Chapter 071: Could It Be Him

Chapter 071: Could It Be Him

The old man, hearing what Ye Feng said, became even more convinced of him. In fact, he himself didn’t quite know why he trusted this young man so much—perhaps it was because Ye Feng didn’t seem like a street charlatan or a wandering quack. On the contrary, there was an aura about the young man that left the old man secretly astonished.

The old man and Ye Feng slowly made their way toward a nearby pavilion. Ye Feng, however, didn’t notice the old man subtly shaking his head at a middle-aged man intending to walk over from a distance, signaling him not to approach. The middle-aged man merely followed from afar.

“Please, take a seat, sir. Let me check your pulse,” Ye Feng said with a gentle smile. There was something familiar about this old man, but he couldn’t quite recall where he might have seen him before or if they’d ever crossed paths. Perhaps he was mistaken.

“Thank you, young man. May I ask your name?” the old man asked with evident delight, watching Ye Feng carefully. As Ye Feng lowered his head to check the old man’s pulse, he replied casually, “My name is Ye Feng.”

When the old man heard the name, a look of surprise flashed across his face, quickly replaced by relief, though Ye Feng took no notice of it. Ye Feng examined the man’s pulse with great care, then slowly straightened up and looked at him. “Sir, your condition is quite serious. I can’t promise a cure, but I’ll do my best.”

“Thank you. Doing your best is all I can ask,” the old man replied with a smile. This young man was truly remarkable—no wonder Xiao Ling was so taken with him. Calm, composed, neither arrogant nor rash, and unfailingly courteous. The old man began to weigh his own thoughts in silence.

Ye Feng chuckled. “You’re too polite, sir. This problem must have been a great burden to you, hasn’t it?” He studied the old man intently, trying to glean more, but nothing concrete revealed itself—though the resemblance still nagged at him.

“Yes, it’s been quite troubling. Age hasn’t helped, and this persistent cough has caused me much distress,” the old man sighed. He had been holding on out of necessity; his work still needed him, and when he thought of his beloved granddaughter, still unmarried, he found himself unwilling to let go.

Ye Feng was moved by the old man’s words. Had they not met, who knows how his future might have turned out? Such a stubborn ailment, if not dealt with in time, would only worsen, spreading from the lungs to other internal organs. By then, not even a celestial sage could help.

Ye Feng instructed the old man to close his eyes and breathe deeply. The old man followed his directions. Ye Feng began to channel his energy into his palms, starting at the old man’s shoulders and slowly moving down. The old man suddenly felt a warm current flowing through his back, as if the energy had become sentient, gently making its way toward his heart.

Ye Feng dared not relax for a moment, focusing his entire attention on the old man’s physical changes. As his internal energy entered the old man’s body, he noticed a slight tremor—an entirely normal reaction.

Sensing the tremor, Ye Feng knew his inner force was taking effect. He continued to channel his energy, and the old man’s body twitched once more before calming down. Ye Feng realized the old man’s body was gradually accepting the influx of his energy.

He then directed a steady flow of internal energy into the old man, moving his hands up and down the man’s back, guiding the circulation of energy. Gradually, the old man felt a soothing warmth spread through his chest, letting out a soft, contented sigh.

Ye Feng’s energy continued to pour into the old man’s body as he shifted position, placing one hand on the old man’s chest. His hands formed a symmetrical pattern, front and back.

A small crowd began to gather, watching Ye Feng’s unusual movements. “What on earth is this young man doing?” someone wondered aloud. No one had seen such a thing before, and speculation soon broke out among them.

“Maybe it’s some kind of massage,” one person suggested with a laugh. Another disagreed, guessing it was a form of physical therapy or some method of recovery. The crowd found these theories plausible, though Ye Feng paid them no mind, wholly absorbed in treating the old man.

The old man, meanwhile, felt the chill in his lungs slowly dissipating, replaced by a growing warmth in his core. Even the discomfort in his lungs was fading, and the urge to cough was gone.

Ye Feng focused intently, continuously channeling his energy into the old man. The bystanders gradually drifted away, leaving only the middle-aged man at a distance, his hand resting on his belt, ready to intervene should anything happen to the old man. Still, he noticed the old man seemed to like this young man, though he couldn’t figure out why.

Time passed—twenty minutes or so. Finally, Ye Feng slowly withdrew his energy, regulated his breathing, and glanced at the old man, who was still sitting with eyes closed. Leaning closer, Ye Feng spoke softly into the old man’s ear, “How do you feel now, sir? Is your body more comfortable?”

The old man opened his eyes slowly, feeling much improved. A warm current was coursing through him, the chill in his lungs nearly gone. Though it lingered faintly, the difference was remarkable. He looked at Ye Feng gratefully. “Thank you, young man. I feel much better, especially since I no longer have that urge to cough. My whole body feels warm and comfortable.”

“That’s good,” Ye Feng replied with a smile. “The cold energy in your body is of a yin nature and can only be countered with yang. I’ve studied a few techniques that work slowly over time. I’ve done what I can for now. Remember to buy some remedies for your lungs when you get home—bitter apricot kernels with fritillaria and glehnia root are good for clearing the lungs, moistening dryness, and relieving cough.”

“Thank you, young man. Here’s my phone number. If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to call,” the old man said cheerfully, fishing out a slip of paper with a single number on it. Ye Feng sensed this was no ordinary number, but accepted it out of courtesy. The old man insisted on giving Ye Feng some money, but Ye Feng politely declined and saw him off.

Watching the old man’s departing figure, a startling thought occurred to Ye Feng—could it really be him? If so, he had just rendered a great service indeed. But his musings were abruptly interrupted by the shrill ringing of his phone.