Needles went into not only his back, but also his hands, feet, and behind his ears, one after another.
Every so often, the old man let out a muffled groan.
Professor Yang stood nearby with his hands clenched tightly. Though he had told Song Ning to go ahead and try, he was clearly still very anxious.
One of the doctors beside him finally asked:
"Do these needles... hurt when you put them in?"
Song Ning nodded. "Some spots will feel sore and swollen, but that will ease shortly."
The doctors exchanged glances, clearly still doubtful.
Earlier, the old man had been in so much pain that his clothes were soaked through, yet he had gritted his teeth without making a sound.
They had brought her in to relieve his pain, only for her to needle him until he could no longer bear it.
But since the family had raised no objections, they could hardly say anything.
About ten minutes later, a nurse standing on the other side of the bed spoke up:
"The old gentleman seems to have stopped trembling..."
The doctors on this side hurried to check-
Sure enough, his expression had relaxed as well. He was no longer in so much pain that he could not speak.
Delighted, Professor Yang stood up, bent over, and called softly:
"Dear! Dear! Are you feeling a little better now?"
But despite his calling several times, the old man did not respond.
He immediately panicked. "Why... why isn't he answering?"
The doctors beside him grew alarmed too, scrambling for flashlights and stethoscopes.
Song Ning reached out to check the old man's pulse, then said:
"He's just asleep!"
It was as though someone had pressed the mute button in the room.
Asleep?!
Heaven only knew how long it had been since the old man had fallen asleep so peacefully.
After the doctors finished examining him as quietly and gently as they could, they had to reach one conclusion:
The old man really was asleep!
The needles had not even been removed, and he was already asleep!
Professor Yang wept with joy. He seized Song Ning's hand, struggling to contain his excitement.
"It worked! Child, it really worked! He's had acupuncture several times before, but he's never fallen asleep during it like he did today!"
The same needles could produce different results depending on the technique, the acupuncture points, and how many needles were used, Song Ning thought.
Traditional Chinese medicine was a vast and profound field of knowledge. Compared with Western medicine, it best embodied the principle of tailoring treatment to each individual, with a thousand prescriptions for a thousand patients.
Chief of Staff Xu stood at the edge of the group, equally delighted.
He had only wanted to let this young woman give it a try. He had not expected her to possess genuine skill!
At last, he had been able to help his former superior, and he felt honored to have played a part.
With her skill at acupuncture, this young woman could not only save lives but also treat stubborn ailments!
Now that the old man had finally managed to sleep peacefully, the people in the ward could hardly linger. They all withdrew.
Professor Yang personally escorted Song Ning to the stairs and wanted to take her all the way downstairs, but she stopped him.
Amid Chief of Staff Xu's repeated praise and thanks, Song Ning finally returned to the guesthouse.
That afternoon, however, Chief of Staff Xu came to see her again, bringing Wang Ze along.
Apparently, the old man had slept for six straight hours that day.
Ever since the rainy season began, he had spent every day tossing and turning in pain. His painkiller dosage had been increased to the point where the doctors dared not raise it any further, yet he still managed only two or three hours of broken sleep a day. Falling asleep so comfortably was practically unheard of.
Chief of Staff Xu had come at the elderly couple's request. They hoped Song Ning could give him acupuncture every afternoon, so that perhaps the old man could enjoy a peaceful sleep each day.
Chief of Staff Xu also said that, as a token of their gratitude, she could make any request she wished, provided it did not violate regulations or principles.
Giving him acupuncture was no problem, of course. Song Ning had nothing else to do at the moment anyway.
But she made a point of explaining to Chief of Staff Xu that, while she could vouch for her medical skills, she was not officially a doctor and had no formal license to practice. He had to make that clear to them.
Chief of Staff Xu said he could make that decision himself. It was not important.
After all, so many licensed practitioners had been helpless. At a time like this, what mattered was who actually had the ability to help.
As for their gratitude, Song Ning looked into Chief of Staff Xu's sincere eyes and asked:
"Chief of Staff Xu, can I really make any request?"
Chief of Staff Xu nodded firmly.
Now Song Ning could relax!
She rubbed her hands together, her eyes shining as she said to him:
"If possible, I'd like to charge a consultation fee! And it might be a little higher than what an ordinary traditional Chinese medicine practitioner charges!"
Chief of Staff Xu was taken aback.
After all, he had made his meaning quite plain. If this young woman wanted a job or housing arranged for her, or even a lighter punishment for Lu Changqing or some other benefit, all of that could have been done!
He had already heard that she had visited Lu Changqing, and the two seemed to have gotten along quite well! Moreover, Lu Changqing had submitted a marriage application as soon as he returned. If Song Ning, as the party involved, was willing to reconcile of her own accord and let the matter go, the disciplinary outcome could be either serious or lenient!
From the military's perspective, they were an engaged couple, after all. The preference was always to encourage reconciliation rather than separation!
Chief of Staff Xu finally smiled and gave her a thumbs-up.
This young woman had excellent medical skills-and an even clearer head!
When he went back and relayed her answer, the elderly couple both smiled!
They were the ones asking for help now, and with the old man holding such a high position, they feared both someone who wanted everything and someone who wanted nothing.
The former was greedy; the latter wanted to secure a personal favor.
Either could inevitably put them in a difficult position.
Someone like Song Ning, who openly and straightforwardly asked for a consultation fee, was actually the most transparent of all.
Neither side would feel indebted, making it easier for them to get along.
The elderly couple's impression of Song Ning improved still further!
In truth, Song Ning had thought it through very clearly.
It was not that she failed to understand Chief of Staff Xu's meaning. It was simply that entangling personal favors with treatment was the worst thing to do in a doctor-patient relationship.
Especially when the patient possessed a certain degree of power and status.
If she named her conditions now, they would indeed do their best to satisfy them.
But it would be a one-time arrangement, and they would inevitably think less of her for it.
Although housing and a job mattered to her, it was too early to consider them before the matter between her and Lu Changqing was settled.
If breaking off the engagement ultimately caused a major uproar and a complete falling-out... whether she would even want to remain here was still an open question.
As for securing something for Lu Changqing... that was even more impossible!
In the worst-case scenario she had previously imagined, if Lu Changqing turned out to be an ungrateful liar, she would make sure his reputation in the military was ruined and his future destroyed.
Otherwise, how could she do justice to Grandpa Song's trust?
So for now, she would treat the patient, save a life, and take the money!
Most importantly-
She needed money!
Desperately!
More than anything else, having money in hand was what truly mattered!
The 7th Regiment was stationed in the outskirts, nearly thirty kilometers from Military District headquarters.
Gu Zheng drove his jeep through the base gates at breakneck speed and pulled up in front of the office building with a screech, the tires scraping the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust.
The door opened, and Gu Zheng climbed out on his long legs, slammed it shut with a bang, and strode toward the building.
The young guard who climbed out of the passenger seat hurried after him, struggling to keep pace and calling repeatedly:
"Commander! Regimental Commander Gu! Please go to the hospital for a checkup first! If you don't, I won't be able to answer to the chief... wait for me..."
Before you continue