Cen’s father turned his head away, not wanting to respond, his already stern face trying to hide the embarrassment he felt inside.

Chuxia took his pulse and smiled, “Dad, don’t worry. Relax, acupuncture doesn’t hurt.”

Cen’s father glanced at the long needles Chuxia had prepared, and instead of relaxing, his body tensed even more.

He didn’t expect much from the treatment—his arm had hurt before, and doctors had always said it couldn’t be fully cured, only managed with painkillers when the pain flared up.

However, as soon as Chuxia applied the needles, Cen’s father noticed a distinct change.

The pain wasn’t just subsiding—it felt different, less sharp.

Over time, a warm sensation spread through his arm, and the cold, aching feeling he had grown used to began to fade.

By the time Chuxia was ready to remove the needles, Cen’s father realized he wasn’t feeling any pain at all.

He watched in curiosity as Chuxia removed each needle, still bewildered at how such long needles could have entered his body without causing pain.

After she had finished, Jiang Shengnan stepped forward and lifted Cen’s father’s arm gently. “Does it still hurt?” she asked.

Cen’s father moved his arm by himself, a look of surprise crossing his face. “It doesn’t hurt anymore,” he said, more effective than any painkillers he’d taken.

He looked at the needles in awe, newfound respect for Chinese medicine filling his eyes.

Chuxia smiled and explained, “The needles help with pain relief, but this is only temporary. Treating your underlying injuries will take time.”

Hearing this, Jiang Shengnan was filled with hope. “Can his injuries be completely healed?”

Chuxia carefully packed away her needles. “I can’t be sure.

I’ve studied cases like this in medical journals, and the methods I’m using have shown results.

But I haven’t had much practical experience with injuries like this, so I can’t promise anything.”

Cen’s father spoke up, his tone softer than usual. “I’m already grateful the pain is gone. Don’t feel any pressure—whatever happens, I’ve lived with this for years.”

Jiang Shengnan quickly smiled, realizing she had let her concern get the best of her. “Yes, don’t worry, Chuxia. Just do what you can.”

Chuxia stood up and reassured them, “Even if we can’t fully heal the injury, we can at least reduce the symptoms. But Dad, you must follow my instructions, especially when it comes to diet. You can’t eat anything you’re not supposed to, not even a little.”

Jiang Shengnan immediately nodded. “I’ll make sure he doesn’t sneak anything.”

Cen’s father glanced at her, feeling a bit exasperated. “I’m not that kind of person. I can control myself.”

After leaving Cen’s parents’ house, Chuxia made her way toward the exit of the retirement home, carrying her medical kit.

Just as she was about to reach her car, she heard someone shout, “Wait! Doctor, please wait!”

Chuxia instinctively turned around to see a middle-aged woman rushing toward her, panting and waving her arms frantically.

Chuxia paused, waiting for the woman to catch up.

The woman grabbed Chuxia’s hand as soon as she reached her. “Please, come quickly! My father just fell—please help him!”

“I’m not a doctor here,” Chuxia tried to explain.

The woman looked at her desperately. “But you are a doctor, right?”

Chuxia nodded.

“That’s good enough. Please, it’s urgent.”

The woman practically dragged Chuxia along as she protested, “You should have called an ambulance!”

“I did, but it’s taking too long,” the woman replied, not slowing down.

Chuxia was pulled into a building similar to the one where Cen’s parents lived.

The woman apologized, releasing Chuxia’s hand. “I’m just so worried about my dad.”

Inside, the elderly man lay on a couch, too afraid to move.

Chuxia immediately went over to check his pulse and assess his injuries. Her brow furrowed as she made her diagnosis. “He’s showing signs of a stroke, and the fall has caused internal bleeding in his brain. You need to wait for the ambulance and take him to the hospital immediately.”

The situation was too complicated for Chuxia to treat fully, especially since this wasn’t her area of expertise.

The woman, panicking, asked, “Isn’t there anything you can do right now? How can we just wait?”

Realizing the ambulance would take time, Chuxia reluctantly agreed. “I can use acupuncture to stabilize his condition and prevent it from worsening, but you’ll still need to take him to the hospital for proper treatment.”

The woman’s relief was palpable as she clutched Chuxia’s hand. “Please, do whatever you can.”

However, some of the elderly man’s other children were less convinced. One frowned, asking, “Who is this? I’ve never seen her around the retirement home.”

“Yeah, acupuncture? From someone this young? Is she even experienced?” another added, casting skeptical glances at Chuxia.

Chuxia remained calm and addressed them directly. “I’m not a doctor from here. I was visiting my parents. If you trust me, I’ll do what I can. If not, I’ll leave.”

Just then, more family members entered, bringing with them a doctor from the retirement home.

They asked him to check on the elderly man.

The doctor, recognizing Chuxia from earlier, nodded at her before saying, “There’s not much I can do without proper equipment.”

The doctor turned to Chuxia and asked for her opinion.

She repeated her earlier diagnosis and added, “If I don’t perform acupuncture now, the worst outcome could be paralysis or even death.”

The woman, desperate, grabbed Chuxia’s hand. “Do it, Dr. Luo! Whatever happens, I take full responsibility!”

When her relatives tried to object, the woman shouted, “Do you want to see our father paralyzed or dead?”

Silenced, the family let Chuxia proceed. She began the acupuncture, knowing that time was critical.

Just as she finished, the ambulance arrived.

As the paramedics prepared to take the elderly man to the hospital, Chuxia carefully removed the needles and accompanied them to ensure everything went smoothly.

At the hospital, she waited anxiously as the doctors took the man into surgery.

Time ticked by, and Chuxia, worried about Cen Zhengnian, borrowed the hospital’s phone to explain the situation.

Finally, the surgery ended, and the doctor emerged with a relieved smile. “The surgery was a success. The patient is stable now. You should thank this doctor. Without her acupuncture, the situation would have been much worse.”

The woman and her family turned to Chuxia, gratitude evident in their eyes.

At this moment, the woman’s family finally realized how important Chu Xia had been and turned to thank her.

But they discovered that she was no longer in the hospital hallway.

Chu Xia had left the hospital as soon as she heard that the elderly person was okay.

Walking out the hospital doors, it was already quite late outside.

She headed toward where she had parked her car.

Just as she lifted her foot, she turned and saw a familiar tall figure.

Chu Xia froze on the spot. “Zhengnian?”

Her previously calm heart suddenly rippled at the sight of him.

Cen Zhengnian was standing under a tree by the hospital entrance.

The leaves on the tree had not all fallen yet, but in the darkness, those leaves were barely visible.

All she could see was Cen Zhengnian’s tall and graceful silhouette illuminated by the lights at the entrance, as if even the light adored him.

Cen Zhengnian walked toward Chu Xia step by step until the light reached her as well.

“Are you tired?” Cen Zhengnian gently touched Chu Xia’s face, frowning slightly with concern in his eyes.

He could see the fatigue in her expression, and he softly ruffled her hair.

Chu Xia’s strength seemed to disappear all at once, and she wrapped her arms around Cen Zhengnian, burying her head in his chest.

Her voice carried a hint of grievance: “I’m so tired.

My legs are sore from standing, and they didn’t even believe in my medical skills.”

Cen Zhengnian patted her back softly. “It’s okay, I’m here now. When we get home, I’ll give you a massage.”

They got into the car, and Cen Zhengnian started it, heading toward the family quarters of the research institute.

Chu Xia rubbed her calf and finally asked, “Why did you come to the hospital? When did you arrive?”

Cen Zhengnian kept his eyes on the road ahead and answered gently, “It was getting late. I was worried about you.”

After their phone call ended, Cen Zhengnian had taken a cab to the hospital.

Chu Xia’s lips curled into a smile she couldn’t control as she looked at the road ahead.

Even though the scenery on both sides of the road was barely visible, she inexplicably found it beautiful and felt very happy.

A few days later, the furniture and luggage from the Northwest arrived.

Jiang Shengnan rented a truck to transport everything back from the train station.

The belongings of her and Father Cen were sent to the retirement compound, while the items Chu Xia, Cen Zhengnian, and Cen Huaian used in the Northwest were sent to the courtyard house in Xidan.

Chu Xia had a work shift that day, but she had given Jiang Shengnan a key to the courtyard house, so she could go there anytime.

After getting Chu Xia’s approval, Jiang Shengnan moved everything into the courtyard house.

Though Chu Xia had bought the courtyard house, she hadn’t made any renovations since she didn’t plan to live there.

Still, the house was well-preserved and not in bad condition.

This was Jiang Shengnan’s first visit to the courtyard house in Xidan, and Father Cen followed her inside.

“This place is nice,” she remarked as she looked up at several persimmon trees in the courtyard. The trees were filled with ripe persimmons that looked like small red lanterns.

A smile appeared on Jiang Shengnan’s face. “Some of these persimmons are ripe!”

Because no one had tended to the trees, many birds had pecked at the ripe persimmons, and some had already been damaged.

Father Cen, who was directing the movers with the furniture, turned to look at the persimmon trees when he heard Jiang Shengnan’s comment.

He nodded, “Yes, they should be eaten.”

If they didn’t pick the persimmons soon, they would either be eaten by the birds or fall to the ground overripe.

These persimmon trees had likely been in the courtyard for many years, growing tall and thick.

If they wanted to pick the fruit, someone would have to climb the tree.

Jiang Shengnan and Father Cen, with their old bones, certainly couldn’t climb the trees.

They were considering paying the movers extra to help pick the persimmons when a young boy suddenly appeared on the wall next door.

Half of his body was visible as he shouted to Jiang Shengnan and Father Cen, “Grandpa! Grandma! Are you the owners of this house?”

His clear voice carried a bit of curiosity and straightforwardness.

Jiang Shengnan looked up at the boy.

When her gaze met his youthful, innocent smile, her lips curled into a smile as well.

“No, but the owner of this house is my daughter-in-law.”

The boy’s face lit up with a big smile, and with a swift motion, he agilely jumped down from the wall.

“Your persimmons are almost fully ripe. If you don’t pick them soon, they’ll fall.”

Jiang Shengnan could tell what the boy meant and smiled as she nodded. “Yes, I know.”

The boy looked at her and Father Cen, his smile growing wider, revealing a set of bright and neat teeth.

“Grandma, can I help you pick the persimmons? I only need a few for myself.”

Jiang Shengnan wasn’t surprised by his words.

Her smile remained kind as she nodded. “Of course you can.”

The boy’s eyes lit up instantly, his smile stretching almost to his ears. “Grandma, can I invite my friends to help too? We’ll each take just one persimmon.”

Jiang Shengnan looked at the straightforward boy, unable to suppress her smile. “Sure.”

The boy whistled toward the wall, and immediately, five other kids of the same age appeared, both boys and girls.

They had overheard the conversation and cheered as they jumped down from the wall.

Laughing loudly and shouting, “Thank you, Grandpa! Thank you, Grandma!” they skillfully climbed the trees.