Chapter 9 Sheer Nonsense

• “Okay,” Tang Anyan decided, “My father’s life is in your hands. Please do your best.”
• Just as the others were about to talk Tang Anyan out of it, they held their tongue immediately after they saw the look on his face. Tang Anyan was the second in command at the Tang household so naturally, they were deferential towards him.
• Truth be told, Tang Anyan lacked confidence in Su Qi too. But at this point, it was a do or die situation. He had already exhausted all avenues and there was no harm taking another shot at it.
• Besides, he had just witnessed Su Qi rescuing the old lady earlier. Beneath his poverty-stricken façade, his gut feeling was telling him that Su Qi was definitely no ordinary man, judging by the man’s composure when facing him. Coming back to his father’s case, although the chances were close to none, but he could be wrong. What if he was wrong? What if Su Qi was indeed the life savior they had all been looking for?
• After learning from Uncle Liu of the encounter with Su Qi, the others remained silent as they watched in great skepticism and disdain. Anyan must be mad…
• Meanwhile, Su Qi followed Tang Anyan to the room where Old Master was.
• Something is wrong… In the corridor, Su Qi sensed a huge difference in temperature where it was particularly cooling and unusual. This must be a case of evil energy... Su Qi was confident in his heart.
• “Su Qi, my father is at… Dad!!” Shortly after the door was opened, Su Qi sensed a gush of cold air blew right at his face. This was unusual as the air-conditioning was off.
• Tang Anyan darted to the bed right away and helped the old man who had fallen onto the ground up. At the same time, he reprimanded, “Mrs. Zhang! What is this? How did Dad end up falling on the ground? If anything happens to him, I won’t forgive you!”
• Mrs. Zhang trembled in fear and knelt onto the ground, “Young Master. It isn’t my fault! When I went out just now, Master Tang was lying in the bed just fine.”
• The rest of the people were furious at the sight as they took turns to berate Mrs. Zhang.
• “That’s enough, all of you…” At this moment, the old man whom Tang Anyan had helped onto to bed spoke up. His voice sounded particularly weak and filled with agony, as though he was suffering from intense pain.
• “It’s not Mrs. Zhang’s fault… I-I accidentally fell on my own...” said Master Tang with great difficulty.
• Although he was only 60 years old, but he seemed to be older than he actually was. With skin as dry as tree bark, his face was notably bereft of color. Clinging on to his last breath of life, he was on the verge of death, and it was excruciating for him to even talk.
• With tears in his eyes, Tang Anyan looked sad, “Dad, can’t you lie properly in bed without moving around? What if you fall and hurt yourself?
• Looking at Tang Anyan, who was kneeling in front of him, Master Tang squeezed out a smile. He gently patted Tang Anyan’s head, “Dad is going to see your Mom very soon. It doesn’t matter if I hurt myself from falling.”
• “Dad! Don’t say inauspicious things like that. I’ll find a way to cure you!” tears came flowing from Tang Anyan’s eyes.
• The people around them knelt before Tang Anyan too. Only Su Qi stood alone in the corner while deeply moved by the scene.
• “Silly child. I know you’ve tried your best. It’s alright...” It seemed like Master Tang had given up on all hope and was prepared to die.
• “Stop crying, Anyan, and all of you. I had live a good life especially knowing that I have all of you by my deathbed. I am in a lot of pain and I do not wish to suffer anymore,” Master Tang gradually rose, “Get the doctor to euthanize me.”
• “Dad!!!”
• Tang Anyan felt so heartbroken at the Old Master’s words. The other people were equally sad as they could not bear to part with the old man either.
• Su Qi sighed as he thought to himself, If I did not come today, The old man would be doomed without a doubt.
• “Well. There’s no need to be so pessimistic. This old man isn’t suffering from a terminal disease,” Su Qi stepped forward and said.
• His words sent Tang Anyan’s body trembling as he swiftly raised his head, “Can you really cure my Dad?!”
• “I can give it a shot,” Su Qi walked over to Master Tang with a smile on his face, “Sir, let me feel your pulse.”
• Master Tang shook his head and said, “Young man, it’s no use. Even the hospitals were unable to cure me.”
• “Dad, why don’t you let him try?” Tang Anyan said anxiously.
• “Sigh. What’s the point?” despite his distrust in Su Qi, Master Tang reached out his hand nonetheless.
• With the tip of his fingers resting on the Old Master’s pulse, Su Qi focused on feeling the rhythm of his pulse silently. His posture appeared so skillful that those in the room began to question their disbelief towards him earlier.
• “Sir, did you fall sick 3 months ago?” Su Qi let go of Master’s Tang hand and asked.
• “Yes,” Master Tang nodded his head gently and assumed it was Tang Anyan who disclosed this piece of information to him.
• Su Qi probed further, “Did it start with a stomachache which later spread to your left hand and leg, followed by your right hand and leg? Then it came to your buttocks, right? If I’m not mistaken, you begin to get headaches on and off since three days ago and it feels like needle prickling in your head?”
• “How… how did you know?” Master Tang’s eyes widened in shock.
• As a result of his reaction, everyone was astonished too. Was it possible that his young man could treat the Old Master?
• Smiling gently, Su Qi continued with his findings, “Also, do you experience pain only between one o’clock in the midnight to five o’clock in the morning? I assume the medicines are completely, am I right?”
• Master Tang was utterly stunned. With his mouth gaping, he asked, “How do you know?!”
• It was then that those in the room came to realize that this ordinary-looking man actually knew what he was doing.
• Su Qi smiled and said, “Sir, someone planted a poisonous insect on you using witchcraft. The poison has spread through your entire body. It constantly devours your flesh and the essence of your life, causing you to age so rapidly and suffer from agony. When the poison permeates your heart and brain, you’ll die for sure.”
• “What? Someone planted a poisonous insect?!” Tang Anyan and the others were all alarmed.
• Su Qi nodded his head. Just as he was about to speak, a voice rang suddenly, “That’s sheer nonsense!”
• A doctor dressed in a white coat stepped forward and went ballistic on Su Qi, “Who are you to make such a conclusion? Mr. Tang, don’t believe what the man says. In my opinion, he’s trying to swindle you!”
• Tang Anyan furrowed his brows, “Chief Luo, what do you mean?”
• Chief Luo stared at Su Qi in disdain, “Firstly, poisonous insects and witchcraft do not exist and are merely common folklore made up by people. After running so many tests on Master Tang, if there were indeed any poisonous insects in his body, we would’ve found them by now. Master Tang is suffering from a rare disease which is similar to ALS. He might as well say a ghost possessed him!”
• On hearing this, the others nodded to themselves. One after another, they glowered at Su Qi furiously as they thought to themselves, Damn! I almost got deceived by this guy.
• Su Qi had seen this coming so he was unaffected by their reaction as he gazed at Tang Anyan, “Mr. Tang, if you trust me, then give me a box of pure gold needles. They must be made entirely out of gold. Also, I need blood from a cock which is at least over 5 years of age and burner.”
• “Okay!”
• Disregarding the room’s protest, Tang Anyan instructed the servants to prepare them immediately.
• Chief Luo was concerned at Su Qi’s proposed procedure, “Mr. Tang, how can you believe a quack like him?”
• “Chief Luo, say no more. I’ve made up my mind,” Tang Anyan waved his hand.
• The items requested by Su Qi was prepared in a jiff. He observed the needle closely to verify that they were indeed made of pure gold before dabbing the cock blood on them and heating them over the burner.
• After being rejected by Tang Anyan, Chief Luo, along with the rest in the room, stood by the side as he waited to see Su Qi making a fool out of himself. They frowned in misbelief as Su Qi’s treatment was peculiar. It seemed more like setting up a dark ritual than a medical procedure.
• When he was ready, Su Qi cautioned Master Tang, “Sir, this might hurt a little.”
• “Don’t worry. Just go ahead.”
• Su Qi started applying the needles in swift and deft motions a few times before massaging Master Tang’s acupoints. Master Tang’s face grimaced in agony during the process as though he was suffering intense torture.
• Seeing his father in pain, a young man came over and yanked Su Qi by the collar as he cursed, “Fuck you! What did you do to my Dad? If anything happens to him, I’m going to…”
• Before he could finish his sentence, Master Tang’s stomach turned as he spat out a ball of black substance.