Chapter 90: Entering the Inner Hall
Shen Manwen greeted him politely, "Third Uncle Hu, hello. This is my friend, Cheng Yuan! His medical skills are superb, and I can vouch for him with my reputation."
’Shen Manwen?’
Only then did Gu Chen notice Shen Manwen standing beside Cheng Yuan. It made sense, though. Shen Manwen was Lin Ruoxi’s best friend, so it was perfectly normal for her to introduce Cheng Yuan to Third Uncle Hu.
’This Cheng guy knows medicine?’
’I’ve never heard of that!’
Hu Sanqiang looked at Cheng Yuan with interest. Seeing how young he was, Hu Sanqiang’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. ’A kid this young? What kind of medical skills could he possibly have?’
’This is utter nonsense!’
However, not wanting to embarrass his daughter, Hu Sanqiang suppressed his impatience and asked, "Young man, which medical school did you graduate from? And where do you work?"
"Third Uncle Hu, I didn’t major in medicine. I’m just a barefoot doctor."
’A barefoot doctor?’
Gu Chen rolled his eyes in annoyance. ’This Cheng guy is just embarrassing himself!’
Hu Sanqiang’s expression darkened. He shot Hu Duoduo a fierce glare. ’This little rascal is really causing trouble! Bringing just anyone home.’
Hu Sanqiang gave a cool order, "The young man is young and promising. Serve him tea."
"Yes, sir!"
A servant hurried off to get the tea.
Gu Chen immediately smirked. ’Third Uncle Hu isn’t going to use this kid. He’s planning to see him out after tea.’
Shen Manwen and Hu Duoduo’s expressions changed. Clearly, they also understood Hu Sanqiang’s intention.
Cheng Yuan, however, wasn’t the least bit flustered. He said calmly, "There’s no need for tea. Please wait, Third Uncle Hu."
Hu Sanqiang’s expression darkened. ’How can this kid be so clueless?’ If it weren’t for Shen Manwen and his daughter, Hu Sanqiang would have absolutely had his men throw Cheng Yuan out.
"Young man, I’m very busy. Get to the point."
"Third Uncle Hu, you suffered a gunshot wound years ago. The bullet is still inside your body, lodged between two major blood vessels and three major nerves. Because of the pressure from the bullet, your left arm periodically goes numb, and the left corner of your mouth is a bit stiff. Am I right or am I wrong?"
Hu Sanqiang’s expression changed dramatically. ’Only my eldest and second brothers knew about my gunshot wound—not even my wife and children!’
’Yet Cheng Yuan had revealed it in a single sentence!’
’This proves he’s the real deal!’
Hu Sanqiang solemnly cupped his fist in a salute to Cheng Yuan. "So, Brother Cheng is truly a Divine Doctor. I was discourteous just now. How about this: you and Divine Doctor Xue will enter the inner hall together."
"Deal."
Shen Manwen’s face flushed with excitement. ’Just a moment ago, I thought we were going to be kicked out! I can’t believe Cheng Yuan won over Third Uncle Hu in the blink of an eye!’
Shen Manwen gave Cheng Yuan a thumbs-up.
Hu Duoduo also began to see Cheng Yuan in a new light. ’This is the first time Dad has ever saluted a junior! This Cheng guy is really something else!’
Gu Chen’s expression was incredibly dark. ’Cheng Yuan knows medicine?’
’That’s impossible!’
’Even if he’d been studying medicine since he was in the womb, how skilled could he possibly be?’
’It was a guess! It must have been a lucky guess!’
’If it wasn’t a guess, then Lin Ruoxi must have fed him the information. Shen Manwen and Hu Duoduo are close, so it would have been easy to get some information from them.’
"Third Uncle Hu, don’t let Cheng Yuan fool you! I know him well. He’s just an ex-convict who’s never studied medicine. The only way he could know about your secret ailment is if he bribed someone in the Hu Family to get that information."
Hu Sanqiang scolded him, his face impassive. "Gu Chen, watch your tongue! Only my eldest and second brothers know about my injury. Are you suggesting they betrayed me?"
Gu Chen’s face drained of color. "I wouldn’t dare! Of course not! I... I misspoke!"
Hu Sanqiang let out a cold snort and led the group straight to the inner hall.
The inner hall was decorated in a pure, traditional Chinese style. All the furniture was crafted from old hongmu, a type of aged rosewood, and it filled the air with a faint, woody fragrance.
An old man lay quietly on a large wooden bed.
The old man was gaunt and frail, with sparse hair and a withered frame. Though clearly on his deathbed, his face was filled with a benevolent smile.
As the saying goes, the face is a reflection of the heart; it was clear the old man was a kind and gentle person.
A powerfully built middle-aged man stood quietly before the bed. He shared a strong resemblance with Hu Sanqiang, but he carried an even greater air of authority.
Due to his emotional turmoil, the man faintly radiated an incomparably powerful aura.
Even from dozens of paces away, Cheng Yuan could feel an astonishing pressure.
’Is this the might of an Innate Grandmaster?’
Cheng Yuan secretly resolved, ’One day, I too will become an Innate Grandmaster—a formidable figure revered by all!’
A doctor sat on the edge of the bed, frowning as he took Old Master Hu’s pulse.
In the presence of an Innate Grandmaster, even Divine Doctor Xue dared not be presumptuous, waiting quietly for the other doctor to finish taking the pulse.
Cheng Yuan, of course, also remained silent, quietly activating his Double Pupil to observe.
Soon, Cheng Yuan discovered that Old Master Hu’s bedroom was a convergence point for Evil Qi.
To be precise, the epicenter of the Evil Qi was Old Master Hu’s bed!
Cheng Yuan focused his gaze and soon spotted several copper coins on Old Master Hu’s bed. It was these very coins that were gathering the Evil Qi!
Having confirmed his judgment, Cheng Yuan felt a surge of confidence. ’This favor from the Hu Family’s eldest master is as good as mine!’
Five minutes later, the doctor looked up at Hu Yidao. "Master Dao, based on his pulse, your esteemed father has no major issues. It’s just weakness caused by the natural deterioration of his bodily functions due to age. I can prescribe a restorative tonic for Old Master Hu, and he should be fully recovered within a week."
Hu Yidao snorted. "The same useless theory! I’ve heard it hundreds of times—I’m sick to death of it! If my father could be cured so easily, would I have gone to the trouble of gathering so many Divine Doctors for a consultation?"
"This..."
"Say no more. You cannot cure my father. You may leave."
"Yes, sir."
The doctor retreated sheepishly. As he passed Divine Doctor Xue, he offered a respectful salute before leaving, his head hung in dejection.
Hu Yidao turned his head and saw that his younger brother had brought so many people into the bedroom. He was instantly displeased. "the Third, I asked you to invite Divine Doctor Xue. Why did you bring so many people? Aren’t you afraid of disturbing Dad’s rest?"
Hu Sanqiang wasn’t flustered in the slightest. "Big Brother, this Brother Cheng’s medical skills are incredible. He could tell I had a bullet in my body with just one look! That’s why I brought him along."
’Is that so?’
Hu Yidao’s expression softened slightly. He gave Cheng Yuan a long, hard look, hoping the young man truly had some skill.
Of course, at this moment, Hu Yidao still placed more faith in Divine Doctor Xue. After all, the man had been famous for over thirty years.
"Divine Doctor Xue, please, take a look at my father."
"Of course, Master Dao."
Divine Doctor Xue raised his hand, placed it on Old Master Hu’s wrist, and began to take his pulse in earnest.
Divine Doctor Xue was clearly far more skilled than the previous doctor, noticing many details the other man had missed.
"Preposterous! Old Master Hu’s constitution is so weak. How could you possibly feed him cooling fruits?"