Everyone turned to look at Zhao Yuan.
Lu Qing and Xian Hong weren't surprised. They had witnessed Zhao Yuan's medical skills and knew just how capable he was.
But it was a different story for Father Lu and Mrs. Lu. Although they'd heard that Zhao Yuan had given Lu Qing first aid after she was shot and before she was taken to the hospital, they figured it was just simple bandaging to stop the bleeding.
After all, there was the matter of Zhao Yuan's age. It was a common belief in China that a doctor's skill was directly tied to their age—the older, the better. As for young doctors, many people were predisposed to think their skills were subpar.
Father Lu and Mrs. Lu were no exception.
Father Lu assumed Zhao Yuan was just saying nice things to make him feel better. Shaking his head with a wry smile, he said, "Xiaozhao, you don't have to console me. I'm already used to these legs. I've sought out plenty of famous doctors over the past few years, but every single one of them said I'd never be able to stand again."
Mrs. Lu added, "Xiaozhao, don't bother trying to console him. He's as stubborn as a mule. This sort of thing doesn't get him down."
Zhao Yuan smiled. "Sir, Ma'am, I'm serious!"
Xian Hong chimed in to support him. "Old Chief, Mrs. Lu, Xiaozhao's medical skills are the real deal. Just today, he was in Jiantai Village helping treat a group of coal miners for silicosis."
Lu Qing also spoke up. "Dad, just let him take a look. What if he really can cure your legs and help you stand again?"
Father Lu and Mrs. Lu couldn't help but exchange a glance. They could both see a glimmer of hope in each other's eyes.
Father Lu nodded, his voice trembling with excitement. "Alright, Xiaozhao, I'm putting my legs in your hands. Do whatever you think is necessary! If you can really get me back on my feet, you'll be my greatest benefactor! And even if you can't, I'll still be grateful!"
Mrs. Lu added, "That's right, Xiaozhao. Just do what you need to do without any pressure. Whatever the outcome, we can accept it."
"Alright," Zhao Yuan said. "Uncle Lu, I first need to examine the condition of the blood vessels and meridians in your legs. Then I can formulate a specific treatment plan."
Father Lu said, "No problem. What do you need to do? Do we need to go to the hospital for an X-ray?"
Zhao Yuan couldn't help but chuckle. He shook his head and said, "It's not that complicated. I'll know just by examining them by hand. Besides, an X-ray wouldn't be able to detect this sort of thing anyway."
He squatted in front of the wheelchair, rolled up Father Lu's pant legs, and began his tactile examination. As he did, he discreetly took out the Body Pearl.
Under the influence of the Body Pearl, Zhao Yuan's sense of touch was dramatically enhanced. The condition of the blood vessels and meridians in Father Lu's legs became perfectly clear to him. He could pinpoint the exact location and nature of every blockage.
To any other doctor, such a result from a simple tactile examination would have been unimaginable. Even the most experienced clinicians, after years of practice, could not hope to grasp the state of a patient's blood vessels and meridians with such clarity using only their hands.
Throughout the examination, everyone stared nervously at Zhao Yuan, holding their breath. The only exception was the White Cat. Perhaps it had absolute faith in Zhao Yuan, or perhaps it simply didn't care, but it was crouched in a corner of the living room, happily munching on the dried fish Lu Qing had bought for it.
After about ten minutes, Zhao Yuan finished his examination and stood up.
"Xiaozhao, how is it?" Mrs. Lu asked anxiously.
Despite how harshly she had just been scolding Father Lu, she was, in reality, deeply concerned for him and desperately hoped he could be cured.
Zhao Yuan said, "Don't worry, Ma'am. Uncle Lu's legs can be treated. It's just that the delay has been so long that the condition has worsened. It will take some time for him to be able to stand again."
Mrs. Lu let out a long sigh of relief, a flicker of hope in her eyes. She quickly asked, "Roughly how long will it take?"
Zhao Yuan calculated in his head for a moment before replying, "At least two months!"
"What?" Mrs. Lu was stunned. Her voice trembled as she asked, "Xiaozhao, are you serious? Just two months, and you can get Old Lu to stand up again?"
Father Lu was also incredibly excited. He had been paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair for years, and had even resigned himself to spending the rest of his life that way. But now, Zhao Yuan was telling him it would only take two months for him to stand again! How could he not be thrilled? How could he not be overjoyed?
"Ma'am, I am a doctor... well, for now I'm still just a medical student, but I would never, ever joke about a patient's condition!" Zhao Yuan said with a serious expression, before letting out a sigh. "It's a shame the optimal treatment plan isn't available. Otherwise, I could shorten the recovery time even more."
After determining the specifics of Father Lu's condition, Zhao Yuan had found a corresponding treatment in the medical records left behind by Wu Peng.
According to the records, the best way to treat Father Lu's type of atrophy was to use the Permeating Vein Needle Technique to clear all the blocked blood vessels and meridians, supplemented by both internal and external medications that promote circulation and break up stasis.
Unfortunately, the Information Leaf currently only contained the theoretical foundations of Acupuncture; it had not yet imparted any specific Acupuncture Techniques. Zhao Yuan didn't know the Permeating Vein Needle Technique, so he couldn't use the optimal treatment plan.
Fortunately, the medical records also contained a backup plan.
This plan required the Spiritual Snake Nine Probing Needle Technique, which, as luck would have it, was a technique Zhao Yuan had learned in its entirety from He Chengwei! Zhao Yuan had been practicing this Acupuncture Technique diligently lately. And while his proficiency was no match for He Chengwei, who had been immersed in it for years, it was more than sufficient to treat Father Lu.
After mentally running through the entire treatment procedure, Zhao Yuan said, "Uncle Lu, I'm going to start your treatment now. I should warn you, though, it might be a little painful. You'll have to bear with it."
Father Lu said dismissively, "I'm not afraid of a little pain. Bring it on. If I so much as make a peep, I'm a dog!"
Mrs. Lu shot him a glare and said irritably, "You're not a young man anymore. What's with the machismo?"
Zhao Yuan chuckled, his words laced with meaning. "Uncle Lu, you might not want to speak so soon!" As he spoke, he reached into his pocket and, using the movement as cover, retrieved several oddly shaped Golden Needles from his Storage Ring Space.
"Huh? Why are you carrying needles in your pocket?" Father Lu asked curiously.
Zhao Yuan replied, "Ever since Officer Lu was injured, I've made a habit of carrying needles with me. That way, if I run into someone who's sick or injured, I can provide treatment right away."
Hearing this, a faint blush crept onto Lu Qing's face, and a strange, indescribable feeling bloomed in her heart.
Father Lu didn't notice his daughter's reaction. He continued, "Your needles... they don't look like the ones normally used for Acupuncture."
"They are different," Zhao Yuan explained. "Regular Acupuncture uses standard Acupuncture Needles. What I'm using now are Long Needles and Fire Needles."
The Long Needle, also known as a huantiao needle, has a long, slender body and an extremely sharp tip. It's used to expel Evil Qi that has accumulated deep within the body and is highly effective for treating atrophy and paralysis!
As for the Fire Needle, also known as the Large Needle, its body is as thick as a bamboo sliver. It's called a Fire Needle because it's typically heated until red-hot before being used. This type of needle is mostly used to treat joint swelling, but Zhao Yuan needed it now to melt the blood clots that had formed in Father Lu's blood vessels and meridians so they could be expelled.
After straightening out the Golden Long Needles and Golden Fire Needles, Zhao Yuan turned to Mrs. Lu and said, "Ma'am, do you have any rubbing alcohol at home? If not, could you please buy some from a nearby pharmacy?"