Chapter 64: Masterful Hands

“Dad, has that old problem with your shoulder acting up again lately?”

Su Chaodong was taken aback, not sure why his son suddenly brought this up. Zhang Sufang, sitting beside him, answered, “Your father’s had that for ages, it’s not something that just goes away. I get angry every time I think about it. Last month, he heard someone at the park say there was this miraculous medicated patch, so he spent four hundred yuan on a few, but they were completely useless—a waste of money, just a scam.”

“And just look at the kinds of friends your father keeps—what a bunch of shameless people, betraying his trust for money.”

Her words made Su Chaodong bristle. He quickly retorted, “Don’t say things like that! They’re not shameless friends. We’ve known each other for years from drinking tea and playing chess in the park. He only recommended the patches because he knew about my problem—his own relatives used them and swore by them. He went through a lot to get them from abroad. I appreciate the gesture. Maybe it just didn’t work for me because of my constitution.”

“Oh, so you’re not convinced, are you? Well, since your son’s here today, let him be the judge. Son, tell me, wasn’t your father just taken for a ride?”

Zhang Sufang was getting agitated, her temper flaring.

Su Yi felt a headache coming on. “Alright, alright, Dad, Mom, please don’t argue. What’s done is done—consider it tuition for a lesson learned. I just wanted to ask if Dad’s old problem has been bothering him lately.”

“Mom, don’t you often say you get headaches? Have they been happening lately?” he asked his mother, Zhang Sufang.

Su Yi’s mother also had some persistent ailments. Just two years ago, at New Year, Su Yi didn’t feel at ease and took her to the hospital for a full checkup. The only thing the doctors found was some insufficient blood flow to her brain; otherwise, they couldn’t find anything definitive.

At the time, Zhang Sufang scolded him for making a fuss and wasting money, saying that once you’re older, it’s normal to have a few complaints—nothing to worry about.

“Yes, this problem has been driving me crazy. The other day, when I heard you were coming home, I couldn’t sleep at night. For the past few days, I’ve had a headache every afternoon.” Zhang Sufang looked at him quizzically. “Son, why are you suddenly asking about your father’s and my old problems? You’re not thinking of buying us medicine or sending us for more tests, are you? I’m telling you, these things are normal for people our age—don’t waste money—”

“Mom, stop, that’s enough.” Su Yi raised his hands in helpless surrender. “Just listen to me, both of you.”

Once his parents quieted down, Su Yi continued, “Recently, I met a friend in Zhonghai whose family has practiced traditional medicine for generations. When we were chatting, I happened to mention your old ailments, and he taught me a therapy technique that he said works especially well for your conditions. At first, I didn’t really believe it could be that amazing, but then I tried it on one of my colleague’s family members and saw with my own eyes how effective it was.”

“You might not believe this,” Su Yi went on, “but my coworker’s relative hasn’t had a single recurrence of their old problem since I treated them with this technique.”

Su Chaodong and Zhang Sufang looked at each other in disbelief. Zhang Sufang asked skeptically, “Xiao Yi, are you sure you’re not joking with us?”

Su Chaodong agreed, “That’s right, Xiao Yi. It’s not that we don’t believe you, but what you’re saying sounds too far-fetched. Your mother and I have tried countless folk remedies and seen so many doctors, and none of them could do anything. You’ve never studied medicine, so how could you just learn a simple technique and cure our old ailments?”

“Dad, Mom, it doesn’t matter if you don’t believe me—just let me try it and you’ll see,” Su Yi answered with a grin, rubbing his hands together.

“But don’t do anything reckless, son. I’ve heard that improper massage techniques can easily cause injuries,” Zhang Sufang warned.

“Don’t worry, Mom. I know what I’m doing—you can trust me.”

Despite her words of concern, Zhang Sufang obediently became the first test subject.

Following her son’s instructions, she sat up straight on a leather cushion, her posture prim and proper.

Su Yi stood behind her, placing his hands on either side of her head at specific points.

Su Chaodong sat nearby, eyes wide, curious to see what his son had learned.

In truth, neither parent expected much from Su Yi’s therapy, but they didn’t want to dampen his enthusiasm.

As Su Yi’s fingertips moved, Zhang Sufang gradually felt warmth spreading across her head.

“Hey, Xiao Yi, I think it’s working,” she exclaimed in surprise.

“What do you mean?” Su Chaodong asked, puzzled. From what he saw, Su Yi was just gently rubbing his wife’s scalp—hardly applying any force at all. How could this be effective?

“There’s a warm energy coming from Xiao Yi’s fingers—it’s so strange.”

“Oh my, it feels like the heat is seeping into my head,” Zhang Sufang said, astonished.

“Mom, please don’t talk. I need to concentrate,” Su Yi reminded her.

“Alright, son,” Zhang Sufang replied, finally falling silent.

Su Yi continued, working through various points on her shoulders and hands, massaging and kneading with exaggerated seriousness. Both parents watched, half confused, half impressed, unsure what to make of it.

After half an hour, Su Yi patted his mother’s shoulder. “Mom, it’s done.”

“Already?” Zhang Sufang was reluctant to stop; the warmth coursing through her body had felt so comfortable.

“So, do you feel like your headache is any better?” Su Chaodong asked, having watched the whole session and sensing from his wife’s expression that something had changed.

Zhang Sufang shot him a look. “How should I know? I don’t have a headache right now. But I’ll admit, our son really seems to know what he’s doing. That warmth is still swirling inside me—it’s like something out of a martial arts novel, like inner energy. My mind feels clear, and my whole body is relaxed.”

Su Yi smiled quietly, amused by how accurate her impression was.

Although he knew nothing of medicine, the innate energy of a martial arts master was the purest form of vitality. By transmitting it into his mother’s body, he couldn’t perform miracles or grant longevity, but he could certainly relieve minor ailments with immediate effect.

Su Yi estimated that, after such a session, even if his mother’s headaches weren’t cured entirely, they probably wouldn’t trouble her for at least a year or two.

“Dad, let me give you a therapy session as well.”

With Zhang Sufang’s positive feedback, Su Chaodong was now filled with confidence in his son’s abilities and immediately took his wife’s seat, ready for Su Yi to work his magic.