C3 He Had Survived the Disaster!

Xiao Ming, feeling somewhat helpless, recounted the story of how he had married into a family to secure treatment for his mother's illness.

"I see."

Soong Xixue nodded. Though she didn't often visit the village, she was somewhat familiar with Xiao Ming's family affairs; it was, after all, a small village.

"By the way, how did you come to learn acupuncture?"

"Is it really that odd?" Xiao Ming, not willing to reveal his reincarnation, deflected, "You're knowledgeable in medicine yourself, aren't you?"

Soong Xixue paused, a chill crossing her features. "Who says I'm not a doctor? Just a bunch of ignorant people who do nothing but spread rumors all day."

Xiao Ming was taken aback. Was there a hidden story here?

After all, nobody wants their spouse to be mistaken for a woman of ill repute.

"I'm the attending physician at the First Hospital in the provincial city. I've studied both Western and traditional medicine."

With a hint of frustration, Soong Xixue pulled out her work ID from her bag and flashed it before Xiao Ming's eyes.

"Now, will you answer my question?"

Xiao Ming felt a twinge of frustration. Although his knowledge of this world was limited, he understood the implications all too well.

Rumors are deadly, no matter the world.

But then...

After a brief pause, Xiao Ming intentionally steered the conversation elsewhere. "Since you're a doctor and we're entering into a sham marriage, shouldn't you be concerned about my health? Does your family have a tradition of combining weddings and funerals?"

"Funerals?"

Soong Xixue looked taken aback, her expression souring. She was about to retort when something stopped her.

"Your eyes are lifeless, your lips are turning purple, and your complexion is ashen. Have you been poisoned?"

Soong Xixue's face turned pale with alarm. "Hold on, I'll call an ambulance immediately. The medical facilities here aren't equipped to treat you."

"That won't be necessary. By the time an ambulance from the city arrives, it would be too late for me," Xiao Ming explained. "Silver needles can be used to draw out the poison."

Soong Xixue's face was stern. "What are you implying? I've been in medicine for years and have never heard of detoxification with silver needles. Don't joke about your life. And don't worry about the cost."

Xiao Ming couldn't help but be amused and exasperated when he heard her concern. It was clear that she thought he was fretting over medical costs. With a resigned sigh, he said, "Miss, if I say it's fine, then it's fine. Just go ahead and do what you need to do."

Soong Xixue, however, was adamant. "No, I'm a doctor. It's my duty to ensure your safety."

Her words caught Xiao Ming off guard, but he quickly shook his head in response. "In that case, you definitely should proceed. Even if I could wait for an ambulance to get to the hospital, the mountain roads are treacherous. Do you really think I can withstand the journey in my current state?"

At a loss for words, Soong Xixue hesitated. She hadn't been in the village long and had overlooked this detail.

Reluctantly, Soong Xixue picked up the silver needles and began to treat him, following Xiao Ming's instructions.

As time went on, she found herself increasingly astonished. The acupuncture points Xiao Ming casually indicated were highly controversial in the medical community, with uncertain effects, and some weren't even documented in medical literature.

Revealing these findings could potentially turn the medical world upside down, challenging numerous established theories.

Suddenly, Xiao Ming's identity seemed enigmatic to Soong Xixue.

"Alright, now bring me a spittoon," he said as the final needle was placed.

Once the spittoon was handed to him, Xiao Ming rapidly tapped various points on his body, then leaned over and expelled several mouthfuls of dark, foul-smelling blood.

Soong Xixue quickly opened the doors and windows, her eyes wide with amazement. He had managed to perform a blood dialysis with silver needles, a feat typically achieved only with machines. How on earth did he accomplish that?

Before Soong Xixue could voice her thoughts, Xiao Ming preempted her, "I learned these skills in a dream from an Old Immortal."

Now free from the threat to his life, Xiao Ming was in high spirits. His medical expertise was rooted in the teachings of Qian Yuan's Dao, with his master imparting lessons through illusions. Claiming they came to him in dreams wasn't far from the truth.

Soong Xixue simply gave a cold, dismissive smile and said, "If you're unwilling to share, then let's leave it at that."

Xiao Ming didn't respond, simply drifting off into a deep sleep.

Annoyed, Soong Xixue stamped her foot but resigned herself to spreading out her bedding on the floor.

The following morning, they rose one after the other.

With a chuckle, Soong Qian offered them some advice, "You newlyweds should get plenty of rest."

Detecting the implication in his words, Soong Xixue responded icily, "What are you implying, Dad?"

"Ah, I'm just eager for a grandchild. You and your mom have been away in the provincial city for years, avoiding me. It's been too quiet around here."

Soong Xixue scoffed, "That's your own doing. Who told you to sit back and let those people take advantage of you? You're just hoping for a grandson to..."

Xiao Ming listened quietly to the exchange.

It appeared the Soong family's affairs were more complicated than village rumors suggested.

"Enough of that now, let's eat," Soong Qian cut in, quashing the conversation and leaving Xiao Ming, who was itching for some juicy details, feeling both frustrated and powerless. The mood at the table turned awkward.

Just then, a teenage girl with a ponytail burst into the dining room, out of breath as she exclaimed, "Ming, it's terrible, Auntie's been bullied by someone!"