"Ah?" Madam Gu looked puzzled, "And who would that be?"
Master Huang pointed at Huo Sining, who stood behind Mrs. Gu, "This is my grandniece."
Mrs. Gu suddenly widened her eyes, incredulous, turning back to look at the quietly standing young girl behind her: "Old Huang, this joke isn’t funny at all; the Huo girl isn’t a doctor, how could she possibly..."
"I’m not joking with you," Huang Chengyi’s gaze was serious, and as he looked at Huo Sining, his eyes filled with affection, gratitude, and relief, "In all my life, I, Huang Chengyi, have lived honorably, never feeling indebted to anyone, but I truly have let down my grandniece."
"For over a decade she’s been adrift outside of the home, living at the mercy of others. Our Huang Family didn’t do anything for her, yet she, seeking no repayment, wholeheartedly wanted to cure my leg condition. Even though I didn’t initially take her method to heart, she still persisted."
"I’ve seen many traditional Chinese and Western doctors for this leg of mine, but there was not the slightest solution. If not for her, I would still be half-dead, sitting in a wheelchair."
Towards the end, Huang Chengyi’s eyes sparkled, and there was a hint of excitement.
Mrs. Gu’s gaze fell on Huo Sining once again, the suspicion in her eyes gone, replaced only by surprise:
"Huo girl, I had no idea you had this skill. Who did you learn medicine from? With your young age, your medical skill is so impressive; your master must be one of the big names in medicine, right?"
Huo Sining looked embarrassed: "Aunt Gu, you’ve got it wrong. I really don’t understand medicine. The treatment I used on my great-uncle’s leg condition was Qigong Massage, combined with medicinal baths. It really doesn’t have much to do with traditional Chinese or Western medicine."
"Qigong Massage? What’s that?" Mrs. Gu frowned, the name sounded like one of those dubious practices street hustlers come up with to swindle people.
Huo Sining smiled. Ever since she knew that the Spiritual Energy of the Water-Repelling Pearl in her possession was invisible to others, she’d let loose, no longer as cautious in her actions.
"Could you extend your hand for me to take a look?" Huo Sining asked.
Mrs. Gu didn’t understand why, but still stretched out her right hand as instructed.
Huo Sining reached out to give Madam Gu the so-called "Qigong Massage," and took advantage of the opportunity to mobilize the Spiritual Energy of the Azure Pearl, gradually infusing it into the Old Granny’s body.
Mrs. Gu, at first, noticed nothing special in Huo Sining’s movements, but soon she felt a cool, tingling Spiritual Energy flowing into her body from her right arm, and before long, she felt so comfortable that all she wanted to do was close her eyes and have a good rest.
Mrs. Gu was shocked and stared at Huo Sining with wide eyes.
Others may not know, but she was very clear: although she was still relatively healthy due to her martial arts practice, old age brings its problems.
Recently, she had always been feeling irritable and couldn’t sleep, sometimes suffering from insomnia all night long, and even several doses of Chinese medicine didn’t help.
Yet, after less than three minutes of massage from Huo Sining, she felt unmistakably sleepy. It was just after nine, and she felt the desire to sleep, which was incredibly unbelievable.
"Did you also feel a flow of energy in your body just now? That is what I call Qigong Massage. By stimulating the flow of qi and blood, it can rejuvenate the body’s already atrophied cells, expelling some of the dysfunctional cells from the body, and then achieve a complete cure through medicinal bathing."
In order to make her Qigong Massage sound more scientifically grounded, Huo Sining had reviewed many medical materials during this time, combining acupuncture with her Qigong Massage. Thus, the way she spoke seemed quite insightful, convincing people to naturally believe it as true.
Indeed, Huo Sining’s words, although somewhat beyond their grasp, left everyone with an enlightened expression.
"I always felt a surge of energy whenever this girl massaged me, so that’s what it was!"
Master Huang’s face bore a benevolent smile as he boasted to Madam Gu, "How about that, my grandniece is not bad, is she?"
It was more than just ’not bad’. Madam Gu felt that her trip to S City had not been in vain. The pleasant surprises from this prospective daughter-in-law kept coming one after another. She was overwhelmingly satisfied with the girl, wishing her son could marry her immediately. It couldn’t be helped; the girl was a treasure. If her son didn’t act fast, who knew if someone else might snatch her away!
"Your Qigong Massage is quite effective. I’ve had insomnia for a long time without improvement, but it started working after you massaged me for just a short while—truly miraculous."
Madam Gu looked at Huo Sining as if she were a treasure. Huo Sining found it amusing and replied, "That’s easy. Please go inside first. After dinner, I’ll massage you again; I guarantee you’ll be cured without medication and will sleep well every night."
"Agreed!" Madam Gu was delighted. She was now thoroughly convinced by her future daughter-in-law. So young and yet so skilled. She would have to boast about her to the old men and women back in the Imperial Capital. Marrying this girl would definitely bring pride to the family. Who knows how many people might come begging to her door then!
A group of people entered the room, and soon the table was set with dishes. Little Bun Gu Chengxuan took to Huo Sining right away and kept clinging to her, insisting that Huo Sining feed him.
"Auntie smells good!"
Little Bun wrapped his arms around Huo Sining’s neck and shouted, as Madam Gu tried to persuade him to get down, but to no avail.
Huo Sining understood the little guy’s meaning.
The Water-Repelling Pearl carried Spiritual Energy, which was beneficial to animals and plants. Therefore, every time she went into the water, the fish, attracted by the Spiritual Energy, would unconsciously draw near to her.
Although too young to articulate his thoughts, Little Bun could feel the unique aura emanating from Huo Sining. This aura made him feel comfortable and relaxed whenever he was near.
Children, with their low immunity, are more sensitive to Spiritual Energy, which was why Gu Chengxuan loved being in Huo Sining’s arms so much. Once he made contact with her body, he didn’t want to let go.
However, a statement that was naive and innocent ultimately caused Gu Xu’s heart to skip a beat, and he instinctively looked towards Huo Sining.
What did this good smell consist of?
Gu Xu stared at Huo Sining with profound meaning, his eyes bright and luminescent, green and wolf-like.
When Huo Sining looked up and met Gu Xu’s gaze, a thought flashed through her mind, her heart skipped a beat, and her cheeks involuntarily flushed with warmth.
"Auntie, can I sleep with you tonight?"
As the meal was winding down, the previously quiet dinner table was disrupted by a certain little meat bun’s outrageous request.
Gu Xu’s hand paused with his rice bowl. He lifted his head and fixed a direct stare at the presumptuous little meat bun.