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“You need to restore him to normal, and then the test will be considered passed,” the old man said. “This young man is used to being pricked by me.”
Jiang Ning knew she should be serious, but she couldn’t help but laugh.
“Pfft—”
After laughing for a while, Jiang Ning took the silver needles and accurately found the acupoints, inserting them quickly and precisely. The old man watched with both surprise and satisfaction.
This technique could only be achieved with decades of experience.
Yet this young girl was already so skilled.
The old man sighed inwardly, acknowledging that all efforts must bow to talent.
After a few needles, Huang Xiaodong’s fingers twitched. Jiang Ning then inserted a few more needles into his legs.
Huang Xiaodong finally regained control of his body.
As soon as Jiang Ning finished putting away the needles, Huang Xiaodong got up from the floor, patted his pants, and gritted his teeth at the old man. “You really are my own grandfather.”
The old man snorted lightly. “If I’m not, then who is?”
The old man looked at Jiang Ning with satisfaction and approval. “Ning girl, you should work here properly. The money you earn won’t be shared with you.”
“No,” Jiang Ning shook her head. “I will split my consultation fees with you half.”
She was very grateful to the old man for allowing her to treat patients at the clinic. Once she built up her reputation, she wouldn’t face rejections like before.
She wasn’t an ungrateful person. Currently, she had no reputation, and no one would believe that a young girl could practice medicine. Being rejected twice, although partly due to malicious intent, the reasons for not accepting her were also valid.
Seeing the stubbornness in Jiang Ning’s eyes, the old man knew this topic was unavoidable.
Stubbornness was good; stubborn people were suited for learning medicine.
His grandson, although familiar with various herbs and somewhat talented, didn’t want to study seriously with him.
He preferred to slack off and fool around all day.
Without that determination, even the most talented people would ultimately achieve nothing.
The old man had scolded and punished his grandson, but the boy wouldn’t listen. Eventually, he gave up trying to persuade him.
Huang Xiaodong lacked perseverance, but Jiang Ning, once she sat down, stayed for the entire day.
Old Master Huang was pleased and brought out many prescriptions and medical books to discuss with Jiang Ning.
Once, traditional Chinese medicine had been suppressed many times, and by the time it was passed down to later generations, there were very few herbal prescriptions left. Jiang Ning was deeply devoted to Chinese medicine and lamented the short-sightedness of those who had suppressed it.
The prescriptions and medical books that Old Master Huang brought out were many that she had never seen before.
Jiang Ning was engrossed in reading the medical books and spent the entire day doing so.
Throughout the day, no one came to the clinic.
A few sick people passed by, but they preferred to go to the clinic a few miles away for injections and IV drips rather than seek treatment at the traditional Chinese medicine clinic.
The effects of traditional Chinese medicine were slower, while Western medicine, although not always curative, worked quickly.
Since people didn’t come for treatment, she couldn’t force them to.
After finishing an entire medical book, Jiang Ning looked at her watch in surprise. “It’s this late already?”
By now, Shen Mo should have finished his training.
Jiang Ning bid farewell to Old Master Huang and left.
As the sky grew darker, Jiang Ning quickened her pace. When she reached the entrance of the family compound, she saw Shen Mo coming out of the clinic.
His steps were erratic, and he looked quite anxious.
He was looking around, as if deciding which way to go.
Jiang Ning called out to him.
“Shen Mo.”
Shen Mo turned sharply and saw Jiang Ning standing not far away.
He hesitated for a second.
Then he took big strides towards Jiang Ning, and after a few steps, he broke into a run.
Jiang Ning was quite happy today. She had read a book she hadn’t seen before and encountered prescriptions she had never seen. On her first day, she had even earned two yuan.
Two yuan wasn’t much, but she was still very happy.
Seeing Shen Mo, she suddenly wanted to share her joy with him. As Shen Mo ran up to her, Jiang Ning was about to speak, but suddenly, a pair of large hands pulled her into an embrace, forcing her head against his hard chest.
Thump, thump—
Thump, thump—
The sound of his increasingly rapid heartbeat exploded in her ears, and his hot breath fell on her head, scorching her.
The man had a faint scent of laundry soap, without any body odor. She disliked men who smelled of sweat. Shen Mo was very clean; he would take a shower before going home after training and another before going to bed.
Feeling his arms tighten around her, Jiang Ning lifted her head from his chest. “What… what’s wrong?”
Her autumn-water eyes, with ripples of mist, reflected light, yet she seemed unaware of their beauty. The unintentional allure in her confused and innocent expression made one’s body tingle.
Shen Mo swallowed hard and, holding Jiang Ning’s shoulders, asked, “You’re not working at the clinic?”
He hadn’t gone home at noon, and when he returned home after training in the evening, he remembered his wife had said she was working at the clinic. So, he went to the clinic to pick her up and go home together.
When he arrived at the clinic, he didn’t see his wife. After asking around, he learned that the clinic didn’t want her to work there.
Shen Mo returned home but didn’t find her there either. Anxious and worried, he ran back to the clinic to ask where his wife had gone.
But the people at the clinic said they didn’t know.
Coming out of the clinic, he finally heard his wife’s voice and, upon embracing her, the stone that had been weighing on his heart finally settled.
Jiang Ning shook her head and explained, “No, the clinic didn’t want me. I’m working at the medical clinic five miles away.”
Shen Mo let go of Jiang Ning and, with his large hands on her shoulders, said, “If the clinic didn’t want you, it’s their loss.”
Jiang Ning looked up slightly and met his dark, deep eyes, which were cold yet filled with trust.
Hearing his firm and trusting tone, Jiang Ning’s heart fluttered uncontrollably.
She wasn’t actually feeling wronged. No one had ever stood behind her as a support, and her heart had hardened over time. The words of outsiders had never hurt her.
But hearing Shen Mo’s words just now, it felt like something inside her hardened heart had cracked.
“Let’s go home quickly.”
Jiang Ning and Shen Mo returned home, and as soon as they pushed open the door, Huo Zhiqi ran out from the main room.
Seeing Jiang Ning, his expression clearly showed relief.
Jiang Ning was in a good mood, and while she cooked in the kitchen, the two men in the house helped out. They finished making the meal in no time.
However, while cooking, Jiang Ning noticed that Zhiqi, who was tending the fire, kept looking up at her, as if he had something to say.
Children couldn’t hide their emotions well, and it was obvious he wanted to talk.
But even after dinner, Zhiqi didn’t approach her to speak.
Jiang Ning knew that due to his past experiences, Zhiqi liked to keep his thoughts to himself and didn’t want to trouble others. Ever since they adopted him, the child had been so well-behaved and never caused any trouble.
She wondered when the child would open up and speak his mind without hesitation.
**
Jiang Ning had spent a lot of energy reading the medical books given by Old Master Huang the previous day, so she slept especially well and long. When she woke up the next day, Zhiqi had already left for school, and Shen Mo was watering the newly cultivated land in the yard.
Once the soil was moistened, Jiang Ning could plant whatever she wanted directly.
Jiang Ning walked out of the room and saw a bowl of porridge and an egg on the table in the main room.
She went over and had her breakfast while Shen Mo finished watering all the soil.
Jiang Ning watched Shen Mo work; the man was really efficient. She observed for a while, then stuffed the last piece of egg white into her mouth and poured a cup of water into enamel cup.
She carried the water out of the room, intending to give it to Shen Mo.
“Shen Mo, have some water.”
As she approached, she unfortunately tripped over something and stumbled forward.
“Ah—”
Her red lips let out a cry, and just as she was about to fall, a pair of large hands caught her around the waist, pulling her into the man’s arms.
Her forehead bumped against his hard chest, and the water in her cup splashed all over him.
Seeing his chest completely soaked, she quickly took out a handkerchief and started wiping him down.
Apologizing repeatedly, she said, “Sorry, sorry.”
As she wiped the water off him, she realized something felt off. This might be the first time she had touched him like this. In fact, she had been eyeing his well-defined abs for a while.
Finally, she had a legitimate reason to touch those abs.