Shu Lanzhou frowned slightly and glanced at the tightly closed door. "Do you think Teacher and Grandma will be okay?"
"Don't worry." Mu Rongxie gave a quick look into the room, then led the two of them toward the front garden.
"They're a real mother and daughter—what could possibly go wrong? Your teacher is just too timid. That incident back then really scared her, and all these years, she's never dared to take bold steps."
"Back then, Grandfather treated Elder Zhang as a friend and put his heart into curing him. But in the end, what did he get? The two families became bitter enemies. The Mu family has tolerated it for long enough."
"What's done is done, yet the Zhang family just won't let it go. They even set up a trap to frame Shu Lanzhou. Do they really think the Mu family is easy to bully? We can't just let this go."
Mu Side turned to Shu Lanzhou. "What do you think?"
"I…" Shu Lanzhou took a deep breath. "I'll go along with Grandma's decision. This really should be clarified publicly. We can't keep letting the Zhangs cling to it."
"I've seen what that Zhang Madam is like—aggressive and relentless. If we try to settle with money, she'll milk the Mu Group until it goes bankrupt. We can't let her get her way."
She glanced back toward the house again. "But... what about Teacher?"
She couldn't help worrying.
"Your teacher is mainly afraid that the needle technique used back then will be brought up again. She's worried that no one now can use it properly. She doesn't dare apply it to save lives, so she says the method is harmful instead."
Mu Rongxie chuckled. "Even medicine can kill if taken incorrectly, let alone a needle technique. It's practically surgery—it's bound to carry some risks."
"I don't see anything wrong with it. She's just too nervous."
Shu Lanzhou's gaze flickered. "What exactly was Elder Zhang suffering from back then? And what needle method did Grandpa Mu use? Can I take a look?"
"I'll have Mu Side show you later. Right now, in our Mu family, you're the best with needlework. Since the Zhang family has already come knocking—" Mu Rongxie's expression turned serious,
"Shu Lanzhou, you need to be ready at all times. Don't let them find a weak spot."
Shu Lanzhou stiffened. "Uncle, don't scare me. I'll go study Elder Zhang's medical records and definitely find out what went wrong back then. I won't give the Zhangs another excuse to stir up trouble."
"You don't need to be so tense," Mu Rongxie said, smiling.
"Mu Side's parents will be returning to the country in a few days, along with his aunt and elder siblings. Their medical skills are no less than your grandma's. With everyone discussing it together, we'll figure something out."
"The Mu family didn't fall back then, and we certainly won't now. None of you need to be afraid."
"…Could you stop scaring her?" Mu Side shot Mu Rongxie a frosty glance.
"She wouldn't be nervous if you weren't always talking like that. Also, Uncle, isn't it time for your next round of acupuncture? We've done several treatments now—why don't I see any change at all?"
Mu Rongxie's face darkened. "And what kind of change do you expect?"
He was starting to suspect this brat had figured out his secret. "Wasn't Shu Lanzhou giving me treatments just to practice her needlework? Why do you care whether I change or not?"
"I just don't want her to mess up your body. I'm trying to check on your condition," Mu Side replied sheepishly, quickly dragging Shu Lanzhou away.
As they walked back, they ran into a servant exiting the house.
"Second Master, Young Master, Young Madam—the Old Lady requests your presence."
The group entered the house, but Mu Yanning was nowhere to be seen.
The old matriarch's expression was relatively calm.
She beckoned them closer.
"I've already talked to Mu Yanning about the Zhang family matter. If they stop pushing, we'll let it go. But if they insist on answers, then we give them one. What we absolutely cannot do—is retreat. Understood?"
"Yes, Ma'am." Everyone nodded in unison.
As they left, no one said anything, but they were all wondering the same thing—
Had Mu Yanning agreed? Or had she just compromised?
But ultimately, it didn't matter. The result was the same.
Shu Lanzhou didn't think further. Before leaving, she went to give her uncle another acupuncture session.
National Hospital.
Wu Xiuli's eyes turned red as she looked at her son.
"That wretched little tramp—what did she do to you? How could she make you suffer so much? Are you okay, son? Feeling better?"
"I'm fine, Mom." Zhang Zecai looked sulky. He and his mother had planned for him to fake fainting so Shu Lanzhou would try to treat him. Then they could expose her as a quack.
But who would've guessed—he really lost consciousness after collapsing. When he came to, he was already lying in a hospital bed.
"Mom, what the hell happened to me?" Zhang Zecai was baffled.
Wu Xiuli looked furious. "What else could it be? That tramp stabbed you with needles and then pretended to save you—she fooled everyone!"
"Son, think carefully. Where did she poke you? As long as we find a mark, we can sue her. Let's see if anyone online still believes in her then."
"Online?" Zhang Zecai looked confused.
Wu Xiuli pulled out her phone. "Yes! Someone posted a video of the incident, and now the entire internet is praising Shu Lanzhou for using acupuncture to save you."
"She's really smug about it—look, here's the video."
Zhang Zecai took the phone skeptically.
When he saw himself foaming at the mouth in the video, his brows furrowed tightly.
He knew for a fact—Shu Lanzhou never even touched him. He lost consciousness the moment he hit the floor. Which meant… he actually had a seizure.
"Doctor! Where's the doctor? Mom, get the doctor—now!" Zhang Zecai's breathing quickened, and he clutched the phone tightly.
Wu Xiuli panicked. "What is it, son? Are you in pain? Don't worry—Mom's getting help right now!"
She turned and rushed off in a flurry to find a doctor.
Soon, a doctor and nurse entered. "What's wrong, Mr. Zhang? Are you feeling unwell?"
"I'm not unwell." Zhang Zecai shook his head. "I just want to ask—what exactly happened to me earlier? Why was I foaming at the mouth? What kind of illness do I have?"
The on-duty doctor glanced at him.
"It's not a major illness. To put it simply, you have epilepsy. Seizures like yours can be hard to detect beforehand. I asked your mother—she said you've never had one before."
He flipped through the records. "Your case isn't severe. Thanks to Dr. Shu's quick emergency treatment, there's no lasting harm. If you're feeling fine now, you can be discharged."
"Epilepsy? Don't be ridiculous! My son doesn't have anything like that! You must be working with that Shu Lanzhou!" Wu Xiuli exploded with disbelief.
"Son, don't listen to his nonsense. Tell me where that tramp stabbed you—show the doctor the wound so he knows we're not lying."
"It's because she stabbed you that you fainted and started foaming—it only looked like a seizure, but you're not actually sick! There's no way you're sick!"
Her son had lived healthily for twenty years. No doctor had ever mentioned anything like this. It had to be false.
The doctor looked exasperated. "As a medical professional, I stand by what I said. I suggest you do the same. Since your condition is stable, go handle the discharge."
With that, he turned and left the room. Patients like this—completely unreasonable—were best avoided.
Dr. Shu had done a good deed and was being slandered for it. Where's the justice in that?