Courtyard House: Jia Zhangshi! How dare you hit my sister?

"As long as you know your limits." Li Yunlong pointed to his leg. "Alright, enough of that. Hurry up and give me the acupuncture! My leg has started to feel a bit more these past few days; I reckon it's about to rain."

Qin Huai'an smiled and took out his silver needle pouch: "Chief, please roll up your trouser legs."

Li Yunlong deftly rolled up his trouser leg, exposing his knee. Qin Huai'an examined it carefully; the redness and swelling had lessened considerably compared to last time, but some problems were still visible at the joint.

"Commander, have you caught a chill these past few days?" he asked while disinfecting the silver needles with alcohol.

"No!" Li Yunlong shook his head. "I listen to you, I cover myself up tightly when I sleep at night!"

"That's good." Qin Huai'an nodded and began administering acupuncture.

With the experience from last time, I was more skilled this time.

Several silver needles were precisely inserted into the acupoints, twisted and lifted, demonstrating a delicate needling technique.

Li Yunlong closed his eyes, feeling the familiar warm current slowly spreading deep within his knee. The tingling, numb sensation made him involuntarily let out a sigh of relief.

"That feels so good... Damn, it's way more effective than any plaster!"

After leaving the needles in for twenty minutes, Qin Huai'an removed them. Li Yunlong stood up, stretched a few times, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

"Fine! You've got some amazing skills, kid! My legs feel so much lighter now!"

Just then, the sound of a car engine came from outside the courtyard gate.

A military jeep drove in and parked in the yard. Duan Peng got out of the driver's seat first, then went around to the passenger side and helped an elderly woman out of the vehicle.

The old lady was about sixty years old, with gray hair, a slightly hunched back, and her legs were noticeably weak when she walked.

"Commander! Xiao Qin!" Duan Peng helped his mother over. "We're here!"

Li Yunlong went up to greet her: "Grandma's here? Please have a seat!"

Duan Peng helped his mother sit down on the stone bench, then looked at Qin Huai'an: "Little Qin, this is my mother. She has a bad leg problem, it's an old ailment. Do you think you can treat it?"

Qin Huai'an nodded: "Minister Duan, let me take a look at your aunt first."

He walked up to the old lady, squatted down, and asked, "Auntie, which leg is bothering you?"

The old lady spoke slowly: "Neither of them works... the right one is worse. It hurts when it rains, and it's hard for me to walk."

Qin Huai'an gently pressed the old lady's knees and calves, asked a few more questions, and roughly understood the situation—it was also rheumatoid arthritis, more severe than Li Yunlong's, which had already affected her mobility.

"Auntie, you've been sick for quite a while now, haven't you?" he asked.

"Absolutely!" the old lady sighed. "It's been over ten years! We've seen so many doctors and taken so much medicine, but nothing's worked. Now it's getting worse and worse; it hurts after just a few steps."

Duan Peng, standing anxiously beside him, asked, "Xiao Qin, can it be cured?"

"It can be cured," Qin Huai'an said confidently, "but it has to be done according to the course of treatment, once a week, for at least three months. In between, it also needs to be combined with topical medication."

Upon hearing that it could be cured, Duan Peng's eyes lit up: "Great! As long as it can be cured, anything is fine!"

Qin Huai'an looked at the old lady: "Auntie, let me give you one acupuncture treatment first, and you can feel how it goes. If you think it's effective, we can continue."

The old lady nodded: "Alright, young man, go ahead and do it. My old bones aren't afraid of pain."

Qin Huai'an had the old lady roll up her trouser legs, exposing her knees and calves. After careful disinfection, he began administering acupuncture.

This time he used seven needles, adding a few to the acupoints around the knee, as well as the ankle and calf. His technique remained steady and accurate, carefully sensing the "qi" under each needle.

The old lady was a little nervous at first, but after a few needles, her brows gradually relaxed.

"It's hot...it's hot inside..."

After leaving the needles in for twenty minutes, Qin Huai'an chatted with the old lady while performing the acupuncture to distract her.

After removing the needles, he asked the old lady to slowly stand up and try.

The old lady, supported by her son, carefully stood up and tentatively took two steps.

"Huh?" Her eyes lit up. "Much lighter! Not so heavy anymore!"

After walking a few more steps, a look of surprise appeared on his face: "Really! It's much better than when we arrived! Young man, you're amazing!"

Seeing that his mother was walking much more nimbly, Duan Peng was so excited that he didn't know what to say, so he could only pat Qin Huai'an's shoulder forcefully:

"Xiao Qin! Thank you! Thank you so much!"

"Minister Duan, you're too kind," Qin Huai'an said. "Your aunt's illness has a deep-rooted cause, so it will take time. Next time you come, I'll bring you some medicine; using it together will be more effective."

"Okay! I'll do whatever you say!" Duan Peng nodded repeatedly.

Li Yunlong watched from the side, grinning, "How about that? I wasn't wrong, was I? This kid's skills are amazing!"

Duan Peng nodded vigorously: "God! Truly God!"

At this moment, Li Yunlong glanced at the sky and said, "It's almost lunchtime. Duan Peng, go to the canteen and get some food. We'll eat here tonight."

"Okay!" Duan Peng replied and drove off.

The old lady sat in the courtyard, chatting with Li Yunlong. Qin Huai'an packed up his acupuncture supplies and sat down to listen.

A short while later, Duan Peng returned carrying a lunchbox. It contained four dishes, a soup, and a bowl of rice.

The four people sat around the stone table, eating and chatting.

At the dinner table, Li Yunlong inquired about Qin Huai'an's situation at the factory and gave him a few more instructions. Duan Peng kept thanking Qin Huai'an for treating his mother's illness and said that he could contact him if he needed anything in the future.

After finishing the meal, Qin Huai'an gave Li Yunlong and Duan Peng's mother some instructions before getting up to take his leave.

"Chief, Aunt, Minister Duan, I'll head back now," he said.

"Alright, go ahead." Li Yunlong waved his hand. "Remember, this time next week, I'll be waiting for you."

"Xiao Qin, you must come next week!" the old lady said, holding his hand.

"I'll definitely come," Qin Huai'an nodded.

Duan Peng offered to drive him home, but Qin Huai'an politely declined: "No need, Minister Duan, please stay with your mother. I can go back by myself."

By the time I left the military compound, the sun was already setting.

As Qin Huai'an walked home, he felt much more at ease.

Treating Li Yunlong's illness was not only an act of gratitude, but also a way to build a relationship. With this superior backing him, he was finally able to truly establish himself in Beijing.

And having Duan Peng on your side will make things easier with the Armed Forces Department in the future.

Everything is proceeding according to his plan.

By the time we got back to the courtyard house, it was already dark.

Qin Huairu was hanging clothes to dry in the yard when she saw her younger brother return and quickly went to greet him:

"You're back? How did you go? Nothing happened, right?"

"It's alright," Qin Huai'an smiled. "Everything went smoothly."

"That's good." Qin Huairu breathed a sigh of relief. "The food is ready and keeping it warm in the pot. Go and eat."

The siblings returned to the house, and Qin Huairu brought out the food. The two ate and chatted.

"We're going back to the village next week," Qin Huai'an said. "I need to ask for leave."

"Mm." Qin Huairu nodded, a hopeful smile on her face.

And so the days went by, one after another.

I have a job, family, and a future.

This is the life Qin Huai'an wanted.