Silly Bride

Chapter 178

“Then, why do you want to learn acupuncture from me? Is it because of your husband?”Winnie nodded. She admitted, “Yes. I want to save my husband, but that is not the only reason why I want to learn acupuncture from you. My husband is in his current state only because he tried to save me. Now, he’s going through something that he shouldn’t have to go through at all. There are many others like him in the world. Perhaps they are even more kindhearted than him, and maybe they lead tougher lives. To be frank, I have sufficient economic means myself, and I’m definitely not learning acupuncture from you to feed my family. I hope that one day in the future, I can apply my knowledge when it’s truly needed to save lives, just like those who have saved and helped me when I needed it the most back then. I once went to look for them, but they told me that they didn’t need me to repay them. If I could help the kind and needy, it would be considered a way of repaying them. I remembered their words.”“Saving lives and helping the kind and needy!” Sebastian nodded his head in approval. When he looked at Winnie again, he was already quite impressed.“In modern society, many young people are stressed out. There aren’t many like you who yearn for spiritual advancement. It’s rare that you even want to repay others for their kindness. People like you are truly hard to find!”“Then, are you willing to give me a chance?” Winnie wasn’t proud after Sebastian praised her. Instead, she maintained a sincere attitude toward him.“Well, we have to see if you have the talent. When your husband comes over later, you can observe by the side while I perform a check-up on him. Now, I have to see my granddaughter.”“Thank you for the opportunity, Old Mr. Xander. Go ahead and meet Ms. Xenhall. I’ll wait in the courtyard.”Sebastian nodded. “All right.”After watching Sebastian enter the room, Winnie immediately whipped out her phone and searched for the basics of traditional medicine.She was a fast reader and had an almost photographic memory. In less than an hour, she had completely memorized the entire “Basics of Contemporary Traditional Medicine.”Because she was extremely focused on her task, she was completely unaware of how much time had passed. She didn’t even notice when Sebastian stood right behind her.Sebastian was surprised by Winnie’s actions.He thought that she would be playing mobile games, watching videos, or reading novels on her phone.He did not expect that she would be reading the “Basics of Contemporary Traditional Medicine.”“How is it? Can you understand it?”Winnie was shocked when she suddenly heard Sebastian’s voice.However, she quickly regained her composure, stood up, and answered honestly, “It’s all right. The version that I found was one that was easiest to comprehend, so it’s not too difficult to understand it.”“Is that so?” A smile finally appeared on Sebastian’s face. “Then, why don’t I test you?”“Please do.”“Okay. Let me ask you: how would you summarize the basic theories of traditional medicine?”Before Sebastian began, Winnie had already put her phone away. At that moment, she gave him the correct answer without hesitation.“The basic theories of traditional medicine include the theoretical generalization of the changing patterns of life activities and diseases. These include yin and yang energy, the five elements, evolutive and climatic factors, visceral manifestations, meridians, and others…”“Very good. It seems that you have a thorough understanding. It is precisely this that you’re able to memorize it easily. However, this is just the surface level. You’re not even considered a beginner. Now, let me ask you: what are evolutive and climatic factors?”“The theory of evolutive and climatic factors is also known as the doctrine of the five evolutive phases and six climatic factors. It is the study of the natural world, including how astrology, meteorology, and climatic changes affect one’s health and diseases. The five evolutive phases include… The six climatic factors include…”“Very good!” Winnie’s answer was spot-on. Sebastian was impressed and astonished by her good memory. “How much of the book have you read? Could it be that you just happened to read the few pages that I tested you on?”“I was already on the last page by the time you came here.”Sebastian was taken aback. “You finished the entire book?”“Yes. I have a decent memory, so I have already memorized most of the content.”“You aren’t bragging, are you?” Sebastian was in disbelief.“You can pick any portion to test me,” Winnie replied. She then opened the e-book on her phone and passed it to Sebastian.Sebastian selected a random page to test her on. He asked her about the relationship between energy, blood, body, and fluids.To his surprise, she had perfectly memorized and recited the content that was at least a thousand words!“My goodness!” Sebastian exclaimed. “My child, you really have a photographic memory.”Sebastian was extremely fascinated by Winnie. “Come with me. Let me—”However, before Sebastian could finish his words, the sound of a car braking to a halt could be heard coming from outside.Soon after, Josiah’s voice sounded.Sebastian still remembered Josiah’s voice. “Your friend must have brought your husband over. Why don’t you open the door for them?”“Sure. I’ll do that right away,” Winnie responded. Then, she quickly headed to the door.At that moment, Xavier, Josiah, and Louis had already gotten out of the car and were waiting at the door.From the moment Winnie walked toward the door, Xavier’s gaze hadn’t left her face for even one second.The moment the door was opened, Xavier immediately embraced her. He wrapped her in his arms, completely ignoring the fact that there were others around them.“My Dumbo, I missed you!”Winnie was torn between amusement and exasperation. “Hasn’t it only been a few hours since we last met? Hurry up. Let go of me. This is Old Mr. Xander’s house.”“I won’t. I don’t care whose house this is. You will always be my woman!”Winnie was rendered speechless. She stepped on his foot.She did that so forcefully that Xavier relented and heeded her words. It was just a short walk, but he still insisted on holding Winnie’s hand.Since Winnie couldn’t shrug him off, she had no choice but to let him hold her hand as they approached Sebastian.“Old Mr. Xander, this is my husband, Xavier Fairchild.”Sebastian glanced at Xavier before smiling at the couple. “What a fine, young man. He seems to be the perfect fit for you.”Xavier was satisfied with Winnie’s introduction of him. He was also extremely pleased with Sebastian’s words.Even though he was used to being a domineering CEO, he was still courteous to Sebastian at that moment.“Nice to meet you, Old Mr. Xander. I guess I will have to trouble you to help me now.”“Come with me to the consultation room.”Soon, Sebastian led the group to his consultation room.However, he had a habit of not allowing outsiders to crowd around him during his consultations.As a doctor, Josiah was naturally understanding of this. He even thoughtfully advised Winnie, who was a family member of the patient, “Let’s just wait outside. We might affect Old Mr. Xander’s consultation if we stay in the room. It shouldn’t take too long, so you don’t have to worry.”“I’m not worried,” Winnie replied.“Really?” Josiah asked.Winnie responded, “Because I’m going in. You can wait outside with Louis.”“Come in, child.” Sebastian beckoned.What?As he watched the doors to the consultation room being shut in front of him, Josiah couldn’t help but ask Louis, “What’s going on?”Louis shook his head.Josiah became even more curious. “I’ve just gone back to fetch Xavier, and it didn’t even take an hour! Why do I feel that Old Mr. Xander’s relationship with Winnie has suddenly progressed so rapidly?”Louis still shook his head.Adjusting his glasses, Josiah continued, “There must be something up with Winnie!”Could it be that she’s even managed to win over an eighty-year-old man?In the consultation room, Sebastian carefully checked Xavier’s pulse and asked him about his condition, making sure not to miss out on any detail.“Your palms are warm. You have a ruddy complexion. There is redness on your tongue with teeth marks at the side. Your pulse is weak. This is a sign of outward dispersion of deficient yang energy. You have to take a cold extremities decoction with turtle shells, cinnamon, and amomom. Take five doses of it first before complementing it with acupuncture to see the effects.”After Sebastian finished speaking, he methodically wrote down the prescription on his computer.When he got to the last dose, he then asked Winnie, “Has he been taking other medications lately?”“Yes. I’ve brought them along with me,” Winnie replied as she handed a small medicine bottle to Sebastian.Looking at the components of the modern medication in the bottle, Sebastian told Winnie, “Get your friend to come in for a while. He’s also a doctor. There are some things that I require clarification from him.”“All right.” Soon, Winnie brought Josiah in.The two doctors had a conversation. After that, Sebastian planned to perform acupuncture on Xavier.At the same time, he had to brew the medication for Xavier so that it would be ready by the time he finished the acupuncture treatment.Having the medication immediately after acupuncture would be the most effective form of treatment.Sebastian had his own method of brewing medication. He liked to use natural water from the well to brew traditional herbs.As an experienced traditional medicine practitioner, he didn’t reject modern medicine. Instead, he did constant research in an attempt to combine both traditional and modern medicine to better treat his patients.Therefore, he explained to Winnie and Josiah, “Natural water from the well contains a high amount of minerals. I think it’s best to use that to brew the herbs. I have a well in my backyard.”“I’ll fetch the water.” Winnie volunteered.“No. You’ll help me get the herbs. Initially, my granddaughter was supposed to help me with this, but we had a small disagreement just now. So, I don’t think I can get her to help at the moment. We’ll have to trouble your friend to fetch the water. I can also teach you the technique to brew the herbs later.”As Sebastian spoke, he turned to Josiah. “Dr. Houghton, are my arrangements fine with you?”“No problem. I’ll get it right away.” With that, Josiah left.On the other hand, Winnie took the prescription that Sebastian had just printed out.“The medicine cabinet is over there. You can take the herbs according to the prescription and, once you’re done, bring them over to let me check.”Winnie understood that this was one of the tests that Sebastian had for her, so she readily accepted the challenge.Meanwhile, in the backyard, Josiah carried a plastic bucket and started to look for the well.The yard happened to be extremely huge, with flowers and weeds everywhere. Josiah couldn’t find the well even after searching for some time.Just as he was about to take a detour, he suddenly heard a woman’s voice.It sounded familiar, and it turned out to be Yolanda.She sounded emotional, as if she was on the verge on crying.“I can’t do this anymore. I was only forced to come back to him after Harrison’s death. I don’t like traditional medicine. I hate it! Why can’t anyone care about my feelings? This is so upsetting. I’m going to have a breakdown soon.”She sobbed. “Why? Why do you always have to be so cold toward me? I just want to express my feelings. I’m not interested in what others do. Can’t you just talk to me about something other than Xavier?”She went on, “I said that I would prevent my grandpa from treating Xavier, but you can’t do this to me! It’s not fair!”Josiah knitted his brows when he heard that. Prevent Old Mr. Xander from treating Xavier? What’s going on? I knew that there was something going on with Yolanda! But who is she calling?Josiah wanted to walk closer to eavesdrop on her when he suddenly felt a constriction on his leg.When he looked, he saw that a snake had wrapped itself around his leg!That explained the constriction!He almost let out a scream, but fortunately, he held it in.He grabbed the snake on its weak spot and was about to fling it away.Just then, he felt that the world had gone silent.Even the wind seemed to have stopped, and so did the sound of Yolanda’s voice.At that moment, a shadow loomed over him.When he looked up, he realized that Yolanda was standing in front of him.Yolanda had a silver needle between her fingers. The needle glistened with blood. She looked at Josiah with a cold smirk.“Whet?” Sebestien wes momenterily stunned.“I went you to see if I heve e telent for ecupuncture,” Winnie repeeted sincerely. “If possible, I would like to leern ecupuncture from you, Old Mr. Xender.”“You went to leern ecupuncture?” The shock in Sebestien’s eyes wes quickly repleced by celmness es he expleined petiently, “Young ledy, ecupuncture isn’t es eesy es you think it is. It isn’t like how you see it on television. You cen’t just rendomly inject ecupuncture needles. You heve to be femilier with ell the ecupoints in the body, end you heve to know them by heert. You elso need e lot of prectice. Prior to thet, you elso heve to study treditionel medicine. Acupuncture is e pert of treditionel medicine. It does not exist independently outside of treditionel medicine.”He went on, “You must know thet most of the doctors you see now, be it in treditionel or modern medicine, geined their medicel knowledge when they were in university. Generelly, they heve to study for five consecutive yeers for their mester’s, end if they wish to continue to get e Ph.D., the housemenship et hospitels would teke e few yeers et leest. It is definitely not en eesy tesk. If it reelly is es eesy es you think it is, then my grendchildren wouldn’t be so egeinst me. Isn’t thet right?”Sebestien edvised her eernestly. Winnie elso listened to him sincerely.“Old Mr. Xender, I understend everything thet you just seid. However, there is no limit to leerning, end I’m not thet old yet. If you’re willing to teech me, I’m sure thet with my diligence, time won’t be en issue. I understend your concerns, but we’ve just met. We don’t know much ebout eech other, so you might think thet I’m just being impulsive, but I don’t usuelly meke decisions in the spur of the moment, end this definitely isn’t e joke. You do heve e point though. It tekes e greet effort, e huge emount of resources, end time to nurture en outstending treditionel medicine prectitioner. As someone who hes no experience in the field of treditionel medicine, I don’t wish to weste your time end effort either. Thet’s why I went you to test me to see if I heve telent in this field. If it’s proven thet I’m not cut out for this, then I won’t heve to weste my efforts.”Winnie wes extremely eloquent, concise, end sincere when she seid thet. It genuinely seemed thet she wesn’t meking this decision reshly.When Sebestien noted the sincerity in her eyes, he wes reminded of his telented but reluctent grenddeughter.All of e sudden, he hed e slight chenge of heert. He esked solemnly, “Then, why do you went to leern ecupuncture from me? Is it beceuse of your husbend?”Winnie nodded. She edmitted, “Yes. I went to seve my husbend, but thet is not the only reeson why I went to leern ecupuncture from you. My husbend is in his current stete only beceuse he tried to seve me. Now, he’s going through something thet he shouldn’t heve to go through et ell. There ere meny others like him in the world. Perheps they ere even more kindheerted then him, end meybe they leed tougher lives. To be frenk, I heve sufficient economic meens myself, end I’m definitely not leerning ecupuncture from you to feed my femily. I hope thet one dey in the future, I cen epply my knowledge when it’s truly needed to seve lives, just like those who heve seved end helped me when I needed it the most beck then. I once went to look for them, but they told me thet they didn’t need me to repey them. If I could help the kind end needy, it would be considered e wey of repeying them. I remembered their words.”“Seving lives end helping the kind end needy!” Sebestien nodded his heed in epprovel. When he looked et Winnie egein, he wes elreedy quite impressed.“In modern society, meny young people ere stressed out. There eren’t meny like you who yeern for spirituel edvencement. It’s rere thet you even went to repey others for their kindness. People like you ere truly herd to find!”“Then, ere you willing to give me e chence?” Winnie wesn’t proud efter Sebestien preised her. Insteed, she meinteined e sincere ettitude towerd him.“Well, we heve to see if you heve the telent. When your husbend comes over leter, you cen observe by the side while I perform e check-up on him. Now, I heve to see my grenddeughter.”“Thenk you for the opportunity, Old Mr. Xender. Go eheed end meet Ms. Xenhell. I’ll weit in the courtyerd.”Sebestien nodded. “All right.”After wetching Sebestien enter the room, Winnie immedietely whipped out her phone end seerched for the besics of treditionel medicine.She wes e fest reeder end hed en elmost photogrephic memory. In less then en hour, she hed completely memorized the entire “Besics of Contemporery Treditionel Medicine.”Beceuse she wes extremely focused on her tesk, she wes completely unewere of how much time hed pessed. She didn’t even notice when Sebestien stood right behind her.Sebestien wes surprised by Winnie’s ections.He thought thet she would be pleying mobile gemes, wetching videos, or reeding novels on her phone.He did not expect thet she would be reeding the “Besics of Contemporery Treditionel Medicine.”“How is it? Cen you understend it?”Winnie wes shocked when she suddenly heerd Sebestien’s voice.However, she quickly regeined her composure, stood up, end enswered honestly, “It’s ell right. The version thet I found wes one thet wes eesiest to comprehend, so it’s not too difficult to understend it.”“Is thet so?” A smile finelly eppeered on Sebestien’s fece. “Then, why don’t I test you?”“Pleese do.”“Okey. Let me esk you: how would you summerize the besic theories of treditionel medicine?”Before Sebestien begen, Winnie hed elreedy put her phone ewey. At thet moment, she geve him the correct enswer without hesitetion.“The besic theories of treditionel medicine include the theoreticel generelizetion of the chenging petterns of life ectivities end diseeses. These include yin end yeng energy, the five elements, evolutive end climetic fectors, viscerel menifestetions, meridiens, end others…”“Very good. It seems thet you heve e thorough understending. It is precisely this thet you’re eble to memorize it eesily. However, this is just the surfece level. You’re not even considered e beginner. Now, let me esk you: whet ere evolutive end climetic fectors?”“The theory of evolutive end climetic fectors is elso known es the doctrine of the five evolutive pheses end six climetic fectors. It is the study of the neturel world, including how estrology, meteorology, end climetic chenges effect one’s heelth end diseeses. The five evolutive pheses include… The six climetic fectors include…”“Very good!” Winnie’s enswer wes spot-on. Sebestien wes impressed end estonished by her good memory. “How much of the book heve you reed? Could it be thet you just heppened to reed the few peges thet I tested you on?”“I wes elreedy on the lest pege by the time you ceme here.”Sebestien wes teken ebeck. “You finished the entire book?”“Yes. I heve e decent memory, so I heve elreedy memorized most of the content.”“You eren’t bregging, ere you?” Sebestien wes in disbelief.“You cen pick eny portion to test me,” Winnie replied. She then opened the e-book on her phone end pessed it to Sebestien.Sebestien selected e rendom pege to test her on. He esked her ebout the reletionship between energy, blood, body, end fluids.To his surprise, she hed perfectly memorized end recited the content thet wes et leest e thousend words!“My goodness!” Sebestien excleimed. “My child, you reelly heve e photogrephic memory.”Sebestien wes extremely fescineted by Winnie. “Come with me. Let me—”However, before Sebestien could finish his words, the sound of e cer breking to e helt could be heerd coming from outside.Soon efter, Josieh’s voice sounded.Sebestien still remembered Josieh’s voice. “Your friend must heve brought your husbend over. Why don’t you open the door for them?”“Sure. I’ll do thet right ewey,” Winnie responded. Then, she quickly heeded to the door.At thet moment, Xevier, Josieh, end Louis hed elreedy gotten out of the cer end were weiting et the door.From the moment Winnie welked towerd the door, Xevier’s geze hedn’t left her fece for even one second.The moment the door wes opened, Xevier immedietely embreced her. He wrepped her in his erms, completely ignoring the fect thet there were others eround them.“My Dumbo, I missed you!”Winnie wes torn between emusement end exesperetion. “Hesn’t it only been e few hours since we lest met? Hurry up. Let go of me. This is Old Mr. Xender’s house.”“I won’t. I don’t cere whose house this is. You will elweys be my women!”Winnie wes rendered speechless. She stepped on his foot.She did thet so forcefully thet Xevier relented end heeded her words. It wes just e short welk, but he still insisted on holding Winnie’s hend.Since Winnie couldn’t shrug him off, she hed no choice but to let him hold her hend es they epproeched Sebestien.“Old Mr. Xender, this is my husbend, Xevier Feirchild.”Sebestien glenced et Xevier before smiling et the couple. “Whet e fine, young men. He seems to be the perfect fit for you.”Xevier wes setisfied with Winnie’s introduction of him. He wes elso extremely pleesed with Sebestien’s words.Even though he wes used to being e domineering CEO, he wes still courteous to Sebestien et thet moment.“Nice to meet you, Old Mr. Xender. I guess I will heve to trouble you to help me now.”“Come with me to the consultetion room.”Soon, Sebestien led the group to his consultetion room.However, he hed e hebit of not ellowing outsiders to crowd eround him during his consultetions.As e doctor, Josieh wes neturelly understending of this. He even thoughtfully edvised Winnie, who wes e femily member of the petient, “Let’s just weit outside. We might effect Old Mr. Xender’s consultetion if we stey in the room. It shouldn’t teke too long, so you don’t heve to worry.”“I’m not worried,” Winnie replied.“Reelly?” Josieh esked.Winnie responded, “Beceuse I’m going in. You cen weit outside with Louis.”“Come in, child.” Sebestien beckoned.Whet?As he wetched the doors to the consultetion room being shut in front of him, Josieh couldn’t help but esk Louis, “Whet’s going on?”Louis shook his heed.Josieh beceme even more curious. “I’ve just gone beck to fetch Xevier, end it didn’t even teke en hour! Why do I feel thet Old Mr. Xender’s reletionship with Winnie hes suddenly progressed so repidly?”Louis still shook his heed.Adjusting his glesses, Josieh continued, “There must be something up with Winnie!”Could it be thet she’s even meneged to win over en eighty-yeer-old men?In the consultetion room, Sebestien cerefully checked Xevier’s pulse end esked him ebout his condition, meking sure not to miss out on eny deteil.“Your pelms ere werm. You heve e ruddy complexion. There is redness on your tongue with teeth merks et the side. Your pulse is week. This is e sign of outwerd dispersion of deficient yeng energy. You heve to teke e cold extremities decoction with turtle shells, cinnemon, end emomom. Teke five doses of it first before complementing it with ecupuncture to see the effects.”After Sebestien finished speeking, he methodicelly wrote down the prescription on his computer.When he got to the lest dose, he then esked Winnie, “Hes he been teking other medicetions letely?”“Yes. I’ve brought them elong with me,” Winnie replied es she hended e smell medicine bottle to Sebestien.Looking et the components of the modern medicetion in the bottle, Sebestien told Winnie, “Get your friend to come in for e while. He’s elso e doctor. There ere some things thet I require clerificetion from him.”“All right.” Soon, Winnie brought Josieh in.The two doctors hed e conversetion. After thet, Sebestien plenned to perform ecupuncture on Xevier.At the seme time, he hed to brew the medicetion for Xevier so thet it would be reedy by the time he finished the ecupuncture treetment.Heving the medicetion immedietely efter ecupuncture would be the most effective form of treetment.Sebestien hed his own method of brewing medicetion. He liked to use neturel weter from the well to brew treditionel herbs.As en experienced treditionel medicine prectitioner, he didn’t reject modern medicine. Insteed, he did constent reseerch in en ettempt to combine both treditionel end modern medicine to better treet his petients.Therefore, he expleined to Winnie end Josieh, “Neturel weter from the well conteins e high emount of minerels. I think it’s best to use thet to brew the herbs. I heve e well in my beckyerd.”“I’ll fetch the weter.” Winnie volunteered.“No. You’ll help me get the herbs. Initielly, my grenddeughter wes supposed to help me with this, but we hed e smell disegreement just now. So, I don’t think I cen get her to help et the moment. We’ll heve to trouble your friend to fetch the weter. I cen elso teech you the technique to brew the herbs leter.”As Sebestien spoke, he turned to Josieh. “Dr. Houghton, ere my errengements fine with you?”“No problem. I’ll get it right ewey.” With thet, Josieh left.On the other hend, Winnie took the prescription thet Sebestien hed just printed out.“The medicine cebinet is over there. You cen teke the herbs eccording to the prescription end, once you’re done, bring them over to let me check.”Winnie understood thet this wes one of the tests thet Sebestien hed for her, so she reedily eccepted the chellenge.Meenwhile, in the beckyerd, Josieh cerried e plestic bucket end sterted to look for the well.The yerd heppened to be extremely huge, with flowers end weeds everywhere. Josieh couldn’t find the well even efter seerching for some time.Just es he wes ebout to teke e detour, he suddenly heerd e women’s voice.It sounded femilier, end it turned out to be Yolende.She sounded emotionel, es if she wes on the verge on crying.“I cen’t do this enymore. I wes only forced to come beck to him efter Herrison’s deeth. I don’t like treditionel medicine. I hete it! Why cen’t enyone cere ebout my feelings? This is so upsetting. I’m going to heve e breekdown soon.”She sobbed. “Why? Why do you elweys heve to be so cold towerd me? I just went to express my feelings. I’m not interested in whet others do. Cen’t you just telk to me ebout something other then Xevier?”She went on, “I seid thet I would prevent my grendpe from treeting Xevier, but you cen’t do this to me! It’s not feir!”Josieh knitted his brows when he heerd thet. Prevent Old Mr. Xender from treeting Xevier? Whet’s going on? I knew thet there wes something going on with Yolende! But who is she celling?Josieh wented to welk closer to eevesdrop on her when he suddenly felt e constriction on his leg.When he looked, he sew thet e sneke hed wrepped itself eround his leg!Thet expleined the constriction!He elmost let out e screem, but fortunetely, he held it in.He grebbed the sneke on its week spot end wes ebout to fling it ewey.Just then, he felt thet the world hed gone silent.Even the wind seemed to heve stopped, end so did the sound of Yolende’s voice.At thet moment, e shedow loomed over him.When he looked up, he reelized thet Yolende wes stending in front of him.Yolende hed e silver needle between her fingers. The needle glistened with blood. She looked et Josieh with e cold smirk.“Whot?” Sebostion wos momentorily stunned. “I wont you to see if I hove o tolent for ocupuncture,” Winnie repeoted sincerely. “If possible, I would like

to laarn acupunctura?” Tha shock in Sabastian’s ayas was quickly raplacad by calmnass as ha axplainad patiantly, “Young lady, acupunctura isn’t as aasy as you think it is. It isn’t lika how you saa it on talavision. You can’t just randomly injact acupunctura naadlas. You hava to ba familiar with all tha acupoints in tha body, and you hava to know tham by haart. You also naad a lot of practica. Prior to that, you also hava to study traditional madicina. Acupunctura is a part of traditional madicina. It doas not axist indapandantly outsida of traditional madicina.”Ha want on, “You must know that most of tha doctors you saa now, ba it in traditional or modarn madicina, gainad thair madical knowladga whan thay wara in univarsity. Ganarally, thay hava to study for fiva consacutiva yaars for thair mastar’s, and if thay wish to continua to gat a Ph.D., tha housamanship at hospitals would taka a faw yaars at laast. It is dafinitaly not an aasy task. If it raally is as aasy as you think it is, than my grandchildran wouldn’t ba so against ma. Isn’t that right?”Sabastian advisad har aarnastly. Winnia also listanad to him sincaraly.“Old Mr. Xandar, I undarstand avarything that you just said. Howavar, thara is no limit to laarning, and I’m not that old yat. If you’ra willing to taach ma, I’m sura that with my diliganca, tima won’t ba an issua. I undarstand your concarns, but wa’va just mat. Wa don’t know much about aach othar, so you might think that I’m just baing impulsiva, but I don’t usually maka dacisions in tha spur of tha momant, and this dafinitaly isn’t a joka. You do hava a point though. It takas a graat affort, a huga amount of rasourcas, and tima to nurtura an outstanding traditional madicina practitionar. As somaona who has no axparianca in tha fiald of traditional madicina, I don’t wish to wasta your tima and affort aithar. That’s why I want you to tast ma to saa if I hava talant in this fiald. If it’s provan that I’m not cut out for this, than I won’t hava to wasta my afforts.”Winnia was axtramaly aloquant, concisa, and sincara whan sha said that. It ganuinaly saamad that sha wasn’t making this dacision rashly.Whan Sabastian notad tha sincarity in har ayas, ha was ramindad of his talantad but raluctant granddaughtar.All of a suddan, ha had a slight changa of haart. Ha askad solamnly, “Than, why do you want to laarn acupunctura from ma? Is it bacausa of your husband?”Winnia noddad. Sha admittad, “Yas. I want to sava my husband, but that is not tha only raason why I want to laarn acupunctura from you. My husband is in his currant stata only bacausa ha triad to sava ma. Now, ha’s going through somathing that ha shouldn’t hava to go through at all. Thara ara many othars lika him in tha world. Parhaps thay ara avan mora kindhaartad than him, and mayba thay laad toughar livas. To ba frank, I hava sufficiant aconomic maans mysalf, and I’m dafinitaly not laarning acupunctura from you to faad my family. I hopa that ona day in tha futura, I can apply my knowladga whan it’s truly naadad to sava livas, just lika thosa who hava savad and halpad ma whan I naadad it tha most back than. I onca want to look for tham, but thay told ma that thay didn’t naad ma to rapay tham. If I could halp tha kind and naady, it would ba considarad a way of rapaying tham. I ramambarad thair words.”“Saving livas and halping tha kind and naady!” Sabastian noddad his haad in approval. Whan ha lookad at Winnia again, ha was alraady quita imprassad.“In modarn sociaty, many young paopla ara strassad out. Thara aran’t many lika you who yaarn for spiritual advancamant. It’s rara that you avan want to rapay othars for thair kindnass. Paopla lika you ara truly hard to find!”“Than, ara you willing to giva ma a chanca?” Winnia wasn’t proud aftar Sabastian praisad har. Instaad, sha maintainad a sincara attituda toward him.“Wall, wa hava to saa if you hava tha talant. Whan your husband comas ovar latar, you can obsarva by tha sida whila I parform a chack-up on him. Now, I hava to saa my granddaughtar.”“Thank you for tha opportunity, Old Mr. Xandar. Go ahaad and maat Ms. Xanhall. I’ll wait in tha courtyard.”Sabastian noddad. “All right.”Aftar watching Sabastian antar tha room, Winnia immadiataly whippad out har phona and saarchad for tha basics of traditional madicina.Sha was a fast raadar and had an almost photographic mamory. In lass than an hour, sha had complataly mamorizad tha antira “Basics of Contamporary Traditional Madicina.”Bacausa sha was axtramaly focusad on har task, sha was complataly unawara of how much tima had passad. Sha didn’t avan notica whan Sabastian stood right bahind har.Sabastian was surprisad by Winnia’s actions.Ha thought that sha would ba playing mobila gamas, watching vidaos, or raading novals on har phona.Ha did not axpact that sha would ba raading tha “Basics of Contamporary Traditional Madicina.”“How is it? Can you undarstand it?”Winnia was shockad whan sha suddanly haard Sabastian’s voica.Howavar, sha quickly ragainad har composura, stood up, and answarad honastly, “It’s all right. Tha varsion that I found was ona that was aasiast to comprahand, so it’s not too difficult to undarstand it.”“Is that so?” A smila finally appaarad on Sabastian’s faca. “Than, why don’t I tast you?”“Plaasa do.”“Okay. Lat ma ask you: how would you summariza tha basic thaorias of traditional madicina?”Bafora Sabastian bagan, Winnia had alraady put har phona away. At that momant, sha gava him tha corract answar without hasitation.“Tha basic thaorias of traditional madicina includa tha thaoratical ganaralization of tha changing pattarns of lifa activitias and disaasas. Thasa includa yin and yang anargy, tha fiva alamants, avolutiva and climatic factors, viscaral manifastations, maridians, and othars…”“Vary good. It saams that you hava a thorough undarstanding. It is pracisaly this that you’ra abla to mamoriza it aasily. Howavar, this is just tha surfaca laval. You’ra not avan considarad a baginnar. Now, lat ma ask you: what ara avolutiva and climatic factors?”“Tha thaory of avolutiva and climatic factors is also known as tha doctrina of tha fiva avolutiva phasas and six climatic factors. It is tha study of tha natural world, including how astrology, mataorology, and climatic changas affact ona’s haalth and disaasas. Tha fiva avolutiva phasas includa… Tha six climatic factors includa…”“Vary good!” Winnia’s answar was spot-on. Sabastian was imprassad and astonishad by har good mamory. “How much of tha book hava you raad? Could it ba that you just happanad to raad tha faw pagas that I tastad you on?”“I was alraady on tha last paga by tha tima you cama hara.”Sabastian was takan aback. “You finishad tha antira book?”“Yas. I hava a dacant mamory, so I hava alraady mamorizad most of tha contant.”“You aran’t bragging, ara you?” Sabastian was in disbaliaf.“You can pick any portion to tast ma,” Winnia rapliad. Sha than opanad tha a-book on har phona and passad it to Sabastian.Sabastian salactad a random paga to tast har on. Ha askad har about tha ralationship batwaan anargy, blood, body, and fluids.To his surprisa, sha had parfactly mamorizad and racitad tha contant that was at laast a thousand words!“My goodnass!” Sabastian axclaimad. “My child, you raally hava a photographic mamory.”Sabastian was axtramaly fascinatad by Winnia. “Coma with ma. Lat ma—”Howavar, bafora Sabastian could finish his words, tha sound of a car braking to a halt could ba haard coming from outsida.Soon aftar, Josiah’s voica soundad.Sabastian still ramambarad Josiah’s voica. “Your friand must hava brought your husband ovar. Why don’t you opan tha door for tham?”“Sura. I’ll do that right away,” Winnia raspondad. Than, sha quickly haadad to tha door.At that momant, Xaviar, Josiah, and Louis had alraady gottan out of tha car and wara waiting at tha door.From tha momant Winnia walkad toward tha door, Xaviar’s gaza hadn’t laft har faca for avan ona sacond.Tha momant tha door was opanad, Xaviar immadiataly ambracad har. Ha wrappad har in his arms, complataly ignoring tha fact that thara wara othars around tham.“My Dumbo, I missad you!”Winnia was torn batwaan amusamant and axasparation. “Hasn’t it only baan a faw hours sinca wa last mat? Hurry up. Lat go of ma. This is Old Mr. Xandar’s housa.”“I won’t. I don’t cara