Chapter 409: Chapter 409: Acupoints for Pain Relief
Su Shuochi had noticed his wife sneaking glances at him for a while now, and he was secretly overjoyed. The tenderness in his eyes was practically overflowing.
Gu Jiaojiao was afraid that if she kept looking, she wouldn’t be able to resist kissing him. Just then, a warm sensation landed on her lips.
The man’s low, restrained voice sounded by her ear. "Darling, if we hadn’t already arrived, I really wouldn’t want to let you go."
Gu Jiaojiao’s face flushed red as she chided him, "This is a public place! How can you be so indecent?"
’But secretly, she was thrilled. He had just done the very thing she’d been wanting, but hadn’t dared, to do!’
Su Shuochi looked at his shy, blushing wife. He felt he had been a bit impulsive, but he just couldn’t help himself.
His gaze was incredibly fond and his voice was gentle. "Jiaojiao, no one saw us here on the stairwell landing."
With that, he took her hand and knocked on the door to the hospital room. Mu Shan’s voice came from inside. "Who is it?"
"Gu Jiaojiao."
Mu Shan quickly opened the door, saying softly, "You’re here, you’re here! We’ve been waiting for a long time."
When Gu Jiaojiao and her husband entered the hospital room, they saw that someone was already there waiting with Xia Qiuming and Mu Ziquan.
Seeing Gu Jiaojiao, Xu Zhong immediately stood up to greet her. "Master Gu, you’re here."
"Yes. Xia Qiuming looks very unwell. Didn’t you call a doctor to check on him?" Gu Jiaojiao asked with a serious expression.
She could tell at a glance that Xia Qiuming’s face was pale; he looked utterly haggard and weak. ’Even with chest surgery, he shouldn’t be in this state,’ she thought.
Mu Ziquan, on the other hand, was leaning against his headboard in high spirits. When he saw the two of them enter, he immediately broke into a radiant smile.
"Dr. Gu, Mr. Su, you’re finally here! We were dying of anticipation."
Seeing him in such good spirits, Gu Jiaojiao could tell he was a model patient who followed his doctor’s orders, which put her in a much better mood.
She flashed a brilliant smile and asked in a clear voice, "What’s the rush?"
"Heh heh... I was anxious for you to come give Xia Qiuming his acupuncture treatment," Mu Ziquan said, a grin splitting his otherwise serious face.
"Well, a compliant patient like you should be able to leave the hospital in half a month. As for him..." Gu Jiaojiao trailed off, "who knows."
"Really? I can go home in half a month? What about my leg?" Mu Ziquan was ecstatic inside, but he didn’t let his excitement show on his face.
Su Shuochi could tell that Mu Ziquan wasn’t just waiting for his wife to give him acupuncture so he could recover faster; he had other intentions.
He hid it well, and no one else seemed to notice anything amiss, but it couldn’t escape Su Shuochi’s discerning gaze.
He said coolly, "After a few more sessions, Divine Doctor Xu should be able to handle their acupuncture by himself, shouldn’t he?"
Mr. Xu was speechless. ’Is this our first meeting, and Master Gu’s husband is already hostile towards me?’
"Xu Zhong is exceptionally talented and a quick study. Another two or three times should be enough," Gu Jiaojiao said sincerely.
"I’m flattered by your praise, Master Gu. I will apply myself even more diligently every day," Xu Zhong said, his voice trembling with excitement.
"It’s good that you’re dedicated to learning." Gu Jiaojiao said to the group, but she didn’t stop walking.
She had walked briskly to Xia Qiuming’s bedside as soon as she entered. Taking out her needle case, she quickly inserted two needles.
His face was far too pale. Gu Jiaojiao said with a hint of anger, "He was fine when I left this morning. How did he get worse in one afternoon?"
Xia Qiuming, being a doctor himself, was too embarrassed to admit he had overeaten and that the consequences were severe. Even though it was only liquid food and juice, he had simply consumed too much.
He kept his eyes squeezed shut in pain, his lips turning purple. He was completely unable to speak, and all Gu Jiaojiao could see was his pained expression.
"He stuffed himself at lunch and has been suffering ever since," Mu Ziquan said, clearly gloating.
Hearing this, Xia Qiuming lay motionless in bed with his eyes squeezed shut, so ashamed that even his breathing seemed to grow fainter.
His face was pale, and large beads of sweat dotted his forehead. The pain was real, but so was his utter mortification.
"Sigh! You’re a doctor yourself. You of all people should know how serious the consequences of overeating can be for a patient."
Gu Jiaojiao sighed, looking at Xia Qiuming lying miserably in his bed.
She wanted to be angry but held it in. After all, she was the one who’d left the juicer in the room; he surely hadn’t meant to overdo it.
After inserting the needles, she saw he still hadn’t opened his eyes from the pain. Alarmed, she asked quickly, "Are you still hurting? How could that be?"
"Master, I’m much better now," Xia Qiuming said sheepishly. "Those two needles you just put in are making me sleepy."
"Haha, see?" Gu Jiaojiao laughed, then turned to Xu Zhong. "Did you get a clear look? Those two acupoints are for pain relief."
"I saw them clearly," Xu Zhong replied earnestly, nodding with certainty.
From the moment Master Gu had entered the room, he had been watching her every move without daring to blink, so of course he had seen clearly.
Seeing Xia Qiuming’s condition gradually stabilize, Gu Jiaojiao breathed a sigh of relief. "I’ll go slower for the next part. Watch closely."
Xu Zhong said respectfully, "Please, instruct me, Master Gu. I will study with my utmost concentration."
Su Shuochi stood at Gu Jiaojiao’s side, deliberately blocking Mu Ziquan’s line of sight. His gaze on her was doting, his deep eyes filled with affection.
Mu Ziquan craned his neck to see Gu Jiaojiao, his already large eyes widening as if they couldn’t possibly contain all the adoration he felt.
But all he could see was Su Shuochi’s back!
Since the moment Gu Jiaojiao had entered, Mu Shan and Mu Wu had been standing guard outside the room, preventing anyone from coming in and disturbing Dr. Gu while she administered the treatment.
Gu Jiaojiao pressed her fingers on one of the acupoints a few times before inserting another needle into Xia Qiuming.
Dozens of needles soon covered Xia Qiuming’s chest. His pain had subsided, and his breathing had become steady.
Seeing that he had finally fallen asleep for real, Gu Jiaojiao breathed a sigh of relief. Only then did she notice that her own clothes were soaked with sweat.
"Professor Xu, in three minutes, please flick the ends of the needles for him. I’m going to go change."
"Of course. Don’t worry, Master Gu," Xu Zhong said, his eyes fixed on the Golden Needles.
"Jiaojiao, you’re sweating, aren’t you? There’s a towel in the backpack. Go to the restroom, dry off, and then change your clothes."
Su Shuochi handed the backpack to Gu Jiaojiao. She took it and headed for the restroom.
She bolted the door, then entered her personal dimension to bathe in the Spiritual Spring. Body and mind refreshed, she changed into a new dress and walked out, feeling completely invigorated.
She removed Xia Qiuming’s needles, finished giving Mu Ziquan his treatment, and then left the room with Su Shuochi.
Xu Zhong was still staring at the two patients’ acupoints. "Just one more day," he muttered, "and I’ll be able to perform the treatment myself."
Xia Qiuming was still asleep—he hadn’t slept all day. Mu Ziquan also had his eyes closed, resting. He didn’t want to listen to Xu Zhong muttering to himself.
’But he knew she had classes,’ Mu Ziquan thought. ’Running between the university and the hospital must be exhausting.’
By the time Gu Jiaojiao and Su Shuochi left the hospital, it was already dark. "Su Shuochi, should we eat out tonight?"
"Whatever you want. I’ll cook for you at home," Su Shuochi replied, eager to finally be alone with her.
