Chen Xiao sneered and responded in fluent English, honed by over a decade of study:
"Treating the sick who aren't sick, and pretending to be sick when they aren't, who is unreliable here?"
"You..."
Daphne was clearly taken aback that Chen Xiao not only understood but was also proficient in English, leaving her utterly embarrassed.
Beside them, Yasuo was already stunned by Chen Xiao's words. He stared blankly at the Chinese medicine payment slip Chen Xiao had printed, exclaiming in disbelief, "Dr. Chen, are you truly confident you can temporarily restore my Daphne's sight?"
He yearned so desperately for his daughter to regain her vision that, even if he doubted Chen Xiao's medical skills, and even if his true intention was to find an opportunity to hold Chen Xiao hostage, he couldn't resist the overwhelming urge to try.
Fulfilling his duty as a consulting physician, Chen Xiao didn't bother with Daphne's attitude or dwell on Yasuo's pretense of illness. He nodded without hesitation: "Because I need more diagnostic data, I can't guarantee a permanent cure for her eyes yet, but giving her three days of sight is as easy as pie."
Yasuo, usually aloof in public, was suddenly moved to tears. Without a second thought, he grabbed the payment slip and rushed out of the examination room: "Dr. Chen, I'll go pay now. Daphne's eyes are in your hands."
Having been blind, Daphne was particularly sensitive. Yasuo's attitude gradually made her realize Chen Xiao's extraordinary nature. Alone with Chen Xiao, she imagined him to be an incredibly skilled, albeit young-sounding, divine physician. With awe and trepidation, she apologized: "Dr. Chen, please forgive my rudeness. Whether you can grant me three days of sight or not, I... I will be grateful to you forever..."
Despite her words, she was immersed in extreme darkness and particularly resistant to physical contact with strangers. Before she finished speaking, she felt Chen Xiao touch her arm, her heart leaping into her throat: "What... what are you doing?"
"Helping you to the temporary bed for acupuncture."
Chen Xiao explained patiently: "If you're afraid, you can wait for your father to return after paying."
"This..."
Daphne hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping. She truly wanted to wait for Yasuo to return, unsure of what Chen Xiao might do to her, which filled her with immense fear. However, she couldn't resist the allure of regaining her sight. After much deliberation, she bravely reached out and tugged at Chen Xiao's white coat: "Thank you, Dr. Chen."
Daphne's blind eyes appeared both unfocused and dim, yet they did not detract from her beautiful features. As she lay back on the temporary bed, her exotic and stunningly beautiful face, coupled with her tall and incredibly voluptuous figure, were revealed to Chen Xiao without reservation.
Chen Xiao forced himself to avoid looking, yet his eyes seemed bewitched, repeatedly falling upon Daphne's neckline and legs. His throat felt dry, his breathing heavy, and his hand holding the needle trembled slightly.
Just then, the efficient Xu Jingyin returned with the various Chinese herbs Chen Xiao needed, also borrowing the necessary instruments for preparing the herbal medicine from the Traditional Chinese Medicine department. It was no wonder she was so highly regarded by Meng Baobao.
With Xu Jingyin present, Chen Xiao felt even more self-conscious. To conceal his involuntary glances at Daphne, he deliberately spoke as he inserted the needles: "Miss Daphne, the silver needles I'm about to insert around your eyes have a special name: the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Longevity Needles. You won't feel any pain from the needle prick; instead, you'll feel a warmth in your eyes and involuntarily shed tears."
Daphne could imagine how embarrassing it was to lie before Chen Xiao. She covered her slightly heaving chest with one hand, held down her disheveled skirt that had already slipped past her knees with the other, brought her legs together, her body trembling slightly, her heart pounding. She wished she could flee.
But then, as she truly felt a growing warmth in her eyes, followed by tears as Chen Xiao had described, the shock in her heart instantly replaced her shyness and nervousness. She exclaimed in disbelief, "Dr. Chen's acupuncture is truly miraculous! Since I lost my sight, my eyes haven't felt any hot or cold stimuli, nor have they shed tears!"
The "longevity" in the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Longevity Needles was inspired by "dead wood meeting spring," and it indeed had an immediate miraculous effect on Daphne's blindness. After a set of Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Longevity Needles were inserted, she felt as if her eyes were bathed in the gentle warmth of the spring sun. The tears, like pearls falling from a broken string, were like timely rain for a long drought, gradually wetting the white pillow.
Following this, Chen Xiao began preparing the Chinese medicine with Xu Jingyin's skillful assistance, his eyes occasionally falling on Daphne's exotic and fiery figure: "Miss Daphne, next I will apply a medicated paste to your eyes. This paste also has a special name: the Three Flowers Six Fruits Nine Herbs Eye Brightening Paste. After just three minutes of application, you will temporarily regain your sight!"