This humble Taoist priest wants to take the college entrance exam.

Chapter 253 Acupuncture (One long chapter today)
[The National Meteorological Center predicts that a new and stronger cold front will arrive starting tomorrow, which will be the strongest cold front since the second half of this year...]
In the warm house, the lights illuminated the living room, and the black cat lay on the sofa watching TV, which was broadcasting the weather forecast.

Li Wanyin flipped through a small ledger at the dining table, her pen tip gliding lightly across the paper. Occasionally, she would pause for a moment, her fingertips lightly tapping the accounts as she quietly calculated them.
Chen Shi'an sat on a small stool, holding a carving knife and a block of wood in his hand. The blade moved carefully across the surface of the wood, and the wood shavings fell onto the old newspapers laid out, gradually piling up into a small clump.

With his eyes lowered, he focused intently on carving, and gradually a prototype of a 'sister opening the door to her home' began to emerge.

Time flies, and it's already December before we know it.

Hearing the sound from the TV, Chen Shi'an looked up, but the weather forecast was switched to a traditional opera channel by Fat Cat, who was pressing the remote control.

Chen Shi'an turned to look at the closed sliding door of the balcony.

The rain outside seemed to be getting heavier, and the chill could be faintly felt even through the doors and windows.

When the streetlights in the neighborhood came on, fine rain began to fall in the light and shadow, and raindrops slid down the windowsill, leaving behind tiny water stains.

Chen Shi'an stopped carving and said softly towards the dining table, "Sister Wanyin, it's going to get colder starting tomorrow, and it's raining outside."

Li Wanyin turned her head and glanced at it, nodding and saying, "Yes, they say the temperature is going to drop below five degrees, the coldest it will be is only two or three degrees, and it's raining, so it's damp and cold."

As she spoke, Li Wanyin stood up. She walked to the sliding door of the balcony, gently opened it a crack, and the cold wind carrying the scent of rain immediately seeped in through the gap, making her shiver. She quickly closed the door and windows again and went back into the warm room.

It's strange, but even though we live in the south and there's no central heating in the house, and the air conditioning isn't on either, the room is pleasantly warm, making you want to stay inside and not go outside at all.

"Sigh, I wonder how many days this cold wave will last, with the temperature dropping and rain coming. If it rains every day, I won't be able to set up my stall..."

Li Wanyin sighed sadly.

Although she didn't want to admit it, the rare rest that came with the rain and the drop in temperature made her feel guilty and secretly happy.

Chen Shi'an looked at his sister's worried yet happy expression and said with a smile, "Sister Wanyin, don't worry about the weather. Since it's raining and getting colder, you should take a good rest for a couple of days. I haven't seen you rest since you became a full-time mom. I guess this rain will last for two or three days."

"Well, that's the only way then."

"Is Sister Wanyin secretly pleased?"

"Hehe, no way, I feel really guilty!"

"What time will Sister Wanyin sleep in tomorrow?"

"Nine o'clock...no! Ten o'clock!"

"That means you can sleep a lot."

At the beginning of each month, it was time for Li Wanyin to settle the accounts with him for the previous month.

Taking advantage of Chen Shi'an's free time, Li Wanyin brought over her carefully prepared ledger to show him.

Li Wanyin started working full-time in the second week of last month, and since then, her income has been much higher than it was in October.

Her own monthly income alone reached more than 50,000 yuan, while Chen Shi'an's share reached more than 6,000 yuan.

The income from this stall was enough to make this girl from the countryside happy. Looking at her increasingly full savings, she felt closer and closer to her dream of opening her own shop.

Chen Shi'an was happy, of course. It seemed like he hadn't done much and had earned more than six thousand yuan. Although this was his share, he felt like he was being supported by Sister Wanyin.

"Shi'an, I've transferred the money to you now, okay? Don't you dare nag me anymore!"

"Okay, okay, thank you, Sister Wanyin. Sister Wanyin is the best. Now I have no worries about food and drink."

"Hahaha……"

When money goes out of her own pocket to outsiders, Li Wanyin feels uncomfortable; but when money goes from her own pocket to Chen Shi'an's pocket, and he praises and acknowledges it, she only feels proud and satisfied.

She couldn't help but puff out her chest. Many young people like her, who had just graduated, were struggling to support themselves, but she had already started supporting a young boys' high school student!

"Well, my shoulders are a little sore, Shi'an, could you give me a massage?"

"Okay, okay, thank you for your hard work, Sister Wanyin."

Chen Shi'an chuckled and put down the wood carving in his hand. He stood behind her and used the writing pen in her hand as a hairpin to simply tie up her loose hair, revealing her beautiful and slender neck and shoulders. He then did his best to massage Li Wanyin's shoulders.

Li Wanyin shrank her shoulders a little, feeling a bit itchy. When the boy's warm hands landed on her neck and shoulders, she couldn't help but shiver comfortably.

Taking advantage of this moment of leisure, Li Wanyin took out her phone and sent a message to someone.

Chen Shi'an stood behind her, glancing down at her shoulder. The light and shadow played across her shoulders, revealing the delicate curve of her neck, and the fabric hanging naturally at her neckline created a soft shadow.

Those warm and delicate curves attract people's attention like a magnet, like a valley kissed by a spring breeze, light yet hazy, or like the outline of a snow-capped mountain under the moonlight, carrying a soft beauty.

Chen Shi'an didn't dare to look at her for long, but instead focused his gaze on her phone screen.

"Is Sister Wanyin texting her aunt and sister?"

"Uh-huh!"

"Auntie and my sister probably know that Sister Wanyin has quit her job to set up a stall, right?"

"Um... I know about setting up a stall, but I haven't told my mom about quitting my job yet. Xiaoyue knows, though, and I asked her to keep it a secret."

Why didn't you tell your aunt?

"Well, it's because I'm afraid she'll worry. She probably thinks it's better to have a stable job, so I plan to tell her later."

Li Wanyin was sending messages while chatting with Chen Shi'an.

Little Echo: [Transfer of 3000 yuan]
Little Echo: [Mom, I made quite a bit of money from my stall this month. I'm transferring 3,000 yuan to you for household expenses. It's starting to get colder these days, so you should buy some new clothes too!]
Mom: [You earn money not easily. Didn't I just give you some last month? It's enough for me, you can keep it for yourself (voice message)]
Little Echo: [Oh, Mom, take this. I have enough. Business has been good this month. (voice message)]
Mom: [Then you need to take care of yourself and not overwork yourself. You'll have a lot of health problems when you get old. It's getting cold lately, so wear more layers when you go out. (voice message)]
Little Echo: [Okay—Mom, have you bought any clothes yet? Maybe I can buy you a couple online and send them to you (voice message)]
Mom: [I have no idea how to do this. It seems like there are no courier services in the village. Even if it's sent to the town, I don't know where to pick it up (voice message)]
Little Echo: [How about this, I'll fill in your factory's address. Didn't you say last time that the coworkers all send things by courier to the factory where the security office receives them? I'll let you know when they arrive, and you can go to your security office to pick them up (voice message)]
Mom: [It's okay, Mom has clothes to wear. I'm happy to hear you made money (voice message)]
Little Echo: [It's settled then, I'll send it to you later. Also, Mom, hurry up and accept the money (voice message)]
Mom: [Okay, okay (voice message)]
Little Echo: [How's your back now? (voice message)]
Mom: [It's okay, it's just cold, it's alright. Xiaowan, you should wear more clothes (voice message)]
Little Echo: [Got it—(voice message)]
Mom: [Are you coming home for New Year's Day? (voice message)]
Little Echo: [I might not reply...]
Mom: [Okay, if you're too busy with work to come back, that's fine. It's a long way to and from here anyway. I'll come back when I have time during the Chinese New Year. Take care of yourself (voice message)]
Li Wanyin listened to the voice message twice, remained silent for a while, and then pressed the voice button to reply:

Little Echo: [Then I'll go back for two days over New Year's Day (voice message)]
Mom: [Okay, okay (voice message)]
Chen Shi'an could tell that the aunt was clearly happy.

My mother never accepted the three thousand yuan transfer in the end.

Li Wanyin was chatting in the family group chat. Occasionally, her younger sister, Li Wanyue, would pop up and say a few words. She studied at the middle school in town and lived on campus. She had already finished her evening self-study session, but she was still reading in her dormitory.

Li Wanyin has made a lot of money from her stall recently, and she bought a lot of things for her mother and sister. She bought new shoes and clothes for Xiaoyue and a new mobile phone. However, her mother didn't want anything and just told her to save the money carefully.

Li Wanyin was certainly saving money diligently, with her primary goal being to save enough to open her own shop.

When I make money in the future, I'll renovate our old house and build a beautiful little house like the others in the village.

I also hope that one day the villagers will be able to praise my mother and say: "Your two daughters are really successful!"
Li Wanyin knew that for her mother, what made her happiest was seeing her two daughters doing well and becoming successful, rather than giving her money or buying her things.

It was getting late, so Li Wanyin left the family group chat.

Chen Shi'an, who had been quietly massaging her shoulders from behind, finally spoke up: "Sister Wanyin, are you planning to go home for New Year's Day?"

"Yeah, it's been almost half a year since I went back. I'll go back for New Year's Day."

As she spoke, Li Wanyin said half-jokingly, "Shi'an, didn't you say you wanted to come visit our village last time? Would you like to come with me?"

"Okay."

Chen Shi'an agreed without hesitation.

So much so that Li Wanyin was stunned for a moment, her eyes wide, turning her head to look at him, thinking she had misheard.

"Shi'an, you...you're really going?"

"Hmm, Sister Wanyin doesn't want me to go?"

"No, no! I'd be so happy if you came back with me!"

Li Wanyin smiled a little shyly as she spoke, "It's just that my family lives in the countryside, in a remote place, and our house is old. I hope you won't mind..."

"How could that be? The conditions in the village are much better than in my mountain village."

Li Wanyin was amused by him and finally felt relieved, realizing that her worries were unfounded. Shi'an was someone who understood rural life even better than she did.

I wonder what my mom and the others will think when they see me coming home with such a handsome young man...

Is your aunt not feeling well?

"Yes, it's an old injury from a car accident. My back and legs are a bit problematic, and I often have to go to the hospital for check-ups. But it's actually not too bad now. It's just that I can't do heavy work, and it's more uncomfortable when it's cold."

"I suspect some of her meridians are blocked or broken. When I go back with Sister Wanyin, I'll give Auntie some acupuncture. It should be somewhat effective."

"Really?!"

Li Wanyin was pleasantly surprised to hear this, but she was also a little hesitant to believe it, since her mother's health problem had not been effectively treated despite seeing many doctors and taking many medications.

If someone else had said that, Li Wanyin would have just taken it as a joke.

But Chen Shi'an was different; he was a true Taoist priest. It's said that medicine and Taoism are inseparable, and Li Wanyin had personally experienced the calming tea and massage techniques Chen Shi'an prescribed—they were nothing short of miraculous. "Sister Wanyin, you don't believe me?"

"Of course I believe you, it's just that you're so young, my mom might not believe you so much..."

"Then we'll have to ask Sister Wanyin to help persuade Auntie."

"Hahaha, what nonsense! You're making things sound so awful, but I believe you, I believe you one hundred percent!"

"How about I give Sister Wanyin a couple of acupuncture needles first so she can feel the sensation?"

"...Will it hurt?"

"Hmm, maybe a little bit."

"Then let me try!"

"it is good."

Li Wanyin put down her phone, and with a mix of curiosity and nervousness, followed Chen Shi'an's instructions and sat down on a tall red plastic chair. She pulled her clothes back, revealing her fair neck and shoulders.

Chen Shi'an washed his hands first, and when he came back, he had a small, simple cloth bag in his hand. Then he rummaged through the bag and took out a box of very modern silver needles.

Li Wanyin was taken aback, then chuckled and said, "Shi'an, did you just buy these silver needles? The cloth bag looks so old, I thought they were some kind of antique needles."

"It's just a tool, nothing magical about it. It's more convenient to use these disposable needles now. In the past, my master would boil the needles in a copper pot before giving acupuncture."

"Disinfecting?"

"Yes, each needle is boiled once. As the saying goes, 'Better to go through ten waters than to have a bad hand.' Now that we have these disposable needles, we don't have to go through so much trouble, and they're cheaper too."

Chen Shi'an opened the box, revealing dozens of fine silver needles neatly arranged inside, their surfaces gleaming with a cold luster.

"Sister Wanyin, relax a bit."

"Does it hurt...?"

"Stay calm, it'll only hurt for a moment at most."

"Then, then you have to be gentle..."

Li Wanyin responded, trying to relax her tense shoulders, but her eyes couldn't help but glance at the gleaming silver needles; she was most afraid of needles.

Chen Shi'an's fingers landed precisely on an acupoint where the back of her neck met her shoulder, gently pressing to find the most suitable spot.

Then, he picked up one of the silver needles, his movements swift and steady.

prick!
Li Wanyin felt a very slight, cool touch on her neck and shoulders, as if she had been gently touched by a cold raindrop.

She instinctively held her breath, waiting for the expected stinging pain.

"Does it hurt?" Chen Shi'an asked softly.

"……what?"

Li Wanyin was stunned: "Shi'an, have you already taken the acupuncture needles?"

"Hmm, does it hurt?"

"...That's amazing! I didn't feel anything?"

"Sister Wanyin, don't move, keep relaxing."

"it is good……"

No one knew what Chen Shi'an had done, but soon, Li Wanyin was surprised to find that a strong soreness and distension suddenly surged from the depths of the acupoint where the cool touch had landed.

"...It's so sour... Hmm... It feels sour right to the bone... But... Huh?"

As she described the soreness, the sensation spread rapidly like ripples from a stone thrown into a lake. A strange, indescribable warmth, as if guided by the slender silver needle, gushed forth from the depths of the acupoint where it had been inserted.

This warm current was not scorching, but rather gentle like the spring sun, quickly spreading along the veins of her shoulders and neck.

"Hmm~"

Li Wanyin couldn't help but close her eyes, which were half-closed with a little bit of white showing.

Completely captivated by this strange feeling, I couldn't utter a single word.

After all, there was nothing seriously wrong with her sister's health. Chen Shi'an was just trying to regulate her blood and qi, promote blood circulation, and relieve muscle fatigue.

With focused expression, he picked up a few more silver needles with his fingertips, his movements fluid and precise, piercing several key acupoints on the inner side of her shoulder blades and the back of her neck.

The silver needles were merely tools; the key was Chen Shi'an's magical power, which, along with the needles, cleared all the blocked meridians and guided the smooth flow of qi and blood.

In fact, with his skill level, even without silver needles, he could perform acupuncture using qi-generating needles, although the effect would be slightly weaker.

Li Wanyin clearly felt that as several silver needles were inserted, several warm currents converged and flowed through the stiff muscles and meridians of her shoulders and neck.

Chen Shi'an's fingers occasionally twirled or flicked the needle's end, the movements were very small, yet they carried a wonderful rhythm.

As he moved, Li Wanyin felt the warm current as if it had been injected with vitality, flowing more actively through her meridians, and the blood and qi in her entire back were also mobilized.

The heaviness and lingering soreness accumulated from long-term fatigue began to melt and dissipate rapidly as this warm current flowed through, as if a frozen stream were quietly thawing under the warm spring sun, and the blocked channel was cleared again.

"Hmm~"

She couldn't help but let out a comfortable sound from her throat, her voice carrying a languidness and comfort she herself didn't even realize.

"How are you feeling, Sister Wanyin?"

Chen Shi'an's voice rang out above her head, tinged with amusement.

Li Wanyin gradually came to her senses, her pretty face flushed with surprise and disbelief:
"Shi'an, your needle... is really... amazing. It didn't hurt at all, just a slight tingling sensation... and then my whole body felt warm and comfortable."

"Were you afraid when you were about to give Sister Wanyin acupuncture?"

"I'm not afraid anymore..."

Now that my sister has tasted the sweetness, she's not afraid at all. I should have Shi'an give her a few more treatments another day.

"This is warm needling, mainly to regulate qi and blood, and to clear the meridians and dispel cold. Sister Wanyin is in good health, but she has some strain and slight blockage."

"So that's it..."

"Alright, that's enough. Moxibustion for too long isn't good either. Sister Wanyin won't be able to withstand my magic power in a little while."

As Chen Shi'an spoke, he gently twisted and pulled out each silver needle.

Li Wanyin couldn't understand what he meant by 'power'. She just felt that this brat was increasingly exceeding her expectations. Sometimes she really felt that he was not just a Taoist priest, but some kind of deity.

After Chen Shi'an finished acupuncture, Li Wanyin stood up and couldn't wait to stretch her body. She felt lighter than ever before. In the dead of winter, she felt her palms and soles were warm and burning. Her surprise and admiration were almost overflowing.

"It's amazing, Shi'an, it's really amazing. I feel like you can really heal my mom's old back and leg injuries."

"Yes, when we get to Sister Wanyin's house, I'll check on Auntie's condition. At least it should improve."

"it is good!"

"Sister Wanyin, remember not to touch cold water later. You just finished acupuncture, so it's best to avoid getting chilled. You should rest as soon as possible and keep warm under the covers."

Chen Shi'an then asked her, "It's going to get colder tonight. Do you have enough blankets, Sister Wanyin? If not, you can take my summer blanket and use it."

"...It's actually a bit cold."

As Li Wanyin spoke, she couldn't wait to go to Chen Shi'an's room and bring out his unused summer quilt.

"It's getting late, Shi'an, goodnight, remember to wear more clothes tomorrow."

"Good night."

Li Wanyin returned to her room.

Chen Shi'an opened the sliding door to the balcony and looked out at the wind and rain in the cold night.

Looks like I'll have to walk to school with Xiaozhi tomorrow morning...

December has arrived before we knew it.

(Today's update)
(End of this chapter)