C3 Treatment

"How's it going?" Butler Liu inquired, looking at Xiao Qiufeng with concern.

"Elder Qin, that delivery guy intends to treat Miss Lau. If anything untoward happens to her, our hospital will be held accountable!" Chen Yan's voice echoed from outside the ward at that moment.

Chen Yan then reappeared, escorting an elderly man into the ward.

Upon entering, he witnessed Xiao Qiufeng taking Lau Qingmei's pulse.

A flicker of astonishment crossed Elder Qin's eyes.

These days, doctors everywhere were predominantly trained in Western medicine. He hadn't expected a delivery man to be versed in traditional medicine. The young man's technique in taking the pulse indicated he had a solid grounding in the medical arts.

Xiao Qiufeng glanced at the newcomers and released Lau Qingmei's wrist, stating, "You have indeed been poisoned by the Golden Line Mandara Flower and Snake Line Grass."

"Do you think you're in a TV drama? Poisoned by the Golden Line Mandara Flower?" scoffed Chen Yan, his face twisted with scorn.

"Silence!" A stern rebuke thundered from behind him.

Chen Yan shuddered, startled. Elder Qin was a revered figure at their hospital. Even the director showed him the utmost respect. It was well-known that Elder Qin had retired from the premier hospital in the capital, and if not for his roots in this area, their hospital would never have had the privilege of employing him.

Elder Qin approached Lau Qingmei and asked gently, "Miss Lau, may I examine you?"

Lau Qingmei nodded her consent, "Yes, please do."

Elder Qin placed his fingers on her wrist, feeling for her pulse. After a moment, he released her, his face etched with confusion. "I must admit my embarrassment. I can only detect some anemia in Miss Lau, nothing more. Young man, I'm familiar with the Golden Line Mandara Flower you mentioned. But it's a deadly toxin; anyone poisoned by it would die almost instantly. Miss Lau's symptoms don't match that prognosis."

Chen Yan, seizing the opportunity, interjected, "Elder Qin, Miss Lau isn't versed in medical knowledge. This guy must be fabricating stories to deceive her."

Xiao Qiufeng regarded Elder Qin with a cool detachment and remarked, "There's a saying: 'Ignorance is bliss.' The Golden Line Mandara Flower is indeed a deadly toxin. If someone is afflicted with its poison, they can be cured with Snake Line Grass within thirty minutes. However, when combined in a specific ratio, these two can create a slow-acting poison. Its early symptoms mimic anemia, causing frequent dizziness in the afflicted. After about six months, the individual will begin to vomit blood, yet no definitive illness can be diagnosed. Typically, within a year, the condition deteriorates, leading to death by heart failure."

Chen Yan was on the verge of interjecting when Lau Qingmei's furrowed brow stopped him in his tracks, and he swallowed his words instead.

"Leave!" Lau Qingmei commanded without a hint of courtesy.

Chen Yan turned to Elder Qin, seeking support, but to his surprise, Elder Qin echoed the sentiment flatly, "Leave!"

Reluctantly, Chen Yan shot Xiao Qiufeng a venomous look before exiting.

"Miss, perhaps we should return to the capital for a thorough examination?" Butler Liu suggested gently.

The health of the Lau family patriarch was failing. Should any harm befall Lau Qingmei, the leadership of the Lau family could fall into other hands. Moreover, Butler Liu was convinced that Lau Qingmei had been poisoned, based on the information he had gathered.

Yet Xiao Qiufeng was so young, and according to the records, he had no medical expertise.

"Do you believe you can heal me?" Lau Qingmei inquired of Xiao Qiufeng, her voice soft.

"I require silver needles," Xiao Qiufeng replied.

"As it happens, I have a set right here," Elder Qin said, placing a set of silver needles on the table before turning to Butler Liu. "We should step outside."

Being a seasoned physician, he understood the delicacy required when administering acupuncture to a female patient.

Xiao Qiufeng then composed himself and instructed, "Miss Lau, I'll need to access your back for the acupuncture. Please remove your shirt."

"Very well."

Despite having braced herself for many challenges, Lau Qingmei couldn't help but feel her heartbeat quicken and her cheeks warm with a blush as she shed her upper garments.

As Xiao Qiufeng's hand grazed her skin, Lau Qingmei's body tensed instantly, her hands trembling involuntarily.

Xiao Qiufeng himself was far from calm. The sight of a beauty like Lau Qingmei disrobing could unsettle any man, even one as honorable as he. Yet, he quickly mastered his composure and focused on recalling the proper treatment method.

With intense concentration, Xiao Qiufeng set about treating Lau Qingmei. He located the crucial acupoints on her body, guided by the technique etched in his memory, and began the acupuncture.

Each insertion of the needle sent a wave of warmth coursing through Lau Qingmei, and with the removal of the silver needles, it felt as though impurities were being extracted from her very essence.

By the end, her entire body was tingling with a profound sense of comfort, prompting an involuntary moan to escape her lips.

The sound sent a shiver through Xiao Qiufeng, nearly breaking his hard-won control.

Mortified by her own reaction, Lau Qingmei wished she could vanish into thin air. The embarrassment was overwhelming, her cheeks aflame.

Once she regained a semblance of composure, she warned Xiao Qiufeng with a hint of threat, "You didn't hear anything. You understand?"

Quick to reassure her, Xiao Qiufeng responded, "Absolutely, I didn't hear a thing!"

Ten minutes later, as the doctor and Lau Qingmei's attendant grew increasingly impatient outside, Xiao Qiufeng concluded the session, retracting his hands with a note of fatigue, "Miss Lau, we're finished."

Lau Qingmei's eyes snapped open to Xiao Qiufeng's ashen face, slumped on the ground, drenched in sweat.

Alarmed, she inquired, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Xiao Qiufeng assured her, "just drained. I need a moment to rest. Please, get dressed."

With a weary smile, he gestured for her to proceed.

It was only then that Lau Qingmei realized she was still undressed, her cheeks coloring even deeper. She hurriedly clothed herself.

Afterward, she took a moment to tune into her body and discovered a newfound lightness, the persistent weakness that had plagued her now a thing of the past.

She asked with astonishment, "Has the poison been neutralized from my body?" From the dossier she had on Xiao Qiufeng, the man was nothing but a deadbeat. Nowhere did it mention any medical expertise.

Yet, in a moment's time, this 'deadbeat' had miraculously healed her chronic ailment, transforming into a Divine Doctor!

It was utterly inconceivable!

The more she observed Xiao Qiufeng, the more she realized there was something extraordinary about him. And upon closer inspection, she noticed an ineffable aura surrounding him, sparking a flicker of curiosity within her.

Approaching him, she blinked her large, dewy eyes and offered a warm smile, extending her hand. "Allow me to introduce myself properly. I'm Lau Qingmei."

As Xiao Qiufeng noticed her approach, he quickly rose to his feet. Taking her hand gently, he introduced himself, "I'm Xiao Qiufeng."

Lau Qingmei, still smiling, inquired, "I'm quite curious. Where did you acquire your medical skills?"

Xiao Qiufeng scratched his head, at a loss for words, and chose to stay silent.

Realizing he was reluctant to answer, Lau Qingmei didn't press further. "Everyone has their secrets. I apologize for my impertinence."

She then turned and perched herself on the edge of the hospital bed, her snow-white legs crossed, giving Xiao Qiufeng a playful look. "You've healed my illness. What reward would you like? Name it, and it's yours."

Xiao Qiufeng quickly gestured with his hands, dismissing the offer. "There's no need. You brought me to the hospital and covered my mother's medical bills. Let's call it even, shall we?"

Lau Qingmei's smile carried a hint of suggestiveness as she parted her red lips, "Are you sure you want no reward? If you ask, I might even reconsider calling off our engagement."

Xiao Qiufeng, taken aback, replied softly, "Please, Miss Lau, no jokes."

Having just been betrayed by Zhou Ruoxue, he was far from ready to entertain such thoughts.

"And what if I'm serious?" Lau Qingmei said, her smile tinged with seriousness.

Xiao Qiufeng shook his head firmly. "Even so, it wouldn't be right. If I were to save you only to demand repayment, that would make me a contemptible man. I may be poor, but I'm not without honor."

Upon hearing this, Lau Qingmei's gaze towards Xiao Qiufeng shifted dramatically. Beneath his seemingly fragile exterior lay a character that sparkled with virtue.

Just then, Xiao Qiufeng's phone rang. He checked the caller ID and saw it was Zhou Ruoxue. His expression darkened. Despite his reluctance, he answered the call.

Zhou Ruoxue's voice came through, laced with venom. "You good-for-nothing, where have you disappeared to? Get yourself to the Civil Affairs Bureau and pick up the divorce papers! Don't even think about playing any games or shamefully refusing to divorce. Otherwise, Brother Xiaochuan will give you a taste of how cruel the world can be."

Xiao Qiufeng's fists clenched, his forehead veins standing out as he seethed, "Rest assured, I won't cling to you. But mark my words, Zhou Ruoxue, I swear you'll live to regret this!"

"Regret? The only thing I regret is listening to Grandma and marrying you. You're a dead man walking!" With that, Zhou Ruoxue spat out her last insult and hung up.

Xiao Qiufeng gripped his phone tightly, a blaze of anger simmering within him.

Lau Qingmei gave him a glance and said calmly, "Don't let it get to you. You should be glad to be rid of a woman like that."

Snapped out of his daze, Xiao Qiufeng replied with a hint of embarrassment, "Sorry for making a scene."

Lau Qingmei retrieved her car keys and rose to her feet, declaring, "There's nothing amusing about it. Let's head out."

Bewildered, Xiao Qiufeng asked, "Where to?"

With a twinkle in her eye and a mischievous smile, Lau Qingmei teased, "Your wife is eager for a divorce, right? I'll drive you there."

Xiao Qiufeng shook his head, "No need to go out of your way. I can just grab a cab."

But Lau Qingmei insisted firmly, "Enough talk. I'm taking you."

With that, she strode towards the door, her long, snow-white legs carrying her with purpose.

Xiao Qiufeng's mouth opened as if to protest, but no words came out. In the end, he simply followed Lau Qingmei obediently.