books again. Most of what she had once learned was almost entirely forgotten.

However, this became the perfect excuse for Xue Miaoyun’s current medical skills. It gave her a valid source for her knowledge.

As these chaotic thoughts ran through her mind, Xue Miaoyun’s steps never slowed.

When she returned to Xue Dashan’s house, a crowd had gathered. The ox cart had just been harnessed and was waiting for Xue Miaoyun.

“Miaoyun, hurry.”

Xue Miaoyun stepped onto the cart, took a deep breath, and prepared to begin the acupuncture.

The others watched as Xue Miaoyun swiftly inserted silver needles into Xun Jinian’s body, one after another, with lightning speed. After she finished, the ends of the needles still trembled.

They didn’t understand medicine, but they could see her technique was smooth and fluid, with an air of mystery about it. It felt profound and impressive. Any previous doubts vanished.

A set of lifesaving “Flying Cloud Eighteen Needles” was quickly administered, and Xun Jinian’s condition visibly improved. At the very least, he had stopped coughing up blood.

“Miaoyun, your technique is impressive.” Zhao Fengnian was astonished as he looked at Xue Miaoyun, then checked Xun Jinian’s condition.

“Ah, Uncle Zhao, I was also very nervous just now. This is a life-saving acupuncture method that Grandpa Ke taught me. It’s my first time using them. Fortunately, I didn’t make any mistakes.” Xue Miaoyun plopped down on the cart, wiping the sweat off her forehead.

Acupuncture seemed simple, but in reality, it required precision in finding the acupoints, and the force and speed of the needling had to be just right. A slight mistake could turn what should be a lifesaving needle into a fatal one.

“Second brother, we can set off now,” Xue Miaoyun said to Xue Wanli, who was driving the cart.

“Okay.”

On the way, Xue Miaoyun kept a close eye on Xun Jinian’s condition. Fortunately, the “Flying Cloud Twelve Needles” had worked well, and by the time they reached the county hospital, his condition had not worsened.

“Doctor, doctor!”

“What’s going on?” A young doctor in a white coat was startled when he saw the group rushing in and quickly came over to greet them.

Xue Miaoyun immediately explained Xun Jinian’s situation, speaking clearly and concisely.

“Doctor, doctor, please save him!” Xue Miaoyun looked at the dazed young doctor, becoming anxious. What was he doing, just standing there? Did he have any professional ethics?

“I, I…” The young doctor stammered, his face turning red.

Zhao Fengnian immediately understood the situation. It was clear that the young doctor was inexperienced.

“Are there no other doctors here?”

“Ah, yes, yes! I’ll go get someone.”

Seeing the doctor run off in a hurry, Xue Miaoyun didn’t know what to say.

“Nurse, where should we go?”

“This way, please. Go to the registration desk, the doctor will be here soon.”

They arrived at a room marked as the reception area, and Xue Miaoyun and the others carefully placed Xun Jinian on an examination table. Zhao Fengnian anxiously looked out, waiting for the doctor to arrive.

Xue Miaoyun continued to keep her focus on Xun Jinian.

“Doctor, the doctor is here!” A voice at the door caught Xue Miaoyun’s attention.

A doctor in his fifties walked in with a serious expression. Without looking at anyone else, he focused all his attention on Xun Jinian, who was lying on the bed.

“What happened?”

Xue Miaoyun immediately repeated the situation.

After listening, the older doctor looked at Xue Miaoyun but didn’t scold her for randomly giving acupuncture. Chinese medicine was still viewed with suspicion, and Xue Miaoyun couldn’t help but feel nervous.

The older doctor gave Xun Jinian a brief check-up. “His condition is not good. Prepare for surgery immediately, and I’ll perform the operation. What’s your name?”

“Ah,” Xue Miaoyun was surprised, “Xue Miaoyun.”

“How long can your acupuncture keep his condition stable?”

“Half an hour.”

“Good. During the preparation for the surgery, you must continue to stabilize his condition. Can you do that?”

“Yes.” Xue Miaoyun nodded.

In the doctor’s eyes, there was a brief flash of approval. Without saying anything else, he went off to prepare for the surgery.

Once Xun Jinian was wheeled into the operating room, Xue Miaoyun finally relaxed, feeling exhausted.

She slumped down onto a chair outside the operating room, and her stomach growled.

Zhao Fengnian glanced over at her and smiled. “Miaoyun, you must be hungry. The hospital cafeteria should still be serving food at this time. Go grab a bite. Here, take this money and meal voucher.”

Xue Miaoyun naturally wouldn’t accept it. Zhao Fengnian and the others had been assigned to the cow sheds. Although the villagers didn’t mistreat them, they were given the hardest and dirtiest jobs. This money and voucher were probably borrowed from someone.

“Uncle Zhao, I have money and meal tickets. I’ll go buy something to eat,” Xue Miaoyun said, then ran off.

“Hey!”