The village doctor was taken aback and looked at Xu Kuo with suspicion: "What are you going to do?"
"I will save Erbao." Xu Kuo said resolutely, his tone full of confidence.
"What?!"
"Are you crazy?!"
"You can cure diseases? You must be joking!"
...
The crowd was in an uproar; no one believed that Xu Kuo could cure Niu Erbao's leg.
Zhang Guifang went berserk, rushing over and shoving Xu Kuo, shouting hoarsely, "Get out of my way! You heartless bastard! Haven't you harmed Erbao enough? What more do you want?!"
The village doctor frowned. He knew Xu Kuo had some medical skills, but treating a disability was no joke. He stroked his beard: "Xu Kuo, I know you and Erbao are close, but this is a disability, you..."
Just then, Niu Erbao slowly opened his eyes. He looked weakly at the crowd surrounding him, his voice hoarse: "My...my legs...are they going to be ruined?"
Fear, a deep, overwhelming fear, gripped Niu Erbao's throat like an invisible hand. He was still young, he had so much to do, and he didn't want to become a useless person!
Xu Kuo quickly grasped Niu Erbao's hand and gently comforted him, "Erbao, don't be afraid, I'm here, I can heal your leg."
"Get out! Get out of here!" Zhang Guifang roared at Xu Kuo like an enraged lioness, "You jinx! Stay away from my son!"
"Mother... let... let Master try..." Niu Erbao said haltingly, using all his strength. He looked at Xu Kuo, his eyes filled with trust and expectation.
"You stupid boy! Are you crazy? What kind of medical skills does he know! He's trying to kill you!" Zhang Guifang stomped her feet in anger, wishing she could slap her good-for-nothing son to death.
"That's right! Erbao, don't do anything silly!"
"If Xu Kuo could cure your leg, I'd twist my head off and let you kick it like a ball!"
"Don't listen to him, he's a fraud!"
...
The villagers also tried to dissuade Niu Erbao, as no one believed that Xu Kuo could create a miracle.
The village doctor sighed and earnestly advised, "Xu Kuo, I know you want to save Erbao, but it's best not to be reckless in this kind of thing, lest you delay the treatment."
Looking into Niu Erbao's trusting eyes, Xu Kuo felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He shook his head firmly: "No, I must try! I believe I can cure Erbao!"
“Master…I believe in you…” Niu Erbao’s voice was weak, but full of strength.
Xu Kuo turned to the village doctor and said, "Village doctor, please believe me, and please everyone else believe me too. Give me a chance!"
Looking at Xu Kuo's determined eyes, the village doctor hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded: "Since Niu Erbao has said so, we will naturally respect the patient's wishes. You can all go out and not disturb them."
After saying that, the village doctor took the lead and went out the door, and everyone else followed. Zhang Guifang was pulled away.
Inside the room, only Xu Kuo and Niu Erbao remained.
The air seemed to freeze, and only Niu Erbao's heavy breathing could be heard.
Xu Kuo took out a cloth bag from his bosom and slowly unfolded it. Inside, a row of silver needles was neatly arranged, gleaming coldly in the dim oil lamp.
He took a deep breath, trying to stop his hands from trembling. This was his first real experience using acupuncture, and despite having rehearsed it countless times in his mind, he still felt nervous facing a living person.
"Erbao, it might hurt a little, just bear with it." Xu Kuo tried his best to make his voice sound calm.
Niu Erbao grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth: "Master, I'm not afraid of pain! Go ahead and try!"
Xu Kuo nodded, picked up a silver needle, located the acupoint, and decisively inserted it.
Twisting, lifting, thrusting, circulating qi...
Xu Kuo moved with utmost care and precision. Fine beads of sweat trickled down his forehead and cheeks. The ancient acupuncture manual in his mind seemed to come alive; every acupoint and every needling technique was crystal clear.
Time passed second by second, and Niu Erbao's legs were now covered with silver needles. He clenched his teeth, veins bulged on his forehead, and large beads of sweat rolled down his face, but he didn't utter a sound.
Finally, the last silver needle fell.
Xu Kuo let out a long sigh of relief, feeling as if all his strength had been drained. He carefully pulled out the silver needles one by one and put them into the cloth bag.
"Phew..." Niu Erbao also let out a long breath. He felt a warm current rise from his lower abdomen and quickly flow throughout his body. His legs, which were originally numb and painful, actually felt a little warm.
"Erbao, how are you feeling?" Xu Kuo's voice was a little hoarse.
Niu Erbao stretched his legs, his eyes widened suddenly, and a look of ecstatic joy appeared on his face: "Hot! Master, I can feel my legs again! They're warm!"
A huge weight was finally lifted from Xu Kuo's shoulders. He had succeeded!
He wiped the sweat from his forehead, stood up, pushed open the door, and prepared to let the village doctor in to take a look.
The door creaked open, and Zhang Guifang's sharp and mean face instantly appeared before Xu Kuo.
"Xu Kuo, you heartless bastard! What have you done to my son?!" Zhang Guifang pounced on Xu Kuo like a mother wolf protecting her cubs, scratching and clawing at him.
"Is it getting worse? I knew you weren't up to any good!"
"You jinx, haven't you harmed Erbao enough already?"
"Now Erbao is completely ruined, are you satisfied now!"
...
The surrounding villagers pointed and whispered among themselves, their eyes filled with suspicion and disdain as they looked at Xu Kuo.
Xu Kuo felt a surge of annoyance. He was too lazy to explain to these ignorant people and was about to speak when he heard a voice behind him.
"Mom, I'm alright now."
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Niu Erbao, who should have been lying on the bed unable to move, was actually standing steadily on the ground!
"This...how is this possible?"
"Erbao...you...your leg..."
"Am I...am I dreaming?"
...
The villagers looked as if they had seen a ghost.
The village doctor rushed into the house, grabbed Niu Erbao, looked him up and down, pinched and pressed him, and carefully examined him.
"How is he? Village doctor, how is my son?" Zhang Guifang asked anxiously as she came to her senses.
The village doctor suddenly looked up, his face filled with shock and disbelief: "It's...it's healed! Erbao's leg is completely healed!"
"boom!"
The crowd erupted in chaos!
"Really better? How is that possible?"
"Amazing! Absolutely amazing!"
"Xu Kuo, you are truly a miracle doctor!"
...
The villagers' gazes toward Xu Kuo instantly shifted from disdain to awe, as if they were looking at a living deity.
Niu Erbao excitedly rushed to Xu Kuo and hugged him tightly: "Master! Thank you! Thank you for saving my leg!"
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