Chapter 5, The Hypothesis

Bai He made a sound of acknowledgment, and Qin Cai then took out the other person's business card. As she dialed the number, she felt a bit dazed—this person was named Li Yushan. She recalled her dream, in which the mountain was covered with stones, countless and spread all over. The call was quickly connected, and it was Li Yushan who answered personally. Qin Cai had little to say: "I cannot cure your illness, I am sorry"

Qin Cai became anxious: "Dad, don't talk nonsense! I..."

The child's eyes still could not be opened, and Li Liangjun was half-convinced, yet he still returned.

The next day was the first day of the lunar month. According to tradition, it was not appropriate to visit others. However, Li Liangjun's family still came, this time bringing fish and duck. As soon as he entered the door, he was so happy that his eyes sparkled: "Little sister, it really is miraculous. As soon as we got up in the morning, the child's eyes no longer hurt. Look," he pulled his son in front of Qin Cai, "the child says he can see things clearly now!"

Qin Cai still felt somewhat curious: "Why master?"

Before long, the child was in so much pain that he could only cry. Even Mother Qin began to feel worried, and whispered in her ear: "Fourth... the child is crying terribly; if it doesn't get better, let's wait for Old Bai to come back."

Qin Cai was engrossed in her meal when suddenly a neighbor called her to answer the phone. At that time, there were only three families in the town that had a telephone. Qin Cai ran over a mile and finally arrived at her neighbor's house. As soon as she picked up the phone, she was stunned—it was Bai He

Li Liangjun also felt quite embarrassed: "I went yesterday, but Mr. Bai was not there. Today, the child is really in a lot of pain, and I am worried..."

Upon returning home, Qin Laoer learned that Qin Cai had refused such a large sum of money, and in a fit of anger, he beat her up again

Will it become more severe by evening? There is some common knowledge regarding Qin cuisine. Generally, for ailments associated with negative information, symptoms tend to be milder during the day and worsen at night. This is also related to the fact that yang energy is stronger during the day, while yin energy is more pronounced at night

Qin Cai had never seen such a formation and was momentarily at a loss for words. However, Qin Lao Er immediately broke into a broad smile and quickly nudged Qin Cai, saying, "Hahaha, big brother, you have found the right person in Qin Cai! This matter is on us."

Qin Cai shook his head: "Let's try it first"

In front of the man: "Be good, my dear daughter, let this big brother take a look first"

The middle-aged man then spoke: "I feel chest tightness, complete body weakness, and frequent fainting. Recently, the symptoms have become more severe."

On the day before the Spring Festival, Qin Cai returned home. Bai He was in a good mood and gave her a large red envelope containing as much as 1,200 yuan. She handed all the money to her parents, and Qin Lao Er, beaming with joy, made an exception by placing a large piece of pork knuckle into her bowl

Qin Cai experienced this sense of achievement for the first time—she realized how wonderful it feels to help others

Eldest sister, second sister, third brother, and fifth younger brother were all present, sitting together as a family, enjoying their meal when suddenly someone rushed in: "Younger sister ... ... "

Qin Cai does not really care: "Then I will tell him."

It took nearly six months to master the thirty-six minor water techniques from the *Illustrated Book of Qin Cuisine*. Although Bai He did not explicitly state it during the assessment, it was evident from the slight upward curve of his lips that he was quite satisfied.

Qin Cai got up and looked into the child's eyes, and only then did she understand why Li Liangjun was so anxious. Perhaps it was due to excessive rubbing, as the entire eye was somewhat swollen, and at that moment, tears flowed continuously, making it impossible to open them.

The Qin family was naturally very pleased, and Qin Lao Er was especially proud: "So, how is it? Was my decision not wrong? Following Bai He, you have indeed learned something. Where else can you find such a good opportunity to earn money while learning skills?"

Li Liangjun and his family expressed their heartfelt gratitude, firmly placing the fish and duck on the table before leading their son away

The whole family was in agreement, but Qin Cai suddenly thought of the matter regarding the 20,000 yuan, and her smile dimmed slightly

After the other party remained silent for half a day, Qin Cai simply hung up the phone

The middle-aged man said weakly: "There is one thing, all the hospitals have examined me, and they cannot find any symptoms at all"

Throughout the entire day, Qin Lao Er was filled with sighs and complaints. At one moment, he lamented about having too many children at home and how difficult it was for him. At another moment, he expressed his concern that he had not yet raised the tuition fees for Qin Qingfu and Qin Xiaogui. Qin Cai, feeling increasingly troubled by his words, went to bed early.

Li Liangjun has much to say, yet he is busy merely agreeing

After about five minutes of filming, strangely enough, many red and purple spots began to appear on the originally flushed skin. Qin Cai, who had been anxious, finally relaxed and said: "Uncle Jun, it's nothing serious, no need for medication or surgery. However, if it drags on for too long, it could become a bit serious."

The man settled comfortably into the wicker chair, exuding confidence: "As long as you take good care of my illness, this money is yours. If it's not enough, we can negotiate further"

Qin Cai is also in a difficult position—she has only learned a little about the water method. Perhaps to an outsider, it seems quite miraculous, but in reality, an expert can see through it at a glance—she doesn't even know how to diagnose the yin.

A woman next to the man handed him a business card, and as she was leaving, the man casually remarked, "As long as you can cure me, money is not an issue"

He entered the Qin family, and before he even sat down, he waved his hand. The woman beside him immediately handed a small box to Qin Lao Er. As soon as the box was opened, Qin Lao Er was dazzled by the sight inside—stacks upon stacks of brand new hundred-yuan bills.

Qin Laoer did not wait for her to finish speaking before pushing her away

Qin Cai employed the same old trick once again and administered another round. This time, the purple-red spots were fewer. The child continued to cry—indeed, it was painful—but this time everyone was confident, urging him to endure. After the treatment was completed, Qin Cai washed her hands and said: "It's all right now"

Li Liangjun arrived at the Qin family early in the morning, accompanied by a middle-aged man who was already balding and driving an Audi. The first to get out of the car was a woman in heavy makeup wearing fishnet stockings, despite it being the middle of winter. The man had a round face and big ears, yet walked with a somewhat unsteady gait.

However, this matter brought another person to the * map * book.

The area around Baihe is very quiet, and I do not know where it is: "Some things are beyond human capability, your strength is not yet sufficient, yet your perception is fully open, which truly makes the master unable to rest easy."

She scooped half a bowl of water from the kitchen, lifted the child's left arm, and while dipping it in water, she patted the biceps area of the left upper arm. Concerned that her strength might not be sufficient, she patted quite forcefully.

He wore a troubled expression, and Qin Cai understood that, not to mention the child's young age, the surgical fees alone posed a significant challenge for families who earn their living from the land. However, although she had taken Bai He as her master, she had only been following Bai He around. The only thing she had done on her own was to perform acupuncture. UFO.

In the evening, Qin Cai had a dream in which she saw countless stones scattered across the mountains, both large and small, so many that they could not be counted. Upon waking in the morning, Qin Cai was still pondering this dream, while Qin Lao Er was particularly attentive and specially prepared breakfast for her

She said softly, "Why don't you try looking for my master?"

Qin Cai carefully examined the child's eyes; the right eye was the first to show symptoms. Qin Cai felt this resembled what was described in the book as a phantom, but she could not be certain—well, one might as well treat a dead horse as if it were alive!

The Water Method is the foundation of cultivation. According to legend, water can store energy and serves as a medium between yin and yang. Many applications of techniques are built upon the foundation of the Water Method. Once the Water Method is mastered, there is no need to further cultivate the miscellaneous methods beneath it; one can simply memorize the incantations to use them. Qin Cai herself is unaware that with her current abilities, she is already much stronger than those such as "Duan Gong" and "Hua Shui".

Qin Cai's heart was completely unsettled. After thinking for a long time, she finally pressed her lips together and said: "Uncle Jun, I am just an apprentice, as you know. If it doesn't work out, please don't blame me; just wait for my master to return."

The child is still crying, and Li Liangjun still feels somewhat uneasy. However, hearing her say this gives him a glimmer of hope. Qin Cai has been patting for over ten minutes, and the red and purple spots have already increased significantly, so she has no choice but to stop for now: "Let's go back first and come again tomorrow"

"You should go back first," she said, pursing her lips. Qin Lao Er became anxious: "You should at least let them take a look!"

On the third day of the Lunar New Year, Baihe has not yet returned. The key to the paper candle shop is also with Qin Cai, but it will not open until the eighth day, so Qin Cai is still staying at home.

The middle-aged man looked into Qin Cai's eyes, and after a long while, Qin Cai said: "Leave your phone number, and I will tell you tomorrow"

"Did someone come to see you for a consultation yesterday?" After a few days apart, Bai He’s voice sounded particularly warm to Qin Cai, but the message he had to convey to Qin Cai was not pleasant. "Tell him there is no hope, do not say another word, and do not get involved in this person's affairs any further"

Outside, a dog was barking, and Qin Laoer got up and walked to the door, only to see Li Liangjun from the upper village. He and his wife hurriedly brought their eight-year-old son over: "Xiaomei, Dogwa has been acting strangely these past few days, something seems to have gotten into his eyes. It started getting worse yesterday, and he even said he can't see things clearly! Both your aunt and I are terrified. We went to the hospital for a check-up the day before yesterday, and they said he needs surgery..."