Old Yun recalled the scene where Zhu Yanyi had treated her. She had always wanted to ask why she hadn’t treated Old Du in the same way, but she never voiced it. At her level, one’s thoughts were complex, considering every angle. She realized that Zhu Yanyi’s absence from the main procedure was wise. She was still a child. In the Four Towns, with their simple folk customs, no one would question her medical qualifications. But in the capital, it was different. Healing someone without a license could bring trouble rather than good. It was safer for Old Yao to lead while she assisted. It seemed more troublesome, but the treatment remained effective.
After finishing her examination of Old Du, Zhu Yanyi nodded slightly, satisfied. "It seems you rested well yesterday. After today, you will be healthy again. In the future, you can continue to enjoy life freely."
Old Du chuckled. "Enjoy life freely? That sounds interesting. But at my age, I don’t expect much. I just hope to eat meat." Carnivores truly love meat. Zhu Yanyi smiled helplessly at her comment.
She glanced at the wall clock. The time was right. She pushed Old Du into the operating room.
Only three people were in the room: Old Yao as the lead surgeon, Zhu Yanyi as the anesthesiologist, and Gu Jingtian as the assistant. The only difference between traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine here was the number of people. Traditional healing required deep focus, so fewer people were needed.
Zhu Yanyi saw that Old Du was ready and nodded slightly. "Grandpa Du, I will now use acupuncture anesthesia on you."
Lying on the operating table, Old Du nodded. "Go ahead." Those three words showed her complete trust in Zhu Yanyi and her team.
Zhu Yanyi used her special ability to locate the shrapnel. Then, she began to insert the golden needles. She used the Five-Character Technique, specifically the third needle of the Withered Tree Meets Spring method for anesthesia.
As the golden needles entered his body, Old Du felt his body lose sensation. Yet, strangely, his mind remained clear.
Zhu Yanyi looked at her. "Grandpa Du, do you want to sleep?" The surgical lamp above had a reflective surface, allowing patients to see the procedure. Some people preferred to be fully anesthetized and asleep rather than watch their own stomachs being opened.
Old Du smiled lightly. He had seen worse scenes in his life. This one wasn’t scary. "It’s fine. Besides, other than feeling like a hedgehog, I feel nothing."
Zhu Yanyi smiled and nodded to Old Yao. "The acupuncture anesthesia is working. Grandpa Yao, you may begin."
Old Yao nodded, focusing entirely on Old Du. He slowly peeled back the tissue to reach the shrapnel. He saw the fragment; it was only one centimeter away from a major artery. Calming his mind, Old Yao used a golden needle to gently lift and stimulate the area. Two-thirds of the shrapnel popped out. Old Yao sighed in relief, then used tweezers to remove the rest. He applied medicine, stitched the wound, and bandaged it. The entire surgery took little time.
Because Zhu Yanyi had stabilized the shrapnel with the Five-Character Needle Technique, the surgery was shorter than expected. It was finished in just twenty minutes.