Fu Yan'an looked at her for a moment, offering a polite official smile. "I truly feel guilty making you come all this way in the middle of the night, miss."
Jiu Yue waved her hand dismissively. "A healer’s heart knows no bounds—we’re always ready. Oh, and by the way, nighttime calls cost extra."
Fu Yan'an: "…What?"
The young Master Fu was genuinely stunned for a second.
Jiu Yue tilted her head at him, rapping her knuckles lightly on the table as she repeated, "You said you felt guilty, didn’t you? So pay extra for the night shift… Unless you were planning to freeload my medical skills?"
Fu Yan'an: "…"
A vein seemed to twitch at his temple, but his smile remained unchanged as he replied, word by word, "Of course not. Since you dare say such things, miss, it seems you have great confidence in your skills."
Jiu Yue raised a brow. "Naturally."
His gaze fell on the silver needle case she had placed on the table. Fu Yan'an lowered his eyes, his tone calm. "Then I must trouble you to examine my wife. Money is no issue."
Jiu Yue smiled in satisfaction. Since they were both women, she didn’t hesitate before grabbing Madam Gu’s wrist to check her pulse.
This wasn’t just for show—Old Tang had taught her the basics. As for how much she had actually learned… well, only Jiu Yue knew that.
Now, she closed her eyes, focusing intently on the pulse beneath her fingertips.
It felt like an eternity passed… so long that Fu Yan'an was about to dismiss this quack when Jiu Yue finally opened her eyes again.
Her gaze toward Madam Gu was practically glowing with excitement!
Madam Gu flinched under the intensity. "Wh-what’s wrong?"
"Nothing, nothing! I’m just a little excited." Jiu Yue didn’t even want to let go of Madam Gu’s hand.
Ah! This pulse was exactly like the one Old Tang had described!
She had checked thoroughly, and she’d stake her gender on it—there was no mistake!
This was practically textbook weakness!
Jiu Yue, who had never been nervous to begin with, now sat even straighter, brimming with confidence.
"Young Master Fu, your wife’s pulse shows clear signs of dual deficiency in qi and blood. One needle from me, and she’ll be right as rain!" With that bold declaration, she began unpacking her tools.
Fu Yan'an was well aware of his wife’s condition. Since giving birth, Madam Gu had been carefully recuperating. While there were no major issues, her qi and blood remained weak.
On the surface, such a deficiency might seem minor, but if left untreated, it could worsen over time, potentially shortening her lifespan.
The family physician had already prescribed medicine for her.
So Fu Yan'an wasn’t surprised that this physician could diagnose it—he simply wanted to see if she had any real skill.
Madam Gu watched curiously as Jiu Yue worked, only to see her completely bypass the silver needle case and instead open a wooden box beside it.
"I thought you said ‘one needle’? What are you doing now?" Madam Gu couldn’t help but ask.
No sooner had she spoken than Jiu Yue pulled out two or three iron rods of varying lengths and thicknesses.
Each was over a meter long, the thinnest as wide as half a pinky finger.
Fu Yan'an’s eyelid twitched. In an instant, he pulled Madam Gu into his arms, shielding her as his eyes sharpened with suspicion.
This woman was definitely an imposter!
His expression darkened, but just as he was about to speak, she leisurely began… sterilizing the tools.
The couple: "…"
Jiu Yue paid no mind to their stunned expressions. Whether this was a test or a spontaneous assessment from Fu Yan'an didn’t matter anymore!
What mattered was that this needle had to go into Madam Gu!
Who knew if she’d ever encounter such a textbook case again?
Jiu Yue was practically vibrating with excitement as she polished her beloved needles, casually advising,
"Madam Gu, you can go lie down now… Though you two are married, I’d suggest Young Master Fu step out for this. As you can see, this isn’t your average needle."
Madam Gu: "…"
Fu Yan'an: "…"
The polished iron rods gleamed under the candlelight, their tips glinting ominously.
"H-husband," Madam Gu forced a smile, "I think my dizziness is gone, and my hands aren’t cold anymore. Maybe we should—"
But she didn’t get to finish.
Jiu Yue took one large stride forward, seizing Madam Gu’s wrist without hesitation.
Her hand was ice-cold!
Feeling the warmth of Jiu Yue’s grip, Madam Gu: "…"
She looked up into Jiu Yue’s disapproving gaze.
"Madam Gu, one must never hide from treatment out of fear!" Jiu Yue lectured solemnly.
Madam Gu: "…"
She was on the verge of tears, casting a pleading look at her husband.
Fu Yan'an was silent for a beat.
With practiced ease, he extracted his wife’s hand from Jiu Yue’s grip. "These needles are… certainly unique. I’ve never seen anything like them."
"Well, now you have," Jiu Yue replied, her gaze meaningful. "What, Young Master Fu, are you doubting my abilities?"
Fu Yan'an: "…"
Jiu Yue chuckled, then launched into a dramatic recitation of the iron needles’ virtues—her voice booming, her tone rising and falling with flair. As she spoke, she advanced on them step by step, an inexplicable pressure radiating from her.
Madam Gu had already buried herself in her husband’s arms.
Fu Yan'an remained outwardly composed, watching her steadily—
Until Jiu Yue’s tone shifted, airily adding, "Of course, if Young Master Fu is uneasy, you’re welcome to try it on yourself first."
Fu Yan'an: "…"
His composure cracked slightly.
"Husband, that’s out of the question!" Madam Gu protested.
Testing her was one thing, but risking Fu Yan'an’s health?
Pursing her lips, Madam Gu steeled herself and took a brave step forward. "Miss, I’m not afraid!"
Her eyes burned with the resolve of a martyr.
Jiu Yue: "…"
Wait.
What was she so scared of? Jiu Yue actually knew what she was doing!!!
……
When Madam Chu received the news, she rushed over as if carried by the wind.
As a mother, she knew her son’s temperament—he must have suspected something off about that physician again.
For months, they had sought doctors for his parents, with many renowned physicians trying their luck. Among them, however, were plenty of frauds and opportunists, so she understood his caution—
But was tonight’s test taking things too far?
When the servants reported that the physician had whipped out iron rods as long as swords and was about to jab them into her daughter-in-law, Madam Chu nearly took flight in panic.
What in heaven’s name was happening?
Her daughter-in-law’s constitution was already frail—if this went wrong, what would become of her?
Hurrying to their courtyard, Madam Chu hadn’t even stepped inside when a woman’s scream pierced the air.
"Good heavens—!" Madam Chu staggered, her heart pounding as she clutched her maid for support, rushing to the door—only to find her son standing guard like a sentinel.
Madam Chu: "…"
Madam Chu was utterly shocked, her gaze at her son filled with disbelief. "Mo'er is suffering inside, and you, her husband, just stand outside listening? Meng Yuan, now that you’re an official, your heart has turned black!"
Fu Yan'an: "..."
Fu Yan'an: "Mother, it’s not—"
"Not what? Move aside!" Madam Chu, deeply disappointed in her son, shoved his hand away and stormed into the room.
The sight that greeted her was an iron needle wriggling beneath her daughter-in-law’s skin on her back.
Madam Chu let out a piercing scream.
Outside the door, Fu Yan'an: "..."
Well, that was the third scream he’d heard that night.
