Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Why didn’t he say it earlier?!

It’s often said that doctors should have a benevolent heart and should not meddle in their patients’ family affairs, but Wu Heng just had to do it!

Wu Heng has never followed the many rules of modern doctors; as a shaman, he’s always done things his own way.

He treats illnesses, and he also handles people as he sees fit.

Wang Da Sao sat on the ground, dazed, muttering He Yunxiao’s words: “Genetic disease? What a load of nonsense about genetic diseases! It’s all made up by doctors to scam money.”

Shi Xuan pondered He Yunxiao’s words for a moment, glanced at him, and thought, *No wonder his grades are so bad; he’s probably at the bottom of the class in biology.*

He Yunxiao looked totally lost.

Wu Heng also showed some curiosity: “What is a gene? Where can one learn about this?”

Though trained in ancient shamanic medicine, Wu Heng has a strong interest in modern medicine, believing that learning more is always beneficial. His curiosity about modern medical procedures, like surgeries, has reached its peak.

Shi Xuan, seeing the sincere desire to learn on Wu Heng’s face, gently twitched the corner of his mouth.

His studious look… is kind of cute.

“I can teach you biology,” Shi Xuan said, then added after a pause, “if you’re interested.”

He Yunxiao and Li Hao, who usually clashed, were totally on the same page this time, both falling silent.

When it comes to schoolwork, no one in the whole school would dare go up against Shi Xuan.

Wu Heng wasn’t really getting what they were talking about with genes. Seeing Wang Da Sao’s stubborn disbelief, he pressed on: “Did you abort several female fetuses before having your son?”

Wang Da Sao was thunderstruck, ignoring the pain in her soul, and shouted, “No! Stop talking nonsense!”

Wu Heng scoffed lightly, “Lying to a doctor is the dumbest thing you can do. Both of you have given me your birth information.”

With just a touch, he could read the pulse, and with the birth details and facial features, even Chen Zhao could see what Wang Da Sao’s children’s palace looked like.

The graduate student stayed quiet for a bit before chiming in, “I heard from my late grandparents that my mother did have several sisters before me.”

Wu Heng crushed all of Wang Da Sao’s hopes: “Even if your family has a 99% shot at a healthy golden grandson, you could still end up being that unlucky 1%.”

After saying this, Wu Heng pointed to the sky.

It’s all about the odds, but the heavens can make sure you’re always on the losing side!

“…So this is karma, right? I just said, according to He Yunxiao’s genetic disease theory, there’s still a chance of being healthy, but if it’s the will of heaven, then no one can be blamed.”

“If it were anyone else, you might still roll the dice, but with Wu Heng saying it, why even bother?”

“The old lady’s world just fell apart, and I’m loving it.”

“So what goes around comes around. With so many strange diseases now, everyone should do more good deeds. My neighbor from over ten years ago had a baby girl born without an anus, and the couple tossed her into the river to die. Later, the couple got electrocuted while taking a bath together—probably karma catching up with them.”

“Wu Heng, dear, is there really a heaven?”

Wang Da Sao sat on the ground, wailing and constantly wiping away tears while murmuring, “I did it for the good of the Wang family, I did it for A Lang’s good.”

Wang Lang had also been pretty upset with his mom’s actions for days, speaking somewhat harshly, “I’m swamped with my research, Mom, can you just stop causing trouble? If it’s too much for you, I’ll take Xiao Rou to the city; the school’s given us a place that’s plenty big.”

Tears still streaked Wang Da Sao's face. Hearing this, she no longer cared about the non-existent golden grandson and looked at Wang Lang in disbelief, shouting, "You're taking her to live at a city university? She's a high school dropout from the countryside—what business does she have at a university?"

"After she gives birth, I'll enroll her in an adult education program to improve her qualifications," Wang Lang frowned, preemptively silencing his mother. "Don't tell me it's a waste of money. A well-educated mother benefits our Wang family and me too."

Wang Da Sao opened her mouth but no sound came out. She was stunned. Why did these words sound so familiar?

Weren't these the exact words she had just said? Her son had thrown her own words back at her...

Did this mean she'd be left alone in the countryside from now on? No golden grandson, no daughter-in-law to take care of her, and even worse, she would be laughed at by the villagers for this?

Wang Da Sao's heart turned to ice.

"Haha, magic beats magic. Look at the old hag's face—she looks like her dad just died."

"So it's still important to study more. It seems this graduate student's mindset gradually changed after going out to study."

"This kind of mom needs her own son to handle her. She'll be a lonely old lady in the countryside from now on, lol."

Wang Lang couldn't help but glance at his wife's already prominent belly, feeling a surge of gratitude.

He was the first in the village to earn a master's degree, bringing honor to his family. Over the years, their finances had gradually improved.

But if what Dr. Wu said was true, a son destined to die young from illness would bring unprecedented devastation to the family, both emotionally and financially. It could even set them back to where they started.

His wife was far from the "jinx" his mother had called her—she was actually a godsend!

Over the years of study and research, Wang Lang had come to realize that having many sons was less important than leaving a mark in the academic world.

History would remember him, and future generations would honor his memory. Why would he need sons to take care of his grave? Three generations later, who would even remember who was buried there? It was all just outdated customs!

Wang Lang supported his wife and couldn't help but ask with concern, "Dr. Wu, my mother has been causing trouble these past few days. Could it harm the pregnant woman and the fetus? My wife hasn't eaten much tonight."

Dr. Wu looked at the pregnant young woman, her face glowing and her eyes sparkling with vitality. She no longer seemed as cautious as she had been during their first consultation, as if a weight had been lifted from her heart.

Dr. Wu smiled and nodded, "No, she's just been eating less because she's worried about your illness. Just take good care of her."

With just a glance at the couple's faces, Dr. Wu could tell they had been matched through a village marriage arrangement. Though they didn't have much emotional connection initially, this ordeal had brought them closer, and their future seemed harmonious.

For ordinary people, love inevitably involves considerations of money and daily necessities, far from the pure love of the wealthy. But achieving a harmonious family life is already a fortunate fate for most.

Wang Lang nodded repeatedly, "Thank you, Dr. Wu. I'll send you a small gift later, just a token of my appreciation."

Although they were Dr. Wu's charity patients and follow-up consultations were free, Wang Lang felt that, unlike Wang Qiang, the high school girl, he was a working adult and should offer a small token of gratitude.

Apart from the devastated and heartbroken Wang Da Sao, everyone in Wang Village was in high spirits that night.

After the call ended, an account named "Happy Golden Years" sent five "Carnivals" to Chengde Medical Hall.

Sharp-eyed netizens burst into laughter when they saw the ID.

"Hahaha, the educated son knows how to twist the knife. He used his mother's account to send gifts to Dr. Wu, didn't he?"

"Happy Golden Years, pfft, I'm dying of laughter. Her golden years are definitely going to be happy."

"He used his mother's money to send gifts to the streamer? Happy Golden Years? After pulling that stunt, she can forget about having a happy golden years. I hold grudges during pregnancy and postpartum—this old hag is done for."

"After all, she's someone who aborted so many babies that even the heavens couldn't stand it and decided to punish her."

Li Hao carried a tray and nudged He Yunxiao aside, placing several freshly baked pastries in front of Dr. Wu. "Dr. Wu, you must be tired from treating patients. Have some snacks to fill your stomach. The pastry chef's ancestors were royal chefs in the palace."

Wang Dong came over with a pot of sweet tea, eagerly pouring tea for Wu Heng.

He Yunxiao was almost knocked over by Li Hao, but Xi Xi quickly grabbed his arm.

Before He Yunxiao could get angry, the little white snake darted out and hissed wildly at Li Hao and the others.

He Yunxiao's internal alarm bells went off again.

What's going on?

Why is this little white snake raised by Dr. Wu Heng so friendly towards him?

Apart from Xi Xi, he has never been liked by snakes before!

He Yunxiao looked at Xi Xi, who had been accepted by his whole family, and then at the little white snake flicking its tongue with a hint of flattery. His bad feeling was almost overwhelming.

Wu Heng wasn't very hungry, but he was really curious about the pastries from the capital city, especially after hearing that the pastry chef's ancestors were royal chefs.

He Yunxiao gritted his teeth at Li Hao and the others, who were grinning smugly. These guys only know how to fight for a spot!

Chen Zhao fell into deep thought: "?"

Wasn't he the one who stitched? Wasn't he the one who worked? Didn't Wu Heng just talk?

He should be the one who worked hard!

No one greeted him, so Chen Zhao just went ahead and grabbed a few pastries to eat, even stuffing a few into his bag.

"Dr. Wu Heng, aren't you going to sign off tonight?"

Wu Heng, eating the pastries, smiled and said, "No rush."

At 8 PM on Ghost Festival night, it's the time when the most spirits and ghosts are active, but as it approaches midnight, the time when the Ghost Gate closes, it's when the most fierce ghosts appear.

Many fierce ghosts roam the human world, trying to escape during the Ghost Festival when the yin emissaries are overwhelmed.

"Wu Heng is so kind, spending the Ghost Festival with us. Watching his live stream actually makes me less scared."

"Wu Heng eats so fast, but why does he look so graceful and adorable while eating? When I eat something delicious, I just gobble it up. Crying."

"Why is the tallest guy among them always staring at Wu Heng?"

Wu Heng looked up at Shi Xuan, who had been staring at him, and asked, "Do you... want this pastry in my hand?"

Wu Heng glanced at the plate and glared at Chen Zhao: "How many did you take?"

Chen Zhao was surprised: "Young Master Li, Young Master Wang, and Toumao didn't say we couldn't take some."

Chen Zhao felt happy under Wu Heng's care. So there really is a place where you get food after working?

Shi Xuan shook his head. He didn't like sweet things, but he just thought Wu Heng was... a little cute.

When he's fierce, he's like a cold blade in the snow, but when he's soft, he's like soft, gooey cheese.

In his eyes, everyone is no different from talking corpses, but Wu Heng is the only one who is vividly colorful.

What an intriguing friend.

Wu Heng took the sweet tea from Toumao, who said it was exactly 55°, and said to the camera, "Netizens born at midnight, especially those in their zodiac year and women with low energy, you can go to sleep now."

"If you're still scared, you can hang a string of red dried chili peppers by the window and the front door."

Chen Zhao nodded; this was a well-known exorcism trick among Taoist masters.

Many netizens had initially planned to stay in Chengde Medical Hall's live stream room, but thinking that they might actually encounter ghosts, they quickly logged off. However, there were still many netizens applying to connect via microphone.

Wu Heng scrolled through and saw a familiar face among the list of netizens. He chose to connect with Tu Tu.

As soon as Fan Tu appeared in the live stream, netizens exclaimed in admiration.

"It's been a few days, and Tu Tu has become even more beautiful. Why was it Tu Tu who got planted with flowers last time and not me?"

"Officially certified beauty, so gorgeous. But didn't Wu Heng tell us to sleep? Why is she connecting?"

"Tu Tu, have you caught up with your godfather yet? Watching the drama without worrying about the consequences.jpg"

Before Fan Tu could even greet Wu Heng, she showed him another phone, anxiously saying, "Heng Heng, what should I do? A man in fan group five who got married on the Ghost Festival is asking for help in the group chat."

Besides genuinely wanting to help, Fan Tu also hadn't spoken to Wu Heng for several days and really wanted to chat with the beauty!

Fan group?

What fan group?

Wu Heng didn't quite understand this. Meanwhile, He Yunxiao's alarm bells went off again.

Did Fan Tu set up a fan group for Wu Heng? Because he didn't get Wu Heng's permission, and Wu Heng dislikes trouble, he tacitly allowed no fan groups. Who knew Fan Tu would create one in just a few days?

Damn, why are these newcomers so aggressively vying for his position?

Looking at the five groups, each with five hundred members, that means at least two thousand five hundred people have joined.

"Help: I don't dare to connect with Dr. Wu Heng via microphone, I can only type. Can anyone in the group help me connect? Urgent, urgent!"

"Help: I'm on my way to get married, and I feel something's off. SOS, SOS!"

There are many onlookers in the group.

"Wu Heng's Palm Darling: What time is it to get married at this hour? Are you really the man who connected with Wu Heng today?"

"Heng Heng's Beloved: Whether you believe in Wu Heng or not, at least pick an auspicious day to get married. Who gets married on the Ghost Festival?"

"Chengde Medical Hall's Only Apprentice: Isn't this just for the show? Brother, how do you feel something's wrong? Tu Tu has already helped you connect with Heng Heng."

Where was Guo Jiang's excitement from earlier today about getting married?

Although he didn't quite believe Wu Heng's live stream saying his girlfriend wasn't human, Wu Heng's reputation is well-known, even top-tier hospitals seek his help, so he still had doubts.

Guo Jiang picked up his girlfriend Xiao Li as planned. Looking at her fair and beautiful face, Guo Jiang momentarily thought Wu Heng might have been mistaken.

Guo Jiang couldn't help but say, "Li Li, today is the Ghost Festival. My family and friends all say today isn't an auspicious day, let's change it to tomorrow."

"Anyway, it's already past five, and the civil affairs bureau closes at six. Rushing over in a hurry isn't ideal."

The girlfriend, with her beautiful long black hair and dressed in a black top and white long skirt, the epitome of a man's dream girl, frowned upon hearing this: "I took time off specifically for you. If we don't get married today, then forget about it in the future."

Guo Jiang looked around; it was broad daylight on the street with many pedestrians, so he nodded.

Xiao Li took out a car key from her pocket and smiled, "Since we're running out of time, let's drive. The nearest civil affairs bureau is only three kilometers away, it's quick."

Guo Jiang nodded and followed Xiao Li into a black car parked by the roadside, not noticing that the license plate was all fours.

After getting in the car, Guo Jiang couldn't help but rub his arms and said, "Xiao Li, why is it so cold? Is the air conditioning set too low?"

He’d worn a formal shirt today to look good in the photos, but even with his arms covered, he still felt cold.

Guo Jiang wanted to turn down the car's air conditioning, but found that the car's display screen was black, and even the air conditioning display was off.

Guo Jiang, puzzled, rested his sweaty palms on the seat. When he lifted his hand, he noticed it was smeared with black dust.

Something was clearly off.

Guo Jiang looked outside at the sunny street, swallowed hard, and said, "Xiao Li, isn't it just three kilometers? Why haven't we reached the Civil Affairs Bureau yet?"

Xiao Li covered her mouth and laughed softly, teasing, "Why are you in such a hurry? I'll be your wife sooner or later. It's just traffic."

Guo Jiang looked up at the wide, nearly empty street. Where was this supposed traffic jam?

Unless they were dealing with a ghost!

The thought sent a chill down Guo Jiang’s spine. A ghost?

He turned to his fiancée. She’d put on makeup today, but her face was unnaturally pale, almost ghostly white, as if the foundation shade was too light.

Instinctively, Guo Jiang took out his phone. As soon as he entered the Shark Short Video app, it recommended Wu Heng's live stream. Since he didn't click in, there was no sound.

Wu Heng was live-streaming with Wang Da Sao's family, and he could see the sky behind the courtyard was pitch black.

Pitch black...

He wasn’t in Xinjiang, where the time difference could explain the darkness. This was just too strange. Remembering what Wu Heng had told him that afternoon, sweat poured down his back, soaking his shirt.

He didn't dare to speak or join the live stream, so he went to the fan group organized by Tu Tu. The fans were still buzzing about Wu Heng’s incredible feats that night—how the official Daoist Physician had followed his orders to stitch something up, and how the evil old woman had screamed in agony.

This wasn’t a problem that could be solved in a three-kilometer drive.

With trembling hands, he typed out a message, pleading for help in the group.

"Help me!"

"The guy from this afternoon’s call? I warned him not to get married today. Is he really cursed? It’s already 11 PM—is he still on his way to the Civil Affairs Bureau? Or is he on the road to the underworld?"

"If you ignore Wu Heng’s advice, you’re asking for trouble!"

"What do we do now? It’s still a human life!"

"Wait! Wu Heng’s still live—could he be waiting for this guy? Holy crap, did he know all along?"

Wu Heng, munching on pastries, smirked and said, "He’s a fitness trainer. Ask him how long he can hold his breath underwater."

The netizens and Tu Tu were confused but passed on the question as instructed.

Guo Jiang’s mind was racing. He’d never mentioned his job to Wu Heng—how did he know he was a fitness trainer?

Because he worked out daily and kept himself clean, Guo Jiang believed his physical condition was excellent, which was why he wanted Wu Heng to do a premarital check-up, to reassure his girlfriend.

Though confused, Guo Jiang typed his honest reply: "Help: About a minute and a half."

He panicked and blurted out his real name, age, and even the eight characters of his birth date.

But Guo Jiang had no idea where exactly he was at that moment.

Wu Heng stood up and walked outside, then turned back to look at them, specifically at the tall Shi Xuan in the crowd.

Tonight was the time during the Ghost Festival when fierce ghosts were on the loose. If they encountered Shi Xuan and were tainted by his ghostly energy, everyone present would be doomed.

Wu Heng casually grabbed a bamboo chopstick from the dining tray—bamboo is known to ward off evil spirits. He quickly crouched and drew a circle around Shi Xuan with the chopstick.

"Do not leave this circle."

Shi Xuan gazed at Wu Heng and nodded, "I'll wait for you to return."

Wu Heng's face flushed slightly—why did that sound so odd?

Meanwhile, He Yunxiao and the others were extremely envious. Why didn't they get one too? This was the kind of treatment only Tang Sanzang would get, right?

Wu Heng quickly turned to the live-stream camera and, before closing it, dropped one last sentence: "Tell him to get out of the car and jump into the first well he sees."

He Yunxiao and Chen Zhao were still puzzled, not fully grasping Wu Heng's meaning, until they saw him step onto the edge of a newly dug well and leap in with a sudden jump.

He Yunxiao and Chen Zhao gasped, "!!!"

What the heck? How could he just jump in so gracefully?

He Yunxiao turned in disbelief to look at Li Hao and the others, whose eyes were reddened: "Did... did you see that? Am I... seeing things?"

Judging by the expressions on Li Hao and the others' faces, they seemed equally shocked.

Li Hao and the others clutched their faces in despair, screaming, "Doctor Wu Heng, we didn't get it on camera! Can you jump again?!"