Chapter 80 How Did That Little Girl Pull It Off?

"You trust me so much—aren’t you afraid I might not be able to cure him either?" Xu Lin replied with a smile, her tone light and casual, prompting Elder Ge to arch his eyebrows. They were both seasoned veterans; anyone could hear the subtext behind the words. Xu Lin’s easy manner suggested she’d noticed something. Elder Ge immediately asked, expectant, "Xu, did you see something?"

"What did you all find?" Xu Lin countered.

"We found nothing in Comrade Si’s body, but there were toxins detected in his food. We pursued treatment from that angle, but it had absolutely no effect." Elder Ge was perplexed as he spoke; if it truly were poisoning, there should be traces of toxins in the body, but all indicators remained normal.

He told Xu Lin everything he knew and then asked, "So, what did you figure out?"

"I can’t say what I saw, but I can treat it—and it won’t take long," Xu Lin whispered.

"What kind of symptoms can’t be spoken of?" Elder Ge instinctively lowered his voice.

"Superstition," Xu Lin mouthed silently, and Elder Ge’s face was instantly shocked. Indeed, that couldn’t be said aloud; it would cause a major uproar.

"How will you treat him?" Elder Ge inquired.

"Revitalizing Needle," Xu Lin replied softly. After chatting with Elder Sun last time, Xu Lin knew this needle technique was obscure in folk practice but had a place in the medical world, though it was exceptionally difficult to master and perform. Frankly, there were no longer any inheritors of the Revitalizing Needle in modern traditional medicine.

Of course, the needle was only the overt method; the real task was to first dispel the Sleep Talisman afflicting Si Zhan. This talisman was especially vicious—it would keep the victim in a deep sleep until their vitality was exhausted and they died.

Si Zhan’s survival until now was due to everyone’s refusal to give up on him. But considering the enemy’s methods, Xu Lin suspected they might want to abduct Si Zhan while his defenses were down in sleep. Why would they do this? That depended on his value. It was only Xu Lin’s conjecture; whether it was true, nobody knew, and she didn’t share it.

Elder Ge glanced around; aside from Si Zhan, only he and Xu Lin were in the ward. He lowered his voice further, "What’s the real cause?"

"He’s been struck with a Sleep Talisman. Once it’s removed, he’ll wake up," Xu Lin answered quietly.

Elder Ge let out an "Oh," his face showing sudden realization. Seeing he wasn’t surprised, Xu Lin asked, "You’ve seen this kind of talisman?"

"Never, but I was once close with a talisman doctor. Sadly, given the current situation, it’s almost impossible for that old friend to come forward." Elder Ge shook his head at the thought, uncertain about how his friend was faring now, and too cautious to make contact. The term ‘talisman doctor’ was simply too sensitive.

Xu Lin shrugged, offering silent sympathy. In these times, it truly was hard to step out—and if his reputation was great, he’d likely be beset with troubles himself.

They quickly moved past the topic, and Elder Ge brought out his unsolved cases to discuss with Xu Lin, eager for her perspective. To his surprise, as they talked, Elder Ge was thoroughly convinced—indeed, heroes can emerge young; one must never underestimate others due to their age.

Admiringly, Elder Ge asked, "Linlin, are you really self-taught?"

"Yes. I found those medical books at a recycling depot," Xu Lin replied without a hint of embarrassment. Before her rebirth, her status in the Xu family was low; she had to scavenge good items to exchange for money. If she was desperate with hunger, she’d secretly buy food to fill her belly. Otherwise, given the family’s ways, she’d have starved long ago.

Elder Ge felt a pang of sorrow, both for Xu Lin and for those medical books—which were family treasures, now fallen to the recycling depot. Who knew how many precious texts had been lost there?

Elsewhere, Tao Chunxiu followed Grandma Zheng and Yu Tong for health checks, reviewing each result first. The more he saw, the more astonished he became—Grandma Zheng’s body was astonishingly healthy. Most importantly, the fragments were truly gone, not a single piece left behind.

Especially at those most dangerous spots; not just him, even his teacher wouldn’t feel confident removing the fragments. How had that little girl managed it?

Tao Chunxiu felt deeply shaken.

Even his worldview was rattled; he began to wonder if traditional medicine truly was so formidable.

Unlike Tao Chunxiu’s existential doubts, Grandma Zheng and Yu Tong were genuinely thrilled. Both stared at Tao Chunxiu, and Yu Tong asked expectantly, "Dr. Tao, are there any more issues?"

Grandma Zheng was more direct, waving her hand, "What problems could there be? This is a waste of time—let’s hurry back and let Linlin treat Xiao Zhan. If we hadn’t delayed so long, maybe he’d already be awake."

With that, she ignored Tao Chunxiu’s gloomy expression and strode toward Si Zhan’s ward.

Inside the ward, besides Xu Lin and Elder Ge, there were two more people: Si Zhan’s wife Qi Min and his son Si Han.

Qi Min was delicate in appearance, but the hardships of life had left her looking worn and frail, lacking vitality.

Si Han, a young man in his twenties, was tall and handsome—his wide shoulders and long legs gave him a striking presence, more attractive than any top celebrity. His captivating, phoenix-like eyes radiated warmth when he smiled, yet when serious, they exuded a mature masculinity and strength.

Even though Xu Lin had met many handsome men, she couldn’t help but praise, "What a remarkable face!"

She studied Si Han’s features: three yangs in harmony, a deep philtrum—signs of ancestral blessings, fortune, and noble destiny. It was an exceptionally auspicious appearance.

At this moment, hearing that Si Zhan could be saved, Qi Min and Si Han were especially emotional. Qi Min, in particular, wept uncontrollably.

Si Han, as the only man still standing in the family, contained his excitement; yet his mesmerizing gaze seemed to hook onto Xu Lin. Despite her broad experience, even Xu Lin felt uncomfortable—this man was far too alluring, like a seductive spirit.

If Si Han could hear Xu Lin’s thoughts, he’d protest his innocence: his father had been bedridden for over two years, how could he have any intention of flirting?

Xu Lin was about to speak when she heard Grandma Zheng approaching. She immediately glanced at the door.

Soon, Grandma Zheng and Yu Tong appeared. Qi Min hurried forward to thank them; whether or not Si Zhan ever woke, she had to thank this elder and Yu Tong, her sister.

Since Si Zhan’s incident, many had distanced themselves from their family. Only this elder relentlessly sought out renowned doctors, always thinking of Si Zhan, worrying as much as Qi Min herself.