Chapter 75: A Little Trick

"Alright." Ling Xiao released his grip, his expression calm as he uttered the words.

"What did you say?" Cai Xiaoya's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Are you kidding? You just finished checking my grandfather’s pulse, and it hasn’t even been a minute! Now you claim he’s cured? Who are you trying to fool? Is a million so easy to scam?"

"Enough! Xiaoya, don’t be disrespectful!" Old Master Cai rebuked her sharply, then took several steps back and bowed deeply to Ling Xiao.

"I have lived most of my life, but I have never met a remarkable man like you, Mr. Ling. Your kindness and virtue, I shall never forget!"

"Leave." Ling Xiao responded curtly, and although Cai Xiaoya wanted to protest, her grandfather pulled her away forcefully.

Once outside, Cai Xiaoya was so furious she could hardly breathe.

"Grandfather, why are you so partial to him? He’s obviously a fraud!"

"Silly child!" Ling Changyuan sighed, then found a stone nearby and smashed it to pieces with a single punch, his hand left unscathed.

"What?" Cai Xiaoya gaped in astonishment.

Old Master Cai’s expression was solemn as he spoke, "You see now, don’t you? In just a few seconds, not only was yesterday’s injury healed, but even the energy center in my body, destroyed years ago, has been restored! With such medical skill, even an immortal descended from the heavens could not compare! This man is truly extraordinary. From now on, don’t provoke him—otherwise, even I won’t be able to protect you."

At that moment, Ling Xiao walked away, hands behind his back, tea cup in hand, never once glancing at the pair.

Old Master Ling immediately pressed his granddaughter’s neck, bowing alongside her.

Cai Xiaoya stole a glance at that once annoying figure, who suddenly seemed towering and unfathomable.

...

Over the next two days, more cars began gathering outside the clinic.

BMW, Mercedes, Rolls-Royce, Bentley… The cars grew increasingly expensive and numerous!

The humble clinic seemed to have become a coveted treasure overnight.

Banners and plaques were hung at the entrance, proclaiming: "Healing Hands," "Hua Tuo Reborn," "Unmatched Medicine"...

The clinic, once dismissed by everyone, suddenly became the talk of the town.

From then on, the chess-playing youth disappeared from the street, while the alley grew ever livelier.

Ling Xiao treated patients, sometimes accepting payment, sometimes not.

But those who had once ridiculed the Ling family clinic were never acknowledged—no matter how much money they offered, he refused to treat them.

It was only then that these people began to complain, regretting not having cultivated a good relationship with Ling Xiao.

This peaceful routine lasted barely two days.

On the fourth day of the clinic’s resurgence, a middle-aged woman pulled a tricycle up to the Ling family clinic, carrying a tall, thin man.

Ling Xiao had just returned from sending Mu Yiren to work and was approaching the entrance when the woman rushed forward, clinging desperately to his leg.

"Miracle doctor! Please, save my husband! I beg you, he’s dying!"

Ling Xiao glanced at the man in the cart, his brows furrowing. Annoyed, he kicked the woman aside and strode into the courtyard.

"Get out!"

The woman burst into anguished tears.

"Doctor, don’t go! Please, save my husband! If he dies, how will we survive?"

Her cries attracted a crowd of neighbors.

"Doctor, I beg you! We can’t offer a million, but my husband’s life matters! If you save him, we’ll repay you for generations, be it as oxen or horses!"

People began to gossip.

"Ling Xiao is unbelievable—his treatments start at a million, who knows how much he’s made these past days, and he won’t even save a life? He’s blinded by money!"

"What’s the point of medical skill if he has a heart of stone?"

"I used to play chess with him! I always knew he was money-crazed—what a disgrace."

Voices rose outside, as though the crowd wished to storm in and denounce Ling Xiao.

Ling Xiao’s eyes narrowed, cold rays flashing.

"A mere ant dares to stir trouble!"

He shouted toward the courtyard, "Ming Cheng, come out and deal with them!"

At his call, Ming Cheng dashed out, faster than a rabbit.

"On it!"

The two stepped outside. Ling Xiao’s murderous intent caused the crowd to retreat instinctively.

But with numbers on their side, the crowd regained their bravado.

"Ling Xiao, how can you ignore a dying man?"

"Exactly! What kind of doctor are you? You have no medical ethics—money is all you care about!"

Ling Xiao swept his cold gaze over them, offering no explanation, but signaled to Ming Cheng.

Ming Cheng understood, grinning as he approached the cart, tapped the man’s face, then pinched a bit of flesh on his ear and twisted hard.

In an instant, the man who appeared on the verge of death screamed and leapt three feet high, rubbing his ear furiously.

"Oh my god, it hurts! It hurts so much!"

At that moment, everyone’s expressions shifted dramatically.

The middle-aged woman, witnessing this scene, changed her expression and tried to slip away through the crowd.

But as she squeezed out, she collided with a burly figure—Ming Cheng had somehow circled to the crowd’s edge.

Her face turned pale. She tried to run but was grabbed by Ming Cheng, who flung her back into the crowd, landing her right before Ling Xiao.

She looked up and met Ling Xiao’s icy gaze, shivering involuntarily.

"Do… Doctor, I was wrong, I was wrong!"

She kowtowed repeatedly, but Ling Xiao asked coldly, "Who sent you?"

The woman trembled, her eyes evasive.

"No… no one sent us. My husband and I just wanted to test if the miracle doctor’s skills were as legendary as they say! We meant no harm!"

Ling Xiao snorted, stepping forward, his shoe pressing down on her hand.

He twisted his foot slightly, and blood and flesh blurred together.

"Ah—!"

The woman screamed in agony.

"I’ll ask you again—who sent you?"

Her husband immediately shouted, "He’s beating my wife! I’m calling the police, I’m calling…"

"Call your damned mother!" Ming Cheng stepped forward and kicked him away. The man’s blue-green phone fell to the ground, crushed under Ming Cheng’s foot.

"Damn it! You dare provoke the king of this mountain? Do you even know what you are? If you don’t start talking, I’ll finish you both."