Chief Lu caused such a fuss with Zhou Shitao for a reason.
After Huo Sining treated Lu Ruiqi’s illness for three days, allowing his leg to regain knee-jerk reflexes, the Lu Family had already begun to see hope.
But what seemed even more incredible to the Lu Family was that, in the days that followed, even though Huo Sining did not continue with the Qigong massage, Lu Ruiqi’s pain did not recur and he no longer lay in bed in unbearable agony as before.
Last night, when the nurse bathed Lu Ruiqi, the nurse had set the water temperature a bit too hot, and Lu Ruiqi’s legs actually felt a burning sensation.
The moment this news came out, the Lu Family were utterly astonished, and Song Chunxue, who had harbored a sliver of doubt about Huo Sining’s Qigong Massage Technique, was now completely convinced.
Chief Lu only had this one grandson, so one can imagine the extent of his concern for Lu Ruiqi.
Huo Sining brought him hope, and he certainly did not wish for any unexpected complications to arise.
After discussing with his son and daughter-in-law, Chief Lu decided to take Huo Sining in as an adopted granddaughter.
The Lu Family had several reasons for this, by giving Huo Sining the status of a member of the Lu Family, she would be considered family and would certainly do her utmost to help cure Lu Ruiqi;
Another reason was that the fact that Huang Chengyi’s leg disease was cured was no secret, and now that Huo Sining was recognized back into the Huang Family, there would surely be many people seeking her out.
The Huang Family’s status was not high enough; they were only of average standing in the Imperial Capital, so if someone with greater power tried to pressure the Huang Family to force Huo Sining to treat them, they would certainly be powerless to resist.
Therefore, by wanting to recognize Huo Sining as his adopted granddaughter, Chief Lu was warning those people that Huo Sining did not have just the Huang Family as relatives; she also had the Lu Family supporting her, which naturally would deter others from rash actions.
Chief Lu’s move indeed had a powerful deterrent effect. Several families who had been eager to move were stunned upon hearing that Chief Lu intended to take Huo Sining as his adopted granddaughter.
They swallowed back the thought of using their power to pressure and shared wry smiles with each other; it seemed that this tactic would not work, and they could only follow the proper etiquette to seek medical help.
Huo Sining guessed that the Lu Family was worried she would not be able to fully commit to treating Lu Ruiqi, which is why they wanted to adopt her as a granddaughter. However, she did not realize that Chief Lu’s action had directly spared her a lot of trouble.
The banquet officially started at seven o’clock, and Huo Sining was led out by the three Huang brothers amidst surprised gasps. Shaking off his crutches, Huang Chengyi walked step by step, bringing Huo Sining up onto the stage.
"This child is my youngest sister Huang Chengxiang’s granddaughter. The child’s life has been full of hardship, with both parents passing away at a young age. She was fostered in her uncle’s home from birth and has lived a life of extreme difficulty."
"This was my negligence, and our Huang Family’s debt to her. For eighteen years, our Huang Family missed the chance to witness this child’s healthy growth."
"Now, the child has finally been found by us, and we hope in the presence of all our friends and relatives, to welcome the child back to the Huang Family. I formally announce that Huo Sining is the blood of our Huang Family, past, present, and future—she belongs to our Huang Family."
Applause began to rise from below. Huo Sining bowed and offered tea to the three Huang brothers, formally becoming one of the Huang Family members.
The Huang Family was overjoyed, including the aunts who also showed genuine smiles. The reason was of course simple; with the Huang Family’s face, they could only invite guests of a similar status, yet Huo Sining had managed to bring heavyweights such as Chief Lu, the Gu Family couple, and Zhou Shitao. This was undoubtedly a matter of great pride for the Huang Family.
Moreover, Chief Lu asked to have Huo Sining as his goddaughter in front of so many people, the matter was almost certainly true. To be connected to the Lu Family would not only benefit the Huang Family but their maternal families would bask in the glory as well.
After the ceremony, Huo Sining made her way to the table where Chief Lu and others were seated.
"So, what do you say, Huo girl, is this apprenticeship going to happen? Give me a straight answer."
Zhou Shitao was always composed and cool-headed, but facing Chief Lu, this Cheng Yaojin, he became somewhat anxious, fearing that Chief Lu’s meddling might ruin his chance of taking on a disciple.
Huo Sining had initially found it amusing, but seeing Zhou Shitao’s eyes filled with tension and anticipation, her heart softened, and she couldn’t bear to tease the old master who was so earnest.
Huo Sining nodded and softly called out, "Teacher."
"Ah!" Zhou Shitao immediately beamed with joy like a child.
Chief Lu, seeing this, pretended to be unhappy and asked, "You’ve agreed to his request, but what about mine?"
Huo Sining felt helpless and looked at Chief Lu, with a very serious tone she said, "Chief, you can rest assured about Lu Ruiqi’s illness. I will do my utmost to cure him, leaving no stone unturned, and I promise I will heal him. You don’t have to—"
Before Huo Sining could finish, Chief Lu interrupted:
"After today’s adoption banquet, the Huang Family’s doorstep will be worn thin with visitors. Do you think you can remain uninvolved and stay out of all this?"
Huo Sining was startled but quickly understood the meaning behind Chief Lu’s words.
Huang Chengyi had been paralyzed in a wheelchair for decades, yet she had cured him. Prior rumors had been questionable, but the moment Huang Chengyi threw away his crutches and walked independently on stage in front of so many people had deeply imprinted itself in their minds.
Who doesn’t have illnesses in their family? Despite advancements in medical research, there are still many complex and perplexing diseases that remain incurable, such as paralysis, vegetative state, and even cancer, which all inspire fear as untreatable ailments in the public eye.
So-called desperate times call for desperate measures: with Huang Chengyi’s case as a precedent, many people would certainly regard Huo Sining as a miracle-working doctor. If she could cure a decades-long leg paralysis, what couldn’t she do?
These people, who spared no effort in treating their own or their families’ illnesses, now saw the "miracle doctor" right before their eyes, and they would certainly come to seek Huo Sining’s treatment.
It would be fine if they came to ask politely, but what about those who didn’t follow the rules? If gentle persuasion didn’t work, they might resort to force, and by then not only would Huo Sining struggle to fend for herself, but the Huang Family would suffer too.
Given a moment’s thought to the consequences, Huo Sining’s expression changed again and again. When she looked at Chief Lu again, the resistance and estrangement in her eyes had vanished, and her smile became much more genuine, "Chief, I understand."
Chief Lu raised an eyebrow: "Still calling me Chief?"
Huo Sining laughed, gracefully acquiescing as she corrected herself, "Grandfather Lu."
Chief Lu immediately laughed heartily, then turned to Zhou Shitao with a challenging and satisfied smile, "Old Zhou, they say once a teacher, always a father, but as a father, you’re one rank lower than me as a grandfather."