The man who had asked the questions was dressed in a gray casual suit, and his features were strikingly similar to the elder man.
“I don’t know.”
He glanced at the signs along the street and answered plainly.
“Is Master Xuanxu reliable? Can he really predict where my aunt is? She’s been missing for so many years,” the younger man asked again.
“I don’t know,” came the same calm reply.
Lin Tingyi: …
“Brother, why do you know nothing? If I’d known, I’d have just stayed at the hotel to rest and adjust my jet lag. So boring!”
Lin Tingyi pouted, muttering to himself.
With hands in his pockets and no response from his elder brother, he glanced left and right—and immediately noticed a small crowd gathered a short distance away.
“Huh? What are they doing?”
His eyes lit up. Where there’s gossip, there he goes. His eyes darted around as he spoke:
“Brother, maybe we should split up—it’ll be faster to search this way.”
Lin Tingjue halted, looking at his younger brother. He thought for a moment, his deep black eyes betraying his exhaustion. They’d been on a plane for over twenty hours and had come straight here.
Before this, Lin Tingjue had stayed up two consecutive nights to make time. Even though he caught some sleep on the plane, he hadn’t fully recovered.
“Fine. The shop’s name is ‘Return,’ and that’s run by Xuanxu Taoist’s apprentice. If we find him, we can find Master Xuanxu.”
What a terrible name—so ominous, Lin Tingyi thought sarcastically.
Outwardly, he nodded and said, “Got it. I’ll call you.” Then he strode toward the crowded area.
If he went too late, the crowd would disperse—then what would he see?
Lin Tingjue watched his younger brother’s eager stride, frowning slightly. He preferred to walk the quieter streets, leaving the busy crowd to Tingyi.
Lin Tingyi soon reached the outer edge of the crowd. After pushing his way in, he saw a girl of about twenty tending to a middle-aged woman with acupuncture.
What was there to see?
Feeling disappointed and about to leave, the girl exhaled and lifted her head.
Their eyes met.
Lin Tingyi froze. Those eyes reminded him of his aunt when she was young.
…
Ye Zhishu wiped the thin sweat off her forehead.
Without spiritual power, even inserting the needles took more effort than before.
“Why isn’t she waking up? Miss, you didn’t kill her, did you?”
“Yeah! She was twitching just now, now she’s completely still.”
“I told you not to move her. Wait for the ambulance—no need to show off!”
The crowd murmured in confusion.
Lin Tingyi listened for a moment and finally understood what had happened.
In short, the middle-aged woman had a sudden seizure, the surrounding people did nothing, and only this little girl stepped forward to save her.
“Got it? You wouldn’t help, fine. But why belittle the person who does?”
Lin Tingyi said, annoyed.
His voice wasn’t loud, but among the crowd’s chatter, it stood out. Ye Zhishu glanced at him briefly.
Their eyes met again, and Lin Tingyi’s face flushed.
This little girl… she’s really beautiful!
Even more beautiful than Yueyue.
Ye Zhishu ignored the rest. About five minutes later, she removed the silver needle from Wu Fang’s Baihui point.
Wu Fang, who had been completely still, suddenly opened her eyes, gasping like someone who had clutched a piece of driftwood while drowning.
“I…”
Wu Fang sat up abruptly, feeling her strength returning. Only then did she realize and look at Ye Zhishu.
“How are you feeling?”
Ye Zhishu calmly sterilized the needle and put it back in its case.
“I… I feel much better.”
“Good. Seems like everything’s fine now. Stand up and move around a bit.”
Wu Fang obediently stood, moving her arms and legs. Her previously heavy body now felt light, and she had the strange sense of being ten years younger.
“She’s awake! She really saved Wu Fang!”
“Miracle doctor!”
Seeing Wu Fang not only awake but lively, the crowd erupted.
“Once she’s moved enough, remove the rest of the needles,” Ye Zhishu instructed.
Wu Fang nodded, squatted in front of her, and allowed Ye Zhishu to carefully remove each needle and sterilize them before placing them back in the case.
Her movements were fluid and precise, completely focused on Wu Fang, as if the surrounding people didn’t exist.
“All done,” Ye Zhishu said, packing away the needles.
“Your condition isn’t serious. You just got too emotional earlier, and irregular eating habits triggered the seizure. Avoid extreme emotional swings in the future. Life is long—don’t bring suffering upon yourself,” she advised.
The fake Taoist had said the same thing earlier.
Wu Fang smiled bitterly.
“Thank you, little girl.”
Her mind was clear, fully understanding Ye Zhishu’s words, yet she still clung to a sliver of hope.
“My son… he…”
“He died ten years ago from drowning. But rest assured, he didn’t suffer. His foster parents took care of him,” Ye Zhishu said, pausing slightly.
Wu Fang’s eyes welled up.
Technically foster parents, but they were just as complicit as the kidnappers who took her son.
Wu Fang knew Ye Zhishu was just easing her pain. The child was gone—nothing could bring him back.
“Master, can you find out where he is? I… I just want to see him, even to offer incense.”
Even so, Wu Fang trusted Ye Zhishu completely.
Ye Zhishu remained silent.
“Master!”
Tears streamed down Wu Fang’s face as she instinctively tried to kneel.
Ye Zhishu stopped her.
“Enough.”
She walked to the old Taoist’s stall. “Taoist, lend me some yellow paper and cinnabar pens.”
These were the only two genuine items at his stall, far superior to the printed talismans from Liu Jun next door.
The old Taoist stared at Ye Zhishu, saying nothing.
Assuming his consent, Ye Zhishu picked up the pen and drew a talisman on the yellow paper in one smooth motion.
“Follow this talisman,” she instructed, handing it to Wu Fang.
Wu Fang hesitated, then quickly took it. “Thank you, Master!”
Ye Zhishu waved her hand.
“Go.”
Wu Fang clutched the talisman and stepped out of the crowd.
The onlookers whispered again, astonished.
This little girl was not only a miracle doctor but also a fortune-teller?!
Finishing her work, Ye Zhishu looked at Liu Jun at the neighboring stall.
Meeting her sharp black eyes, Liu Jun felt an inexplicable sense of being seen through.
Then the girl smiled, pulled out her phone, and tapped the screen casually.
The call connected quickly.
She put it on speaker, and the voice on the other end could be heard by everyone:
“Hello, this is the 110 Police Center. How may we assist you?”
“Hello, officer. I want to report a crime—I’ve been scammed.”
Liu Jun: ?