Seven Poison Needles had struck Huo Shengnan's chest. Five had their ends protruding, and Hu Xiaotian removed them without much trouble. The remaining three were buried deep in her flesh. Although his heart had initially been a restless monkey and his thoughts a galloping horse, he soon collected himself. He was not merely a competent doctor, but an excellent one, and his medical ethics were beyond question. Once he truly immersed himself in treatment, he cast aside all distracting thoughts and regarded Huo Shengnan as an ordinary patient.
Huo Shengnan, on the other hand, grew uncomfortable. Feeling Hu Xiaotian touching and pressing her chest, she could not help questioning his motives. She squeezed her eyes shut and bit her cherry-red lip. "Are you done yet?"
"Almost. There are three left, buried too deep in the flesh. I may need to cut through a little skin, but don't worry. It shouldn't leave any scars," Hu Xiaotian said.
Huo Shengnan murmured her assent, her cheeks burning like fire. In all her life, when had she ever let a man take such liberties with her? Yet "taking liberties" seemed unfair to Hu Xiaotian. He really was treating her injuries; the five Poison Needles he had already removed were proof.
When Hu Xiaotian left the Yong Capital, he had brought along a set of Surgical Instruments personally forged by Zong Tang. After feeling around Huo Shengnan's chest with both hands to locate the needles, he used the Willow-Leaf Knife to cut through the superficial layer of skin. In such dim light, only his superhuman eyesight allowed him to discern the finest details.
"Does it hurt?" Hu Xiaotian asked with concern.
Huo Shengnan bit down hard on her cherry-red lip. What a pointless question. How could it not hurt?
"Found it. I'll count to three,