Chapter 3: Do You Dare to Remove the Needle?

Lan Jin’s delicate body trembled, and a decisive glint flashed through her beautiful eyes. “Of course.”

“That’s good, then!” Guo Zikun let out a sigh of relief, only then releasing her hand and following Lan Jin into the room.

At this moment, Doctor Li had already begun inserting needles into Lan Weimin’s body. Everyone present scarcely dared to breathe, afraid they might disturb Doctor Li’s treatment.

Only the core members of the Lan family were allowed to remain in the room. All of them hoped Lan Weimin could live a little longer—at least until he could arrange the family’s affairs. If he were to die suddenly, the ensuing power struggle would throw the family into chaos. The status of the Lan family, head of the city’s four great clans, would be precarious at best, and the risk of collapse or being devoured by rivals would be all too real.

Time passed. After about half an hour, dozens of fine silver needles covered Lan Weimin’s acupoints. Doctor Li slowly straightened, wiping sweat from his brow.

“Doctor Li, how is my grandfather?” Lan Jin was the first to ask, her concern evident.

Doctor Li sighed. “The illness has reached an incurable stage. No medicine can help him now. With acupuncture, I can barely keep Master Lan alive for the time being.”

Lan Jin’s body shook again, her face turning deathly pale. She had mentally prepared herself for such news, but hearing it aloud still felt unbearable.

“How much time does my grandfather have left?” she asked, her voice strained.

Doctor Li, with a touch of pride, replied, “Had I not intervened, he wouldn’t have survived the day. I can keep him alive for three more days.”

“As expected of the so-called King of Needles—Doctor Li can even extend Master Lan’s life for three days under these circumstances.”

“Such medical skill is beyond compare. I am utterly impressed.”

“Doctor Li, would you consider taking on a disciple?”

The doctors whom the Lan family had hired at great expense all voiced their amazement.

Doctor Li’s face grew even more pleased. Guo Zikun arched his brows at Lan Jin, his expression practically begging her to praise him.

“Jin’er, just yesterday I spent a fortune at auction and acquired a thousand-year-old wild ginseng. Doctor Li said that if we use it, it can give Grandpa Lan another half month of life.”

As Lan Jin was drowning in the sorrow of her grandfather’s impending death, Guo Zikun leaned in to whisper.

Lan Xin’s eyes brightened. “Really?”

“How could I lie to you?” Guo Zikun moved a little closer as he spoke.

Lan Jin subtly stepped back, her urgency undisguised. “Can you sell the ginseng...?”

“Come now, we’re all family. Talking about money is too impersonal.”

Guo Zikun patted her hand with a smile.

Lan Jin’s heart plummeted, but for her grandfather to live another fifteen days, she was willing to pay any price.

“Don’t worry. I won’t go back on my word,” Lan Jin said through clenched teeth.

Guo Zikun’s lips curled into a smile. He was about to press his advantage when suddenly a mocking voice cut through the air.

“No wonder more and more people have lost faith in traditional medicine—with quacks like you holding sway.”

Everyone turned toward the sound.

A young man in a gray, vintage long robe walked in. His features were refined, his stride steady—he looked like a schoolteacher from the Republic era, except his gaze held a sharper edge.

“Who are you calling a quack?” Doctor Li was the first to speak, irritation in his tone.

“You’re already taking the bait, aren’t you?” Qin Chuan replied with a lazy smile.

“Insolent brat!” Doctor Li turned to Lan Jin. “Miss Lan, please have this irrelevant person removed. He’s interfering with my—”

“If you keep treating him, you’ll destroy him completely,” Qin Chuan interrupted mercilessly.

Lan Jin’s brows knitted together. Her mood was already foul, but her years of upbringing helped her restrain her anger.

“And you are?” she asked, trying to keep her composure.

“Miss, this is the healer the old master invited,” Uncle Fu, the Lan family’s steward, said respectfully.

“Him?” Lan Jin’s eyes were full of disbelief.

From her grandfather’s words on the phone, she’d assumed the healer was an elderly man. But this young man before her—barely in his twenties—was the one her grandfather had addressed as Great Uncle?

“These days, even greenhorns dare to pose as miracle doctors. No wonder traditional medicine is in decline,” Doctor Li retorted, throwing Qin Chuan’s earlier words back at him, though it did little to appease his anger.

“Tell me, young doctor, I’ve managed to extend Master Lan’s life by half a month at most. Can you do that?” Doctor Li pressed aggressively.

Lan Jin’s gaze was fixed on Qin Chuan, desperately hoping for a positive answer.

But she was disappointed—Qin Chuan shook his head without hesitation.

“Young men should be courageous, but not overambitious. In the path of medicine—”

Qin Chuan cut off Doctor Li’s lecture. “I can extend his life by ten years.”

“Ten... ten years?” Doctor Li was momentarily stunned, then burst out laughing as though he’d just heard the world’s greatest joke.

“Who is this guy, spouting such nonsense?”

“Ten years? What kind of international joke is that?”

“Well, boasting is tax-free—let him brag all he wants!”

As Doctor Li laughed heartily, the other doctors echoed his derision.

They knew Lan Weimin’s condition better than anyone. Extending his life by ten days was already a miracle. Ten years? Impossible.

“Is that true?” Lan Jin asked, hope lighting her face.

Before Qin Chuan could answer, Guo Zikun cut in, “Jin’er, don’t listen to his nonsense. At his age, even if he’d studied medicine in the womb, how good could he be? Doctor Li could barely manage half a month with a thousand-year-old ginseng. How could he add ten years?”

The others immediately voiced their agreement. Doctor Li and the other doctors launched into harsh criticism, accusing Qin Chuan of reckless boasting.

Only Lan Jin still looked at Qin Chuan with hope. Ten years sounded absurd, but she desperately wanted to believe it.

“In medicine, I have never spoken a false word,” Qin Chuan said solemnly.

Guo Zikun sneered, “If you can extend Grandpa Lan’s life by ten years, I’ll eat dog shit upside down on a live broadcast.”

“You have that kind of hobby?” Qin Chuan looked genuinely surprised, as if discovering a new species.

“Wait. What if you can’t do it?” Guo Zikun’s lips twitched, quickly changing the subject.

Qin Chuan shrugged. “Do as you please.”

“If you fail, you’ll kneel and apologize to these doctors.”

“Agreed.”

The two reached a quick accord.

Still uneasy, Guo Zikun turned to the crowd. “Everyone, please witness this. Otherwise, someone might try to back out later.”

Doctor Li stepped forward, adopting an air of superiority. “Young man, if you remove my needles, never mind ten years—Master Lan won’t last half an hour. A wager is a small matter, but life and death is serious. Do you dare remove the needles?”