Chapter 31: Laboratory 927—The 4th-Generation Test Product
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
10 o'clock, Lu Mansion.
Fu Zhi emerged from the bathroom after taking a bath.
The first thing she did after she blow-dried her hair was pick up the ultra-thin cell phone on the bed and open a game.
She had two phones. The phone that she usually used was the same kind as the laptop on her desk.
The laptop was white in color, and on the desktop was a strong and vigorous-looking leopard cat.
The leopard cat's eyes were as sharp as arrows, giving off a prideful vibe.
She sat on the chair. As she was sipping on a glass of milk, the WeChat interface on the laptop began to blink nonstop.
Fu Zhi clicked on it and a small page popped up. Then, a haggard face rammed into her vision.
The man was wearing a well-tailored suit and looked like he was in his mid-seventies, but one would believe him if he said he was in his mid-fifties or mid-sixties, as he took great care of his health and skin. His two hands were on top of a gold-gilded cane, his brows were deeply furrowed, and his expression was grim.
"Grandpa Li." Fu Zhi greeted him as she leaned against the back of her chair, watching the old man through the camera.
Old Master Li was brought back to his senses by her call. He lifted his eyelids, and his two bloodshot eyes landed on Fu Zhi. As if he was surprised to see her, he shouted excitedly, "Thank god, Zhizhi! You finally answered my call!"
Fu Zhi nodded. "Is it anything urgent?"
"When are you coming back to the Capitol?" Old Master Li asked, his eyes looking red around the rims. "Your Brother Nanli fell ill the other day, and Xiao He still cannot find out what's wrong with him..."
Li Nanli was Old Master Li's grandson. He was the successor of the Li Corporation in the Capitol.
"Well, I'm not surprised. After all, he's the worst student I've ever had."
Old Master Li was speechless.
He Ming was the former vice-chancellor of Tsinghua University and a rising star of the medical artificial intelligence sector.
If anyone else had said that to him, he would definitely have fought back. However, Fu Zhi was different. She had been different since her birth.
She was a daughter of the country, the crystallization of endless manpower and resources.
She was a clone, a 4th-generation test product produced through cloning technology. From a biological standpoint, she was considered a human being. However, compared to an ordinary human being, her genome consisted of the genes that the country had collected from all the bigwigs in different sectors.
Within a few months after her birth, she had shown that she was completely different from other children her age both intellectually and physically. She picked up things very fast, surpassing even the group of bigwigs that had contributed their genetic sequence. For all intents and purposes, she was considered a perfect human being.
However, the downside of being perfect was that Fu Zhi had lacked the innocence of an ordinary kid since a young age. Besides, since she had grown up with a group of "old monsters" in the laboratory, she was devoid of emotion and was as calm as a cold machine most of the time.
The country had raised her until she was 16 years old, and throughout these 16 years, Fu Zhi had been working behind the curtain for the country. When she had turned 16, the country had decided to give her a pair of parents.
Old Master Li knew very well that the country had been reluctant to give its sweetheart away. After all, the previous three generations had all been boys, so it was an open secret why the country had wanted to create Fu Zhi: They wanted to show off about having a daughter.
As he was immersed in his memories, his phone rang. His heart skipped a beat when he saw that He Ming was calling.
He answered the call, and his expression changed after He Ming told him something. "Okay. Got it."
"Nanli's condition has gotten worse." Old Master Li looked at Fu Zhi with bloodshot eyes after he hung up the call. "Zhizhi, I—"
"Bring him to Yu City." Fu Zhi interrupted him.
Old Master Li's eyes shone, and he nodded profusely. "Sure! Please take care of your brother Nanli, Zhizhi."
"Alright," Fu Zhi replied as she popped some milk candy into her mouth. She looked at the old man, who was one of the people in the laboratory, and drawled, "Don't worry, your grandson is considered my half-nephew. I'll take care of him."
Old Master Li was stumped.
'Who gave you the idea to take care of him as though he's your nephew?'
Old Master Li manned up and said, "Erm, about that. Can't you guys be more than just a nephew and his aunt?"
Fu Zhi pressed her lips together. "Are you talking about a teacher-and-student kind of relationship? I'm not sure about that. He is pretty old, and the human brain works slower in old age. I don't have enough time to teach him."
Old Master Li entered a trance for a moment. He only now saw the light and understood why those old freaks in the laboratory had been willing to let Fu Zhi go.
After all, they were very certain that no one could make this blockhead get this idea no matter how hard they tried.
However, he still refused to give up. He thus tried to explain. "Well, not that kind of relationship. Why don't you try to read the meaning behind my words?"
Fu Zhi replied, "Do you have anything else to say?"
"I guess... that's all?" It took Old Master Li roughly 10 seconds to realize that he was being annoying.
"Alright then. I'm going to hang up. My friends are calling me."
Old Master Li was left speechless.
He looked at the black screen, staring at his own reflection for a long while as he felt aggrieved. However, when he thought about He Ming, who had been blocked by Fu Zhi, all the gloom in his heart dissipated while he comforted himself.
'Zhizhi is still willing to put up with my willful actions!'
Chapter 32: Ten Yuan For A Pack Of Rhinestones
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Fu Zhi closed her laptop. While sitting in her chair, she popped another piece of milk candy into her mouth and crunched it.
The light inside the room was bright, and the window sliced Fu Zhi's reflection into numerous pieces. She lackadaisically rested her slender legs on the table as she wallowed in the pleasure and excitement brought forth by the game.
"Dong, dong, dong—"
Just as Fu Zhi was about to go to bed after she finished playing the game, she heard someone knocking on her door.
She asked the person to come in and then threw her phone on her bed.
She waited for a while, yet no one came in.
Then, another string of rapping sounds was heard. This time, the sounds had become lighter.
Fu Zhi walked to the door, placed her slender hand gently on the handle, and pushed the door slightly.
Lu Yushen was standing in front of the door. When he heard the clicking sound, he took a step back. Then, the door was opened half a meter wide.
"Yushen?"
Lu Yushen was wearing a white shirt. He kept his head low, and the dim light that fell on his face caused his eyelashes to cast a shadow over his eyes.
When he heard Fu Zhi's voice, he spread his palm open, revealing a diamond half the size of Fu Zhi's fist. The diamond was beautifully wrought and glittered brightly under the refraction of the light.
"Is this for me?" Fu Zhi was slightly stunned.
Lu Yushen had the air of an elegant young master from ancient times. He looked innocent and harmless.
His pupils were completely black as he nodded and stretched his hand toward Fu Zhi.
However, Fu Zhi did not move.
The corridor on the third floor was quiet. The night wind slipped through the slit between the window, petting the window screen and releasing susurration in the air.
A servant opened the room door and saw the two of them staring at each other.
"Young Master Yushen, Ms. Fu, Mrs. Lu asked me to tell you guys to finish the milk before you go to bed. It can help you grow taller."
Lu Yushen's hand was suspended in midair. His eyelids were half-closed as he stood in front of the expressionless Fu Zhi.
There was a listless expression etched on his face, giving him the look of a pitiful abandoned large-breed dog that circled Fu Zhi with its head held low and its tail between its legs.
The servant decided to help her young master a little. She thus went forward and said, "Ms. Fu, this is a gift from Young Master Yushen. Even though it's just a pack of rhinestones worth ten yuan, it's a little something from him..."
Lu Yushen was autistic. He therefore had difficulty communicating with others and meeting other people's eyes. His only hobby was collecting rhinestones. He kept a lot in his room and he adored them very much. He rarely gave them away to people.
The servant did not know why he adored something so cheap, but the world of an autistic person was not something that a normal person like her could understand.
Lu Yushen was often rejected, so he had gotten used to it.
He pulled his phone out of his pocket and began typing something, his fingers dancing nimbly over the screen.
After a short while, he showed the phone to Fu Zhi.
"Return gift. For Zhizhi."
Fu Zhi entered a trance for a moment. Her eyes swept across the diamond, but she soon retracted her gaze.
"Thank you, brother."
Lu Yushen nodded and then returned to his own room.
After Lu Yushen left, Fu Zhi put both the diamond and her laptop in a drawer.
Before she went to bed, she made a call.
The call was picked up very fast.
"What are your instructions?"
"I have a card ending in 1010. Could you please help me freeze it for two weeks?"
Before this, she'd just wanted to give the money to Lu Yumo. However, Lu Yumo was too hard to control. If she did not do something, she was certain that he would never return home.
Fu Zhi had not realized this before. It was only after Lu Jingqing had said something that she had realized she must not help Lu Yumo escape from the house.
Her mother missed her eldest brother a lot, so she had to find a way to force him to come home by himself.
The person on the other side of the line got this done very quickly.
"Can I help you with anything else?"
"Hmm... Transfer some money to this card in two weeks."
Chapter 33: Didn't Your Grandpa Pass Away?
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The sky the next day was overcast, and a cold blast ravaged the entire city.
After the teacher went out of the classroom, Su Xing handed Fu Zhi another cup of milk tea with a bright smile etched on her face.
"This is matcha green milk tea. It tastes really nice," she explained. Her voice was soothing to the ears. "I'll bring you a strawberry slushie tomorrow."
Fu Zhi's eyes glowed when she saw the cup of milk tea.
A couple of students in the classroom were watching her.
She lowered her gaze, and her delicately-arranged eyelashes fluttered down to hide her eyes. After a short while, she said softly, "Thank you."
Su Xing's face blushed as she shook her head.
Soon, Fu Zhi pulled a vial out of her bag. "This is my gift to you."
Su Xing asked, "What is this?"
Fu Zhi took a sip of milk tea. "It's a Chinese medicine. It's very effective in removing scars."
"Can it remove the scar on my face?" Su Xing asked.
Fu Zhi nodded.
Su Xing's eyes lit up. "Wow! This is so awesome! I'm resistant to anesthetics, so my mom made an appointment with Sun Sanzhen in the Capitol. She said acupuncture might help remove the scar on my face..."
Fu Zhi frowned and said, "There is no way acupuncture could help remove the scar on your face. Even though acupuncture could stimulate local blood circulation, it's not very useful when it comes to removing scars."
Tian Nuo had been eavesdropping on their conversation all along. The moment she heard what Fu Zhi said, she let out a cold sneer and said, "Hah! People nowadays really have an exaggerated opinion of their own abilities. Sun Sanzhen is one of the most famous veteran Chinese medicine practitioners in China. The Four Ways and Eight Acupuncture Manipulation that he created is so great that its competence is recognized even on a global level, yet you are saying that your medicine is more effective than his acupuncture skill? Why don't you say you're his master?"
Fu Zhi pressed her lips and nodded. "I'm really his master." Sun Sanzhen and He Ming came from the same batch, and both of them were the worst students that she had ever had.
Tian Nuo was stumped. She looked at Fu Zhi as if she was looking at an idiot. Doctors had been in the Sun Family for many generations, and even though Chinese medicine had already gone downhill, the Sun Family was like the evergreen tree of the Chinese medicine sector. They were still standing even to this day.
Would Sun Sanzhen let Fu Zhi become his master?
'Is she out of her mind?'
Tian Nuo rolled her eyes at Fu Zhi and sneered, "You're such a clout chaser. Why don't you say that you're the one who invented the Four Ways and Eight Acupuncture Manipulation, you shameless rat?"
Fu Zhi replied, "Yeah, I'm the one who invented it."
Su Xing cried out in surprise. She looked at Fu Zhi in admiration, like a fangirl that had just met her idol. "Zhizhi, you're really awesome!"
Tian Nuo froze.
She was certain that Fu Zhi was making fun of her, but why would the girl beside her believe her to this extent?
'Doesn't she feel that she's being a little too trusting?'
As Tian Nuo was immersed in her own thoughts, Su Xing added, "Zhizhi, your gift is too precious. I really don't know how to pay you back... Ah, how about this? From this day onward, I'll bring you a cup of milk tea every day. What do you think?"
Tian Nuo was left even more speechless.
'Why would you still want to buy her milk tea? She's just messing with you, you f*cking idiot!'
Just as Tian Nuo was about to say something, Ma Mingquan entered the classroom and waved at Fu Zhi. "Fu Zhi, please come out with me."
Fu Zhi rose to her feet and followed Ma Mingquan.
Ma Mingquan looked at her and his eyes turned red around the rims. He handed a leave of absence letter to her and said, "Don't be too sad, Fu Zhi. Everyone is destined to die. You can go home now and see your grandfather."
No.1 High School had a lot of rules, and students were usually not allowed to go home in the middle of the class except for weddings or funerals.
Fu Zhi was confused when Ma Mingquan started crying, but the scale soon fell before her eyes.
The Li Family was there.
She nodded. She then looked at Ma Mingquan, who was busy wiping tears off his face while handing tissue paper to her and asking her to cry her heart out. She took the leave of absence letter from his hand expressionlessly. Just before she left, she patted Ma Mingquan's shoulder and comforted him. "It's not a big deal, so don't cry anymore. Don't take it to heart. We should let the deceased rest in peace while we move on."
Ma Mingquan was confused.
'Hold on a second. Didn't your grandpa pass away?'
Chapter 34: Yumo, Mommy Is Very Disappointed In You
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
At the entrance of No.1 High School, Li Nanli's secretary was waiting for Fu Zhi in the security room.
"Are you Ms. Fu? Thank God you're here!" Secretary Liu greeted Fu Zhi excitedly as if he was looking at his savior.
Fu Zhi nodded slightly and said in an apathetic voice, "Lead the way."
"Sure, sure, sure! This way, please, Ms. Fu."
Secretary Liu hastily went forward and opened the door for Fu Zhi.
Lu Yumo saw Fu Zhi leave the school with a man from afar.
His eyes glowed, and he let out a gasp.
This surprise had come too suddenly, so he was not prepared for it.
He clapped his mouth with his hand to prevent the scream he was about to let out. He then found himself a hidden place, pulled out his phone, and made a call.
The moment the call was connected, he shouted, "Fu Zhi skipped class!"
Lu Yumo was smiling like a cat that had eaten a canary. There was thick exhilaration in his voice as he told Xu Wei, "She skipped class and she's dating someone. Is she still your good daughter?"
Xu Wei, who was weeding with a hoe, was stumped, as she could not recover from this sudden news.
She was planting the flowers that her daughter had brought back in the open land that she had previously used to grow her cabbages. After hearing that, she raised her arm to look at her watch and asked, "What are you talking about? Shouldn't you be in the middle of a class right now?"
Lu Yumo realized he had made a gaffe and replied proudly, "I'm not! I skipped class too! I'm climbing over the wall!"
Xu Wei did not reply for three seconds, and the smile on Lu Yumo's face froze.
'Hold on. Did I just tell her that I skipped class?'
Before he could say anything, Xu Wei bristled and snarled out, "Lu Yumo! How dare you skip class given your current grades?
"I shouldn't have trusted that you would work harder on your studies. It was all a lie when you said you were going to a remedial class, wasn't it? Tell mommy, did you go to the amusement arcade again?"
"Yes, I did go to the amusement arcade... No, hold on a second! I'm not talking about this. Listen to me, mom, I haven't skipped class yet. Anyway, this is not the reason I called you!"
'The point is that your daughter has skipped class!'
However, before he could finish his sentence, Xu Wei interrupted him. The woman on the other side of the line sobbed, "Yumo, mommy is very disappointed in you!"
After saying that, Xu Wei hung up the call angrily.
Lu Yumo froze.
'What the hell just happened? Who's disappointed in me?'
****
Meanwhile, in a remote area...
Fu Zhi and Secretary Liu got out of the car.
"Ms. Fu, other than Professor He, everyone else, including President Li, is inside this villa," Secretary Liu said. "President Li's report is in Dr. Zhou's hands right now. I'll get it for you later."
Li Nanli's condition had worsened since last night, and he had lost consciousness as a result. Before Fu Zhi arrived, only Dr. Zhou and his group had been discussing the treatment plan, so Secretary Liu had not felt right snatching the report from them.
It had taken him quite some time to psychologically prepare himself before he had finally accepted reality, especially after he'd found out that Fu Zhi was a high-schooler.
Fu Zhi replied plainly, "That is not necessary. That thing is useless."
After all, if it had been useful, they would not have had to bring Li Nanli to Yu City.
Secretary Liu was stumped. He could not say anything, so he just complimented her. "You're really awesome!"
Fu Zhi did not respond.
Secretary Liu pushed the door open and led Fu Zhi inside.
There was a group of people outside Li Nanli's room. An incoherent set of voices filled the air, making the place noisy.
All the doctors there were the best doctors in the Capitol, and their expressions were serious.
Sudden coma and hematemesis. In addition, his health was deteriorating. They had performed a gastric lavage on him and conducted various examinations. However, Li Nanli had not shown any improvement whatsoever.
Chapter 35: Do You Think This Is An Embroidery Workshop?
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Dr. Zhou took stock of the situation and said sternly, "We can't wait anymore. Professor He is not here, and Young Master Li can't hold on much longer. We have to carry out the operation right away!"
Dr. Zhou was the vice president of the Capitol's First Hospital. His healing skill was remarkable, and he had obtained many awards in the medical field. He was also known as God's right hand.
A doctor standing next to him said, "But Vice President Zhou, he is... Besides, if we don't have complete confidence and carry out the operation rashly, there is a huge chance that a medical accident will occur."
Dr. Zhou frowned and objected. "I have already said that the main cause of the hematemesis and coma is in the stomach. Only by carrying out a laparoscopy will we be able to stop gastrorrhagia. If we don't do the operation now, things will become even more complicated. Then, no one will be able to save him!"
The rest of the doctors relapsed into silence, and their expressions were grim. Dr. Zhou added, "Even if my judgment is wrong and we don't find out the main cause of his illness during the operation, we can just stitch up the wound. Laparoscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure, so it won't put his life in danger!"
The other doctors did not know what to say, as they were not sure whether they should take this risk or not.
Glancing across the group of doctors, Vice President Zhou waved his arm and added, "The reason we put our whole heart into studying medicine is to save lives. I will bear all the possible consequences Young Master Li might face during the operation."
A doctor chimed in, "I agree with Dr. Zhou. If we don't do the operation now, Young Master Li might not be able to make it through the night."
After a short silence, they all reached a consensus.
The villa was well-prepared. Dr. Zhou immediately ordered a few doctors to prepare for the operation.
Suddenly, Fu Zhi's indifferent voice rang out from behind, reaching everyone's ears. "Despite his current state, you guys are still choosing to perform an operation on him? Are you trying to kill him?"
Her voice trailed off toward the other side of the corridor. A hushed silence descended, and everyone went still from shock.
Dr. Zhou was the first one to come back to his senses. With a frown, he turned toward the source of the voice and his eyes landed on Fu Zhi, who was walking beside Secretary Liu.
When he saw that she was a young girl around 16 or 17 years old, his face sank and he hissed, "Who are you, kid? Do you know that this is not a place where you can mess around? Get out of here!"
The rest of the doctors also looked furiously at Fu Zhi. They had been working under high pressure for several days straight. Their nerves were tightly wound, so they could not say anything right now.
"Secretary Liu, we already found a way to save Young Master Li. Please kick her out, as her presence would only affect the procedure."
Looking at the impatient Dr. Zhou, Secretary Liu shook his head. "Vice President Zhou, she is the famous doctor invited by Professor He and Old Master Li."
'She is the famous doctor? How is there any possibility a young girl would know anything about Chinese medicine?'
Dr. Zhou was annoyed by Fu Zhi's sudden appearance. Plus, he did not have much confidence in the operation, and Fu Zhi had now thrown a wet blanket over his plan...
Therefore, when Secretary Liu said that Fu Zhi was the famous doctor, he refused to believe it. "She is the famous doctor? Has she reached adulthood yet? Secretary Liu, you should know very well that it takes at least 10 years of experience for one to be considered a famous doctor in Chinese medicine.
"In my opinion, you've either picked up the wrong person, or this lady over here has been practicing Chinese medicine since she was in her mother's womb."
It was very apparent that Dr. Zhou was dissatisfied with Fu Zhi.
Secretary Liu hesitated for a moment before he turned around to look at Fu Zhi.
"40 minutes. I can wake him up in 40 minutes," Fu Zhi said. There was a smirk playing at the tips of her lips, and her eyes were cold.
Dr. Zhou was tickled pink by her response. "You are going to wake Young Master Li up in 40 minutes? You and whose army? Hah, that's the funniest thing I've heard!"
"That should be my line."
Fu Zhi threw a glance at him. "You said you're going to perform an operation on him, yet if you don't find anything wrong, you're going to stitch the wound up and act as if nothing happened? Do you think this is an embroidery workshop?"
Chapter 36: Thirteen Ghost Points Acupuncture Manipulation – Part 1
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Dr. Zhou narrowed his eyes as his chest heaved up and down heavily in rage. He pointed at Fu Zhi and looked at Secretary Liu. "Did you hear what she just said? She's mocking me!
"You are saying you can wake Young Master Li up in 40 minutes? Nowadays, youngsters really have ideas above their station. I'm really curious to know what kind of method you're going to use that gives you so much confidence that you can do something none of us can achieve."
Fu Zhi replied plainly, "Acupuncture."
She was holding a deep yellow pouch in her right hand. Her long, slender eyelashes cast shadows on her cheeks, so no one could read her expression.
"Acupuncture?! Ridiculous!" Dr. Zhou sneered. "You're going to use acupuncture to treat Young Master Li? Do you think we are all idiots?"
Every doctor was familiar with acupuncture techniques. They were a key component of traditional Chinese medicine that was used to treat a variety of conditions by triggering specific points on the skin or the central nervous system with needles.
These techniques were considered a miracle by the medical field. Usually, it took roughly 10 years for a Chinese medicine practitioner to master the acupuncture techniques, and they would not simply use the techniques to treat their patients if they were not confident in their skill. After all, one simple mistake by an untrained hand could lead to tragic consequences.
Therefore, Dr. Zhou stamped his feet in fury. "Nonsense! Even Sun Sanzhen does not have the confidence to say he can wake Young Master Li up in just 40 minutes! You're nothing but a little girl, yet you'd dare treat a patient with acupuncture? What are you going to tell Old Master Li if anything happens to Young Master Li?"
All the doctors looked indignantly at Fu Zhi.
"Secretary Liu, you might not know this, but a human body has 720 points. Amongst these 720 points, 108 are vital points, which are further classified into lethal points and normal points. If the acupuncturist inserts the needle into the wrong point, the patient will die in no time!"
"Regardless of whether we look at this from the aspect of experience or ability, Master Sun Sanzhen is way better than this little girl. Even a person like him doesn't have the confidence to carry out such a feat, yet this little girl is saying that she can do it? I'm not sure if she is too confident or she's just being delusional."
"She isn't a famous doctor. I'm sure she's nothing but a charlatan who tricked Old Master Li and Professor He into believing that she's the real deal."
"Don't you ever think that you can be a famous doctor just because you know some basic medical skills. You're really young, so why don't you just keep your feet on the ground and go learn some real skills instead of being a good-for-nothing cheater? The sun will rise from the west if you save Young Master Li!"
Everyone believed that Fu Zhi was a little girl who did not like to study and preferred to mess around.
There was coldness in Dr. Zhou's eyes, as he was disgusted with Fu Zhi's holier-than-thou attitude. "Listen here, you ignorant little girl. I'm going to be very clear: I'm 50% confident that I can save Young Master Li, but even if I can't do it, you would never tell me what to do!"
After saying that, he turned around and ordered his group of doctors, "Let's go prepare for the operation. We don't have much time left."
Fu Zhi looked at him defiantly, making Dr. Zhou feel provoked. Just as he was about to say something, he was pulled away by an unknown force and he stumbled, taking a few steps back.
"I'm not sure where you got the courage to say that you are only 50% confident about saving him. If I were you, I'd find a hole and bury myself in it."
Dr. Zhou was filled with so much rage that his chest heaved up and down vigorously. Just as he was about to fight back, Fu Zhi went into Li Nanli's room.
Then, she locked the door from the inside, causing Dr. Zhou to swallow all his curses back into his stomach pit.
Dr. Zhou snarled, "Come out!"
Fu Zhi looked at him through the window as if she was saying that there was nothing he could do if she did not want to go out.
When he saw that Fu Zhi was walking toward Li Nanli, the alarm in his heart blared out. He turned to Secretary Liu and said, "Chinese medicine is not the same as Western medicine. Without the aid of a professional diagnostic instrument, the result of the diagnosis tends to be inaccurate. There are a lot of risks involved in acupuncture. Even a Chinese medicine veteran cannot guarantee that they can avoid all the risks, let alone this young girl. You have to think twice about it, Secretary Liu!"
Everyone else joined the parade and began persuading Secretary Liu with all sorts of arguments.
Secretary Liu just said simply, "I would like to express my gratitude on behalf of President Li. However, Ms. Fu has been invited by Old Master Li. I'm sure he knows what he's doing. Let's just wait and see what she's capable of."
Chapter 37: Thirteen Ghost Points Acupuncture Manipulation – Part 2
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The room was spacious and clean. The wind that slipped through the window was damp, and the light pouring down from the ceiling gave everything in its path a glossy sheen.
Fu Zhi began to scan the ward.
There was a man lying on the sickbed. He had an ectomorphic body stature and he was wearing a white shirt. Fu Zhi could not see his face clearly, as it was hidden by the light.
One of his arms rested on top of the black comforter. His fingers were slender and delicate but extremely pale. Fu Zhi reckoned that it must be because of his illness.
After taking a few steps, she stopped in front of the bed and lowered her head. It was only then that she saw the man's face.
Her nephew had an attractive face. His skin was fair, and his facial features were well-defined. His thin lips were tightly-closed, making him look like a difficult person.
She studied him for a while before peeling her eyes away. She set down her pouch beside the bed and spread it open, revealing the row of silver needles inside. Then, she picked a few out and inserted them precisely one by one into the man's body.
Renzhong point, Shaoshang point, Yinbai point, Daling point, Shenmai point, Fengfu point, and Jiache point.
Dr. Zhou was as anxious as a cat on a hot tin roof. "Ridiculous! This is ridiculous! Does she think that she can cure gastrorrhagia by inserting needles into a few points? She must be out of her mind!"
The others shook their heads in unison. "As doctors, we'll never say we are 100% confident about curing a patient, even if we're very confident. There is no way she could be the real deal considering how arrogant she is!"
Secretary Liu put a fake smile on his face and said, "Since we've decided to let her treat President Li, we should stop being suspicious of her. I have faith in Ms. Fu Zhi."
However, in reality, he was not as calm as he looked on the surface. His heart was pumping as wildly as a horse galloping on a grass plain, and he was shouting inwardly, 'Ahh! This is so scary! Can I really trust her? Ahh!! I'm so scared!'
Meanwhile, inside the ward...
Fu Zhi had already inserted seven needles into Li Nanli's body and the remaining six needles into Chengjiang point, Raogong point, Shangxin point, Baihui point, Quqi point, and Haiquan point respectively.
She finished the entire process in one swift motion.
When Dr. Zhou saw her insert the last needle, he sneered, "Even if she's right, if she can't cure Young Master Li, she's going to jail. After all, she's the one who caused us to miss the window to save him!"
"That's right. She doesn't know what she's doing. She doesn't even own a medical certificate, yet she has the audacity to come out and try to be a hero!"
"No! We're wrong!" As everyone was reprimanding Fu Zhi, Dr. Zhao stared at Fu Zhi's hands and murmured, "Renzhong point is Ghost Palace, Shaoshang point is Ghost Faith, Daling point is Ghost Heart... They are the Thirteen Ghost Points. These are the Thirteen Ghost Points!"
Dr. Zhao's voice rose by an octave as he added, "Look at her. She is performing the Thirteen Ghost Points Acupuncture Manipulation!"
Dr. Zhou was startled but soon collected himself. His brows were furrowed as he said, "Thirteen Ghost Points Acupuncture Manipulation? How is that possible? Have you gone crazy, Dr. Zhao? How is there any chance that she would know how to use that acupuncture technique given her current age? Are you sure you haven't made a mistake?"
After all, the Thirteen Ghost Points Acupuncture Manipulation was the most obscure and esoteric technique of acupuncture. This was because usual acupuncture techniques were used to treat people, but the Thirteen Ghost Points Acupuncture Manipulation was used to address disturbances that were attributed to demonic possession.
It was extremely effective against diseases or illnesses that could not be cured by medicine. However, since the traditional Chinese medicine that had been passed down since ancient times for almost 1,000 years was regarded as feudal superstition and pseudoscience by modern people, many Chinese medicine skills had been lost in the world.
The Thirteen Ghost Points Acupuncture Manipulation was one of them.
Dr. Zhao nodded. His eyes were filled with fiery, hot passion as he fixed them on Fu Zhi's hands. "Three years ago, China sent a doctor to participate in an international medicine competition, and the Thirteen Ghost Points Acupuncture Manipulation was the reason we won the competition! Unfortunately, the competition was not made public that year, and there are only a few short videos of that old master performing this acupuncture technique on the web. I have studied the videos many times, so I'm certain that the technique she is using is the same as the one performed by that old master!"
The group of doctors looked at Fu Zhi and realized that the silver needles in Li Nanli's body were turning black.
"This is... The silver needles in Young Master Li's body are vibrating..."
"According to the ancient records, the Thirteen Ghost Points Acupuncture Manipulation is mainly used for exorcism. If the silver needles are vibrating, it means it's working! Young Master Li will be fine!"
All the doctors were shouting and hurraying in joy save for one person. After hearing what Dr. Zhao had said, Dr. Zhou was so shocked that he was at a loss for words.
He had not expected that the little girl he looked down upon would actually be able to perform the Thirteen Ghost Points Acupuncture Manipulation.
Suddenly, he felt as if someone had slapped his cheek and he moved his hand to cover his face.
He had no idea why, but he found this quite painful.
Chapter 38: Look, Is The Sun Rising From The West?
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Fu Zhi waited until the silver needles stopped vibrating before putting them away.
All thirteen needles were soaked in a black goo that seemed like a toxin.
After all the needles had been removed from his body, color began to return to Li Nanli's face.
Fu Zhi took one last look at his face before stuffing her pouch away. Then, she turned around and opened the door.
The moment she emerged from the ward, Secretary Liu hastily went up to her. "How is President Li, Ms. Fu? When is he going to wake up?
Fu Zhi replied coldly, "In about half an hour."
Secretary Liu was filled with so much joy that he nearly cried. He went forward excitedly and tried to grab Fu Zhi's hand to express his gratitude.
However, before he could reach out for her hand, Fu Zhi took two quick steps back.
Secretary Liu, who was stumped, could hear his heart shattering when he saw the disgust in Fu Zhi's eyes.
He soon collected himself and walked over to the bed.
The ward was quiet. Nobody dared speak, as there was an expression of disbelief etched on their faces.
Even though they had already seen how capable Fu Zhi was, they still found it hard to believe when Fu Zhi said Li Nanli would regain consciousness in half an hour.
Some of the doctors still refused to believe her. Only when they went forward to run a check-up on Li Nanli were they finally convinced.
"The patient is over the hump now, and his condition is improving steadily. The Thirteen Ghost Points Acupuncture Manipulation is indeed a miracle of Chinese medicine!"
Fu Zhi stole a glance at the doctor and then moved her gaze to the window.
Dr. Zhao had become Fu Zhi's fan after seeing her perform this technique. With a smile on his face, he approached Fu Zhi and asked, "What are you looking at, master?"
"The sun."
Dr. Zhao looked in the same direction and saw the light. "Are you studying the effect of weather and the seasons on Young Master Li's illness?"
'See, actions speak louder than words. She's a real master!'
"Nope," Fu Zhi replied. She put both her hands on top of her forehead and studied the sun through the slits between her fingers. Then, she added plainly, "I'm checking if the sun is rising from the west."
Dr. Zhao felt like his ears had failed him. At the same time, although he did not know if this was an illusion or not, he felt that Fu Zhi seemed a little... narrow-minded?
Dr. Zhao and Dr. Zhou exchanged a glance, both of them seeing the awkwardness in each other's eyes.
There was no way the sun could rise from the west. Could Master Fu Zhi not tell that they were just messing with her?
"M—Master..." Dr. Zhao looked as if the cat had gotten his tongue.
Fu Zhi leaned against the windowsill and did not say anything else.
She put one leg on top of the other as she admired the scenery outside the window leisurely.
Looking at Fu Zhi, Dr. Zhou gritted his teeth as if he was fighting against something inside of him. His face was turning redder and redder with each passing second. After a short while, he approached Fu Zhi and bowed his head down apologetically. "Little friend, your medical skills are indeed remarkable. I apologize for our parochial attitude and hope you can forgive us."
Fu Zhi nodded and closed the window.
Dr. Zhou let out a sigh. He watched as Fu Zhi sat on a couch and began writing down a prescription on the medical history sheet with a black pen.
For a moment, nobody talked. Only the susurration of the pen moving against the paper could be heard in the air.
The girl's eyelashes were long and delicately arranged. Her eyes sat perfectly on her face, and she looked just like a beautiful lady that had come out of a drawing.
After a short while, she handed the prescription to Secretary Liu. "Give him this medicine three times a day. We will see how it goes after a month."
Secretary Liu took the prescription and gave it a glance.
Fu Zhi's writing was beautiful, unlike most other doctors' handwriting. He could understand most of the words, yet the name of the medicine was alien to him. He thus asked, "What's wrong with President Li?"
"He has been taking the wrong medicine."
Fu Zhi looked toward the sickbed and paused halfway through her sentence. "Plus, his diet—"
In front of her was a pair of watery peach blossom eyes that were slightly slanted upward. The pair of eyebrows on top of the eyes were slightly creased, making him look even colder and more heartless.
Li Nanli had woken up earlier than she had expected.
Fu Zhi was stunned for a moment, not knowing what to do.
She did not move for a long while, and it seemed as if someone had pushed the pause button.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds later, Li Nanli's lips curled upward and he chuckled, shattering the silence.
It was only then that Secretary Liu noticed the changes in Fu Zhi. He turned around but before he could say anything, the man on the sickbed ordered him, "Liu Mi, please see everyone out."
The man's voice was deep and mellow. It sounded like well-aged wine or jade. Even though he had just said one sentence, his voice was soothing to the ears.
Chapter 39: Call Me Aunt
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Li Nanli and Fu Zhi were the only ones left in the ward.
Li Nanli did not say anything else. He slowly got up from his bed, and it was only then that Fu Zhi had a chance to see his full size. He was tall, and his legs were long. After he got out of bed, he sauntered toward the window.
The window frame divided his slender figure into numerous pieces. As he kept his head low, his gaze scanned Fu Zhi and stopped at the red mole on her collarbone.
He raised his brows.
There was no expression on the young girl's face. Her face was so small that he believed he could hold it with one palm. Even though she was not wearing any make-up, her beauty was breathtaking.
Her almond-shaped eyes were watery, and her skin was fair.
It matched perfectly the soft white ball in his memory.
There was an emotion in his eyes that Fu Zhi could not recognize while he was staring at her. After a few seconds, he curled his lips up and said, drawing out his vowels affectionately, "Zhizhi."
The two of them were half a meter apart.
As she held Li Nanli's gaze, Fu Zhi frowned.
He was half-leaning against the window and he was wearing a white shirt that Fu Zhi believed was tailor-made. The buttons were buttoned all the way up to his neck. His appearance was clean, and there was an air of elegance about him.
However—
Fu Zhi pressed her lips together and said, "Call me Aunt."
She was not taking advantage of him or anything. It was just that Old Master Li's identity was special. He had given his genetic sequence to Laboratory 927 for them to merge it into the first three generations of test products.
However, the first three generations of test products had all been defective.
Thus, the country had prohibited Old Master Li from providing his genetic sequence during Fu Zhi's creation.
Old Master Li had not been happy about that. He had thrown a tantrum in Laboratory 927, but nobody had cared about him. In the end, he had come up with an idea and taken a back seat.
He would not provide his genetic sequence anymore, but he would join the research.
He had worked with a group of professors and created Fu Zhi. Therefore, in Fu Zhi's mind, Old Master Li was her half-father.
After a few seconds, she added in a cold voice, "You shouldn't call me that. You're too rude."
Li Nanli fell silent. He stared at her for a couple of seconds straight as an indescribable feeling flashed across his dark, deep-set eyes.
Then, he remembered Laboratory 927. Pressing his lips into a fine line, he asked, "How do you address my grandfather?"
Fu Zhi replied, "Grandpa Li."
Li Nanli glanced across her serious face out of the corners of his eyes and said in a low voice, "Zhizhi, I call him grandpa too—"
"It's not the same." Fu Zhi interrupted him.
Old Master Li was getting on in years and was not good-looking. Even though Fu Zhi refused to call him, she still respected him in her heart.
She said, "Never mind how I address him. It's not important. I have my own way of addressing him. As for you, you should do your part and treat me respectfully."
Li Nanli did not know how to reply.
After a short while, he licked his lips and looked at Fu Zhi with twinkling eyes. "Zhizhi, how do you want me to show you my respect?"
Fu Zhi replied seriously, stressing each of her words, "First, you shouldn't call me by my name. Second, you should call me Aunt."
He nodded and chuckled before saying, "Alright. I'll listen to everything you say, Zhizhi."
Fu Zhi pulled a long face. "Aunt."
Li Nanli replied, "Alright, Zhizhi."
Fu Zhi relapsed into silence.
Chapter 40: Do You Feel Shy?
Li Nanli slowly and leisurely rolled up his sleeve. His deep gaze swept across the bright red mole on her collarbone and then shifted to her face with a thoughtful expression.
After a short while, an idea popped into his mind and he licked his lips. He pitched his voice low and said, assaulting Fu Zhi's ears with his deep, gentle voice, "I've been wondering... Is there shyness in the genetic sequence they gave you? Do you feel shy when I look at you like this?"
Lu Nanli was Old Master Li's grandson. He was also the president of Li Corporation, so Fu Zhi was not surprised that he knew about her identity.
Fu Zhi lifted her eyes and studied Lu Nanli from head to toe.
Then, she opened her mouth and said, emphasizing every syllable that rolled off her tongue, "From a microscopic perspective, you're made up of different elements, such as hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen. From a macroscopic perspective, you consist of different organs such as bone, blood, and skin..."
She paused for a while before frowning and asking hesitantly, "Would you feel shy when facing a pile of organs?"
Li Nanli was stumped.
Fu Zhi picked up her bag from the couch and said sternly, "Your aunt still has class to attend, so she has to go back to school now. Take care of yourself and don't think so much. You should rest now. Don't make your grandpa worry about you."
Li Nanli did not know how to reply.
After saying that, Fu Zhi put her bag on her back and walked toward the door without turning her head back. The white fluffy bunny bag was pressed tightly against her back. The bunny ears would hop up and down with every step she took. It looked adorable.
Li Nanli looked at her back. Just before she exited the room, he unconsciously reached out for the bunny ears.
Fu Zhi felt a tug and stopped in her tracks. She turned her head around and looked at the culprit with a frown.
None of them spoke as they stared at each other in abysmal silence. After a short while, Li Nanli gave in first and shattered the silence. "Zhizhi."
"You're grabbing my bunny ears," Fu Zhi said, pulling a long face. She pulled the bag strap and then corrected Li Nanli. "And please call me Aunt."
The man's eyes turned black. He tightened his fingers and clutched at the bunny ears. Then, he chuckled. "When will you come to visit me again, Zhizhi?"
Fu Zhi was left speechless for a bit before she replied, "When there's an emergency again."
This time, Li Nanli was left speechless.
****
The moment Fu Zhi exited the Li Mansion and entered the car, her phone rang.
Old Master Li was calling.
As if he knew they wanted to talk about something, Secretary Liu put the panel down and sectioned the car into two parts.
Fu Zhi leaned comfortably against the seat before answering the call. "Grandpa Li."
"Yo..."
Old Master Li waved his hand at Fu Zhi. There was a big smile on his face as he said, "It's all thanks to you that Nanli got through this, Zhizhi. I'm indebted to you again."
"You're welcome," Fu Zhi replied in a flat voice.
Even though Fu Zhi appeared to be unenthusiastic, Old Master Li was not affected. He made a few cold jokes and only stopped when Fu Zhi's face turned even colder. He swallowed a gulp of saliva and went back to the main topic. "What is going on with Nanli? Is it gastrointestinal bleeding?"
"Nope," Fu Zhi replied coldly. "It has nothing to do with bleeding. He just took the wrong medicine. Do you know about the latest batch of capsules invented by the laboratory?"
Old Master Li nodded.
That batch of capsules had been made from two newly-cultivated Chinese herbs. They were extremely poisonous, and no country had been able to come out with an antidote that could neutralize the poison so far.
Old Master Li's expression changed. "You mean your Brother Nanli took a capsule by mistake? But I didn't hear anything about missing capsules in the laboratory..."
"We should take stock again." Fu Zhi then comforted him. "You don't have to worry so much. I have extracted some of the toxins in Xiao Li's body with acupuncture. He should be fine for now, but—"