2. White eggs

"You will get better, I am a doctor, you must believe me." Zhu Tong comforted her, releasing one hand to reach into his pocket and take out a silver lighter

We are studying nursing and have not yet graduated; we just finished our internship in Beijing. The glasses-wearing person quickly introduced himself and pushed Zhu Tong to the front: "As long as Dr. Li needs help, we will strictly follow his instructions." He appeared quite proud, indicating that he was very enthusiastic; Zhu Tong sensed that Qin Miao was also watching him, and could only grasp the hand extended by the train conductor.

Gazing at this extraordinarily beautiful face, pure as the sleeping beauty in a dream, youth is merely her adornment, and the smile lingering at the corner of her mouth reveals that she is immersed in an unfamiliar dream.

The glasses were the first to stand up, taking down Zhu Tong's bag from the luggage rack. Qin Miao also reminded her companion, "You stay here and look for things; we will assist Dr. Li." Zhu Tong simply said, "I just started my vacation," and was escorted away by two conductors and two nurses.

Such experiences not only make Zhu Tong adept at speaking appropriately to people and to ghosts, but also instill a cold temperament; when she first met Yan Zi, she remarked that Zhu Tong was very cool; half a month ago, upon leaving, she described Zhu Tong as cold and heartless, like a frigid railway track, deserving only to lie alone on the embankment, crushed underfoot.

The girl nodded slightly, remaining quiet for a moment, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Suddenly, she let out a cry and clenched her teeth tightly

So she is the sister of the train conductor, no wonder. Zhu Tong had just felt that the two of them were somewhat similar. After a moment of contemplation, he said: "I have not seen this case before; it was merely luck earlier. She seems to be possessed, and this illness should have occurred suddenly. Have you sought medical attention from doctors elsewhere?"

This is a pair of extraordinarily beautiful eyes, large and phoenix-like, enchanting and profound. The thick, black eyelashes, though somewhat disheveled, faithfully guard the deep brown irises, resembling a deep lake. From the depths of that lake, a shadow of a butterfly can be faintly discerned. Zhu Tong focused intently, only to realize it was an illusion. At this moment, a wave of pain seemed to wash over her; the girl furrowed her brows, and two tears welled up from the lake-like depths of her eyes, sliding down her cheeks. The corners of her mouth twitched a few times, yet no sound escaped her lips. The pain and endurance, along with the tears, dampened Zhu Tong's hardened heart.

"Are you studying medicine?" the train police officer asked, looking hopefully at the medical books on the coffee table

The long whistle of the train sounded, and the conductor stood up: "We are about to arrive at the station, and I need to go down for the handover. Dr. Li, please take good care of her. Are they your colleagues? They can rest in the soft sleeper compartment"

The train had stopped, and the one with glasses came over with luggage alongside a companion. Qin Miao also emerged from the adjacent compartment, interrupting Zhu Tong's thoughts. It turned out that the train attendant had opened another private room next door; after all, there weren't many passengers on this train, and the soft sleeper was particularly quiet. Zhu Tong went to arrange her luggage and then returned to Room 5. However, both Qin Miao and the one with glasses were very excited, seemingly as it was their first time entering a soft sleeper compartment. Shanghai was approaching, and at this point, sitting in the soft sleeper didn't hold much significance.

Zhu Tong was hesitating when he heard the glasses calling out: "Don't let her bite her tongue. Find something for her to bite on." Zhu Tong immediately extended his left hand to support the girl's lower jaw, tilting her head back.

The flames extinguished, the beautiful eyes closed, and the girl's body completely relaxed. The people around her remained in disbelief until a faint smile appeared on her face, accompanied by a soft snore; Qin Miao and the glasses-wearer finally cheered, collapsing onto the opposite bunk.

Hearing this, Zhu Tong wanted to laugh; it seemed that his ability to play the doctor was quite impressive.

Such pure white eggs, Zhu Tong has probably never seen many in his lifetime. It seems the chef has carefully cleaned them to please the train conductor. Zhu Tong picked up the smallest egg, gently piercing three small holes in a triangular pattern, and stuffed it into Ye Er's mouth. He then took another egg, gestured with a silver needle a few times, and before Qin Miao and the train conductor could see clearly, the silver needle had already punctured seven tiny holes in the egg, arranged in the shape of the Big Dipper.

The train started once again, and before long, the conductor opened the door and walked in

A silver needle appeared in Zhu Tong's hand. Zhu Tong opened a bottle of Erguotou and repeatedly cleaned the silver needle with the liquor, washing it several times and then roasting it with a lighter before cleaning it again. This could not be done carelessly; the silver needle had been hidden in Zhu Tong's collar, coated with the same hallucinogenic drug as that in the lighter. If it wasn't cleaned properly, how could it be used?

Nonsense, how could any doctor see such a beautiful Sleeping Beauty as a man? Zhu Tong shook his head: "I am a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, that would be very impolite."

Wishing Tong Mianli to control himself, he raises his hand to check the watch: "Take it off after half an hour, it is now around 4 o'clock, the hour of the tiger. It is best to have her head facing north. Of course, if you do not believe in superstitions, that is fine too."

A strong sour odor assaulted the senses; the private room appeared to have been cleaned, with the bedding on the lower bunk on the right stacked above. The train attendant in the soft sleeper carriage was comforting the patient lying there.

Qin Miao is sensitive, seeing Zhu Tong's slightly flushed face, he smiled and tapped his chest lightly.

The sleeve was once again stuffed into the girl's mouth, and her pain began to flare up once more. Her graceful body twisted incessantly, while Zhu Tong and Qin Yao rushed forward to hold down the girl's legs. The conductor and the attendant managed to restrain her upper body, and all of them were panting heavily, barely managing to control her.

After speaking, he opened the door to Room 5 for Zhu Tong.

We have visited all the hospitals we could, in Shanghai, Beijing, traditional Chinese medicine, Western medicine, specialists, and professors. We do not know how many places we have been to or how many experts we have seen, yet we still cannot find the cause of her illness, and no one knows what disease she has. The train conductor sat beside his sister, arranging her hair.

"Yes, we all are. This is Dr. Li, and we are studying nursing." The glasses betrayed Zhu Tong, who wore a smug expression. At that moment, although Zhu Tong was smiling, he wished he could kick her off the train.

"Doctor Li, please don't be so polite; saving lives is the priority." Qin Miao held the pure white egg in her hand, feeling a bit dizzy. The tiny hole that Zhu Tong had made was too minuscule, and after a short while, she could no longer distinguish where the needle mark was.

Zhu Tong held the patient's right hand, lightly placing three fingers on the pulse gate. This skill was indeed his, a result of training from his master since childhood. The girl had a scar on her pulse gate, and Zhu Tong immediately recognized it as the result of a wrist cutting. The wound had healed well, yet still displayed delicate red lines; this indicated that the suicide had occurred not long ago

The train conductor walked into Room 5, gazing affectionately at the girl who was sleeping: "She hasn't slept like this in a long time. Thank you, Dr. Li. She is my sister. Do you know what illness she has?"

"You must place the egg on her chest carefully, ensuring that the side with the hole is pressed tightly against the skin." Zhu Tong handed the egg to Qin Yao and was about to open the door to step aside

The train conductor called out to Qin Yao to help lift Ye Er and adjust her position: "What do you mean by believing or not believing? I believe in traditional Chinese medicine, and I also believe that you can cure Ye Er's illness"

The patient let out a groan, and a layer of concern flashed across the face of the conductor standing at the door; Zhu Tong was carefully examining the pulse. Although he was a quack doctor, he found this pulse quite peculiar.

Zhu Tong felt a pang in his heart; he knew that once she woke up again, she would face the same suffering. At this moment, he felt only heartache, devoid of any malicious thoughts; even though he knew nothing about this patient named Ye Er, he was deeply drawn to her. Remembering her earlier state of unbearable pain, Zhu Tong felt a sharp sting in his heart. He began to search through his limited knowledge and understanding, not to deceive, but merely to seek solace for himself by alleviating the suffering of such a beautiful life. Remembering her earlier state of unbearable pain, Zhu Tong felt a sharp sting in his heart. He began to search through his limited knowledge and understanding, not to deceive, but merely to seek solace for himself by alleviating the suffering of such a beautiful life

The train police officer entered the carriage and began to observe the appearance of each person, seemingly searching for something

Zhu Tong tightly held her pulse with one hand while bringing the lighter close to her eyes with the other; her beautiful eyes were drawn to the flames, creating a moment of silence. Zhu Tong slowly lowered the lighter, and when it reached her nose, she pressed the mechanism on the lighter and gently blew: "Take a nap, when you wake up, everything will be different"

The milky white cashmere sweater was lifted, revealing the smooth and fair skin of the abdomen. The train conductor was about to unfasten Ye's bra when Zhu hurriedly intervened.

Although Zhu Tong felt at ease internally, he naturally harbored a sense of vigilance towards the police in his line of work. At this moment, he appeared relaxed on the outside, yet his heart was filled with waves of tension

This technique is indeed a method to subdue the enemy. If someone like Zhu Tong were to seize the pulse points and exert force, even a strong man would be powerless to resist, let alone when both pulse points are controlled. The girl truly collapsed, tears welling in her eyes as she looked at Zhu Tong, pleading in a hoarse voice: "Doctor, please don't mind me, let me die, I truly cannot endure any longer"

Zhu Tong furrowed his brows; the patient was very young, appearing to be just in her early twenties. Although her hair was unkempt, her pale face bore no trace of color, and her delicate features suggested that she should be a beautiful girl. However, the pain was clearly still tormenting her. Her off-white sweater was stained with dirt, and there were two bite marks on the train attendant's sleeve, likely left by the girl during an episode of pain.

As for the secret techniques of other sects, the old trickster would merely speak offhandedly, finishing his words without any detailed explanation; the healing methods learned by Zhu Tongxue were partly derived from his covert observations and insights while following the old trickster, and partly acquired from a filthy parchment book. He had only looked at this book for half a day and did not understand much of it, and now he did not know where the old trickster had hidden it.

Zhu Tong stood up from beside the girl and asked the patient's sister: "Are there any raw eggs in the car?"

The dining car is right next to the No. 10 sleeper compartment. A bottle of Erguotou and four pristine white eggs quickly appeared before Zhu Tong. Just as the train conductor entered, Qin Miao closed the door at Zhu Tong's gesture, and the two of them looked at Zhu Tong, the impostor doctor, with curiosity.

As soon as his fingers made contact with the delicate skin, Zhu Tong halted. The patient opened her eyes, looking at him with a weak yet somewhat wary expression

"Yes, how many jin do you need?" the train conductor replied swiftly

The pulse represents the patient's heart condition, and even with rudimentary skills, one can discern that such a rapid heartbeat is a very dangerous situation.

In Zhu Tong's memory, it seems he never had a childhood; he spent his early years amidst constant beatings and struggles. His master, an unsuccessful old conman, should more accurately be described as a wandering gambler and drunkard, took Zhu Tong and his two senior brothers to roam around various parts of China. The three brothers, still too young to understand, were forced to learn three characters for 'ghost' and one for 'dog,' using a small wooden stick to write in the filthy, dark corners. This was the only legitimate knowledge imparted by the old conman, and any mistake would result in a flurry of beatings.

Let me die! The girl released her tightly clenched teeth and cried out, her hands tearing at the conductor and the man with glasses.

The train police finally arrived beside them, taking a careful look at them. Zhu Tong raised his eyes to meet theirs, and sweat began to form in the palms of his hands

The train conductor's hands were very soft, yet the words spoken were very clear: "As long as we stabilize the patient's condition, Dr. Li, we will arrive at Shanghai Station in three hours. The next stop is Changzhou Station. If the patient's condition worsens and poses a life-threatening risk, please notify me immediately. Do not hesitate to ask for anything you need."

"You should also take a break; you must be exhausted from the journey." The train conductor opened the door to another compartment, allowing the weary female attendant to enter and rest. Zhu Tong stood up and walked into the aisle, waiting for the train conductor, as he planned to take this opportunity to purchase a soft sleeper ticket.

Zhu Tong indicated for Qin Miao to hold the patient's long legs tightly, then sat down, adjusted his glasses, and with both hands grasped the patient's wrists at the pulse points, applying pressure and tightening his grip

The train police officer approached her and whispered, "Conductor, the doctor has arrived for you. This is Dr. Li from Tongren Hospital. These two are nurses, and they are all here. I have trained my eyes for over ten years; I can usually guess what someone does with just a glance, and I could tell they were from the hospital long ago."

Let us first examine the patient; I am a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, and whether I can be of assistance will depend on the circumstances

The pristine white egg was placed into the towering bosom, where the intricately designed bra served as a constraint. When Zhu Tong's fingers made contact with the delicate skin, there was an almost electric sensation. Steadying her mind, she secured the white egg in place against Ye Er's chest.

The space in the compartment was cramped. After the train attendant left, Zhu Tong knelt down and, after a moment's thought, used his hand to lift the patient's eyelid. This should be the first step; at the very least, he needed to check if the pupils were dilated. If it was a corpse, there would be no trouble at all.

Look, this is a flame. If a person loses their confidence, they will extinguish like a flame. Life is actually very fragile and can be extinguished at any moment, but suicide is undoubtedly the most foolish option

The girl's pulse is strong and vigorous, indicating a powerful presence, growing robust and harmonious with the books. After the blessing is bestowed, it gradually quickens, like the urgent plucking of a string.

As the child in the clothing sample closed his eyes in deep thought, the train conductor whispered softly in the patient's ear: "Ye'er, the doctor has arrived, hold on a bit."

Carriage 10 is a soft sleeper, in front of the door of compartment 5, a young train conductor, who is a plump young woman, is anxiously waiting for a patient to appear during her duty shift, which is the most troubling matter for her

"Doctor Li, please go to Car No. 10; there is a patient who has suddenly fallen ill, and the situation is quite serious." The conductor tightly grasped Zhu Tong's hand. This time, Zhu Tong did not feel nervous, only fear; he had only learned the art of deception from his master, and moreover, he had no props with him. Following the conductor to see the patient would undoubtedly expose him.

The train conductor stopped him: "You are a doctor, it is best for you to perform the procedure yourself. In your eyes, patients should have no gender."

Zhu Tong truly did not know what illness this was; he merely used hallucinogenic drugs to make the patient accept his psychological suggestion. This formula was a secret recipe he learned from his master. Among ten people who inhaled this substance, eight would unconditionally accept Zhu Tong's suggestions or commands. However, as a skilled professional con artist, Zhu Tong's ability to subtly inquire about the situation was also quite adept, making it particularly useful at this moment

Outside the window, the lights are dazzling. In Box No. 5, Zhu Tong opens a small gap in the window to gradually disperse the sour and foul air in the room. He once again takes hold of the patient's wrist, merely pretending to be attentive; at this moment, he must also adopt the demeanor of a doctor.

Four will suffice, and try to find the white-skinned ones. Bring another bottle of liquor, the higher the alcohol content, the better. Zhu Tong smiled slightly. He recalled a possibility: since the doctors could not determine what illness Ye Er had, he could only try to see if she was truly possessed. Zhu Tong's master often played tricks and performed supernatural feats, but he still had some skill in dealing with evil spirits; although he had not received his master's true teachings, having followed him around in his childhood, he naturally gained some experience.

In that moment, Zhu Tong broke out in a fine sweat, and the hand that had come into contact with Ye Er's soft chest muscles was still trembling slightly; it seemed that just that one touch had intoxicated the hand.

Along the way, Zhu Tong had already adjusted his mood. Since they had encountered this situation and could not avoid it, he might as well try the skills taught by his master, even though he himself did not fully believe in those methods. Fortunately, the police officer on the road had already mentioned the patient's condition, stating that the patient was experiencing sudden manic episodes, persistent vomiting, and had suicidal tendencies, seemingly unable to bear the pain.

The bespectacled individual cheered and ran towards carriage number 16. Qin Miao followed the bespectacled one to collect the luggage, glancing back at Zhu Tong before exiting, filled with both admiration and curiosity.