Under the hopeful gazes of the onlookers, Xu Ze let out a cold laugh at the middle-aged man before pulling out a tube of silver needles from his pocket. Turning to Sister Luo, who stood beside him with a mix of anticipation and nervousness, he said, “Sister Luo, hand me an alcohol swab.”
Hearing his request, Sister Luo quickly retrieved a cotton swab from the treatment tray, dipped it in alcohol, and passed it to him. Leaning in, she whispered encouragingly, “Xu Ze, go for it! Sister Luo’s got your back!”
Xu Ze smiled faintly and nodded. He then approached the patient, gently lifted the man’s shirt, and swabbed his abdomen with the alcohol-soaked cotton. Without hesitation, he swiftly inserted two silver needles into the acupuncture points Zhongwan and Qihai.
Next, he raised the patient’s left foot, resting it on a small stool nearby. After disinfecting the area, he inserted another needle into the Zusanli point.
Once all three needles were in place, Xu Ze lightly flicked the tails of the needles with his fingers. A delicate ding rang out as the needles collided with his ring, followed by a rapid, resonant hum as they vibrated intensely. Amidst the stunned expressions of the crowd, Xu Ze straightened up with a composed smile.
Seeing Xu Ze seemingly finish the treatment with just a few needles, the middle-aged man scoffed, “What, you think you’re Hua Tuo? Just sticking a few needles and calling it a cure? If it were that easy, what would we need hospitals and clinics for?”
Xu Ze ignored the taunt, his attention fixed on the vibrating needles as he waited for the patient’s condition to change.
He was confident in his method. The Electric Needle Emergency Technique provided detailed instructions on relieving spasms and pain in the ureter and smooth muscles. By continuously stimulating Zhongwan, Qihai, and Zusanli with bioelectric needles, the ureter and smooth muscles could rapidly dilate, alleviating visceral colic in a short time.
Old Doctor Zhang, though not specialized in traditional Chinese medicine and unfamiliar with acupuncture, watched with keen interest. He knew of the finger-flicking technique in acupuncture, but even the most skilled practitioners could only make the needles vibrate for about ten seconds. Yet Xu Ze’s needles had been trembling intensely for over half a minute without stopping—something he found utterly baffling.
Curious, Old Doctor Zhang moved closer for a better look. He was certain the needles were ordinary, the same cheap set stocked in the clinic. So why weren’t they stopping?
Seeing Old Doctor Zhang’s astonishment, the other onlookers grew intrigued as well. Even family members of other patients gathered around, wondering what had captured the old doctor’s attention.
The middle-aged man’s expression darkened as he sensed the shift in the atmosphere.
Sure enough, as the crowd watched, the needles gradually slowed their vibrations. The old man’s pained groans subsided, and his complexion improved visibly.
Xu Ze smiled and asked, “Sir, does your stomach still hurt?”
The old man, now noticeably more comfortable, nodded gratefully. “Much better. The pain’s gone.”
A collective sigh of relief swept through the room. Everyone marveled at Dr. Xu’s skill—just a few needles had solved a major problem. Now, what would the middle-aged man have to say?
Xu Ze carefully removed the needles and stored them away before turning to the man, whose face was now a mix of embarrassment and defiance. With a light chuckle, Xu Ze said, “Well? Now it’s time to apologize to Old Doctor Zhang.”
The man’s face flushed red, then pale. After a moment of hesitation, he scowled and retorted, “Hah! What kind of treatment is this? Just stopping the pain means it’s cured? How do I know my dad won’t hurt again later? What if there’s something else wrong? Is this how you people practice medicine?”
Xu Ze’s eyes flashed with anger. “I told you—your father has a urinary stone. I can’t remove it internally right now. All I can do is relieve the pain. Later, he can take herbal medicine or go to the hospital for extracorporeal lithotripsy to pass it. Stop making unreasonable demands!”
The man smirked. “You can say whatever you want. How do I know it’s true? What if it’s not a stone but something else? Can you guarantee no complications later? If you can actually remove the so-called stone, then I’ll admit defeat.”
Old Doctor Zhang, furious, pointed at the man. “In all my decades of practice, I’ve never met such a shameless troublemaker! If you keep this up, I’ll call the police!”
The man sneered. “Threatening me? I’m in the right here—I’m not afraid!” With that, he yanked the IV needle from his father’s arm and helped the old man up. “We’re leaving. We’ll go to the hospital for a check-up. If there’s any other problem, I’ll come back and shut this place down!”
The other patients and their families erupted in outrage. “How can you be so ungrateful? Dr. Xu helped your father, and instead of thanking him, you cause trouble? Shame on you!”
The man’s face reddened, but he shot back, “None of your business!” He tried to drag his father away, but the old man resisted.
Turning back to Xu Ze and Old Doctor Zhang, the old man sighed apologetically. “Doctors, I’m sorry… My son has always been like this. Thank you for your kindness. I won’t forget it.”
The middle-aged man, humiliated, barked, “Dad! Shut up and let’s go!”
The old man lowered his head and reluctantly followed.
The crowd shook their heads in dismay. The old man was reasonable, but his son…
Just as the pair took a step forward, Xu Ze suddenly blocked their path. His voice was calm but firm. “Fine. Out of respect for the elderly, I’ll remove the stone for him. Just wait.”
The man froze, then laughed derisively. “Oh? A minute ago, you said you couldn’t. Now you’re making grand promises?”
Xu Ze exhaled slowly. “This is for your father’s sake. I won’t argue with you anymore. I’ll get the stone out, and you won’t even need to apologize—just stop slandering our clinic.”
The man hesitated. Xu Ze’s confidence unsettled him. Hadn’t he just angered the young doctor? Why was he still willing to help?
Before the man could respond, Xu Ze guided the old man back to the recliner. “Sir, lie down and close your eyes. Rest for a bit—this’ll be over soon.”
The old man, reassured by Xu Ze’s calm demeanor and remembering the miraculous pain relief from the needles, complied without protest.
The middle-aged man watched silently, curiosity outweighing his defiance.
Xu Ze took out another silver needle. After disinfecting the area, he inserted it into a point midway between the patient’s navel and pubic symphysis. With a flick of his finger, the needle hummed to life, vibrating intensely.
Xu Ze straightened, his gaze fixed on the patient’s abdomen. To the others, he seemed to be waiting.
But behind his glasses, his vision shifted—a B-scan overlay activated, pinpointing the stone’s location.
Quietly, he commanded his system: Activate extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy.
He held his breath. This was uncharted territory. While B-mode ultrasound was within his second-tier permissions, lithotripsy might require higher clearance.
Luck was on his side. The system responded promptly: “Beep—Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy activated.”
Relief washed over him. He’d been prepared to expend extra energy to force the system’s hand, but now he’d saved himself at least seven or eight energy points.
Focusing, he locked onto the white speck representing the stone. Begin ultrasonic impact.
Yet nothing happened.
Xu Ze’s heart pounded. Don’t fail me now…
