C8 Who Was the Stepping Stone

Ye Chen had just acquired the observing skill, allowing him to discern her condition from her physical characteristics. His brow furrowed as he thought, "This woman has an innate heart condition, compounded by a blood vessel embolism causing insufficient blood flow, which is why she's unconscious."

He quickly made his way through the crowd. Immediate medical attention was crucial for this woman, or her life would be in jeopardy. While Ye Chen was no Hua Tuo, his medical expertise meant he couldn't stand idly by in the face of death.

"Ding! Mission: Save Wei Qianning."

"Reward: 5 points of mental energy. Difficulty: Two stars."

Ye Chen promptly accepted the task and urgently asked, "Ma'am, I have some medical knowledge. May I examine her?"

The middle-aged woman replied anxiously, "Please do, we can't afford anything to happen to her." It turned out she was a nanny.

Kneeling down, Ye Chen scrutinized the woman's condition, which matched his initial diagnosis.

"Ma'am, she has an innate heart disease and a cardiovascular embolism. We need to act fast or her life will be at risk," he said.

The nanny, upon hearing this, was struck with panic. "The ambulance is twenty minutes away. Can she last that long?"

Ye Chen shook his head. "There's no time; she has at most ten minutes."

The nanny was overwhelmed, as if struck by lightning. "What do we do now?"

After a brief pause, Ye Chen offered, "I can keep her alive until the ambulance arrives, but you'll need to trust me."

The nanny wavered. Wei Qianning was the treasured daughter of the Wei family, and entrusting her life to a stranger was a gamble. A successful intervention by Ye Chen would be a blessing, but if he failed, the nanny couldn't bear the consequences.

Suddenly, Wei Qianning's body convulsed, her complexion turning a ghastly purple as her vital signs plummeted. The nanny, who had doubted Ye Chen's assessment, now realized the gravity of the situation.

"Please, you must act quickly to save our young miss."

Ye Chen nodded. He was confident that he could heal Wei Qianning with acupuncture, though lacking experience made him hesitant to make bold claims.

"I'll need silver needles for the treatment."

The nanny immediately called out, "Can someone kindly rush to the pharmacy and get silver needles?"

Within a minute, Ye Chen received the silver needles from a breathless good Samaritan.

With the silver needles in hand, Ye Chen felt an innate familiarity. He had never used them before, yet his handling was remarkably adept, as if it was second nature to him.

Ye Chen then took a moment to carefully examine Wei Qianning.

Her beauty was delicate and exquisite, her skin fairer than snow. Dressed in a long white gown, her elegance was unmistakable. She radiated youthful charm, her natural beauty captivating, like an unblemished budding hibiscus.

What truly stirred him was the scent emanating from Wei Qianning. Her fragrance was subtle and refined, bringing him a sense of comfort with just one whiff.

Ye Chen shook his head, dismissing the flurry of thoughts. A doctor must maintain a compassionate heart.

Taking a deep breath, he was about to begin the acupuncture when he heard a voice.

"Stop, what are you doing?"

A young man in a traditional robe approached swiftly, his expression one of anger as he pointed an accusing finger at Ye Chen.

"If I'm not mistaken, you're about to insert the silver needle into the Qihai Acupoint, aren't you? Are you trying to kill her? She clearly has a pulmonary embolism, and yet you're targeting her heart meridian. Do you want her death on your hands?"

Ye Chen's brow furrowed. "If you're ignorant on the matter, better to stay silent. She does indeed have a cardiovascular embolism."

"Haha, I'm ignorant?"

The young man, Zhu Wen, laughed arrogantly. "Let me tell you, I am Ouyang Bo's direct disciple. Surely, I am not inferior to you?"

Zhu Wen then addressed the nanny, "I have visited the Wei family before. We've met previously; do you remember me?"

At that moment, the nanny had an epiphany. No wonder Zhu Wen seemed familiar to her; she had indeed met him before.

Zhu Wen's credentials were indisputable.

"Mr. Zhu, I recall who you are. Please accept my apologies for any disrespect," she said.

Zhu Wen then addressed Ye Chen, "What do you have to say for yourself now? Do you still think I'm making things up?"

Everyone around nodded instinctively, agreeing with Zhu Wen's assessment.

As the prized disciple of the National Medical Sage, Ouyang Bo, Zhu Wen was no coward.

His medical expertise was undoubtedly exceptional.

Could it be that everything Zhu Wen had said was true?

Was Ye Chen harboring ill intentions, aiming to deliberately harm Qianning?

Sensing the crowd's skepticism, Zhu Wen added, "Humph! Just by observing his acupuncture technique, I could tell he's studied ancient medicine, but his mastery is lacking, and his diagnosis is inaccurate. He's probably enamored with Qianning's beauty and is attempting tasks beyond his capabilities. Dressed in a school uniform, he's clearly a student and likely doesn't even possess a certificate of medical practice."

"He's utterly despicable! To satisfy his own selfish desires, he dares to disregard human life."

"I thought he was well-intentioned, but it turns out he's just a selfish individual."

"He has the audacity to treat patients without a medical certificate. It's nothing short of fraud. He must face the consequences."

In a flash, Ye Chen found himself the target of everyone's criticism.

It was an uphill battle. Ouyang Bo's renown as a national medical authority was overwhelming. Next to Ouyang Bo's disciple, no one was inclined to take Ye Chen's side.

"Please step aside and allow Mr. Zhu to attend to my mistress," the nanny said with an icy demeanor. Had it not been for her years of service with the Wei family, which had instilled in her a sense of decorum, she would have berated him by now.

Left with no alternative, Ye Chen stepped back to make way for Zhu Wen to treat Wei Qianning.

Zhu Wen wore a slight smile, confident in his ability to handle the ailment with ease.

"No, you must not use acupuncture on the Central Acupoint; it could be fatal," Ye Chen interjected urgently, attempting to stop Zhu Wen.

"Bullshit! It's blatantly obvious that Qianning is suffering from a pulmonary embolism. Are you really going to delay her treatment at a time like this?" Zhu Wen was livid.

As a disciple of a revered national doctor, he had never been repeatedly questioned like this.

"It's not me who's delaying her; you're the one endangering her," Ye Chen retorted.

Zhu Wen, so incensed he almost laughed, responded, "Fine, I won't treat her. As an ancient doctor, I refuse to bear the guilt of causing harm."

"No, no, Mr. Zhu, you mustn't stoop to the level of this scoundrel. Please, for the sake of your relationship with the Wei family, save our young miss," the nanny implored.

"Yes, Mr. Zhu, please don't disregard the patient's life."

"You should go ahead and save her!"

The crowd around Zhu Wen offered their reassurances.

Meanwhile, Ye Chen was not only sidelined but also subjected to occasional disdainful glances.

Zhu Wen scanned the crowd, his heart swelling with excitement.

It seemed that after today, his reputation would surely be celebrated throughout Jianghai.

He had Ye Chen to thank as a stepping stone; without him, he could never have reached such acclaim.

With a resolve as if making a monumental decision, Zhu Wen declared, "Alright! I am, after all, a doctor. I will proceed with Qianning's treatment now!"

The crowd erupted in cheers, applauding Zhu Wen's dedication to his medical oath.

Subsequently, everyone instinctively fell silent, providing Zhu Wen with the quiet atmosphere he needed to administer his treatment.