Zinnia and Charlie both looked grim.
“Zinnia, do you have any way to help?” Sofia stood anxiously by, her gaze falling on Henry, who lay motionless on the sofa. Tears welled up in her eyes. The shrapnel from the back of Henry’s neck had already been removed, and the wound was properly dressed.
“Grandma, trust me. I have a way. I can save Grandpa,” Zinnia said firmly, dropping to one knee on the carpet. With steady hands, she began inserting needles one by one into Henry, forming a circle around his chest.
“Alright, I trust you,” Sofia choked out, digging her nails into her palms as she struggled to contain her overwhelming grief.
“Zinnia, how bad is Grandpa’s condition?” Jackson asked, his trust in her deepening, especially knowing she had trained under Nathan.
“Jackson…” Zinnia couldn’t hide the truth; Henry’s condition was visibly deteriorating.
“Mr. Lynn, the medical team is here,” the waiter announced as he opened the private room door. Outside stood the medical team and the restaurant manager, both visibly tense. With Henry, the Lynn family patriarch, collapsing in their establishment, they were terrified. The very future of the restaurant could be at stake.
“Please wait outside for now,” Jackson said, his eyes fixed on Zinnia’s hands as she inserted the needles.
“Understood, sir. We’ll wait right outside. Just call if you need anything,” the manager replied deferentially.
Zinnia remained composed. “Jackson, I need a quiet room,” she said. “Given Grandpa’s current condition, it would be best not to move him.”
“Grandma, let’s step outside and give Zinnia space to treat Grandpa,” Jackson said gently but firmly, taking Sofia’s hand.
“Can’t I stay here with him?” Sofia pleaded, her voice trembling with worry.
“Grandma, if you stay here, Zinnia will worry about you. She won’t be able to focus completely on treating Grandpa,” Jackson soothed Sofia gently.
“Zinnia, I’m entrusting your grandpa to your care,” Sofia said, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked at Zinnia.
“Don’t worry, Grandma.” Zinnia nodded firmly.
“Isaac, help Grandma out first,” Jackson instructed, gesturing for Isaac to assist Sofia.
“Alright,” Isaac agreed, his voice thick with emotion.
After Sofia left, only Jackson, Yannis, Charlie, Zinnia, and the unconscious Henry were left in the private room. Jackson asked with a stern face, “Zinnia, what are the chances?”
“Jackson, to be honest, it’s fifty–fifty,” Zinnia said quietly, her fingers still resting on Henry’s wrist as she took his pulse.
“Fifty percent…” Jackson’s heart sank. He turned to Charlie. “Charlie, if we take Grandpa to the hospital now, what would his success rate be?”
Charlie’s voice was hoarse as he explained, “If we send Grandpa to the hospital now, the time lost during transport will reduce his survival rate to just thirty percent. And given his age and heart condition, he likely wouldn’t survive surgery. Conservative treatment would be safer for him.”
In short, acupuncture was the better option for Henry. Given his heart condition and advanced age, surgery would be too risky. Taking him to the hospital would actually be more dangerous than letting Zinnia treat him. They observed that Henry’s complexion gradually began to stabilize after Zinnia’s acupuncture.
Chapter 218
“Zinnia, I’m entrusting Grandpa to you,” Jackson said gravely.
“He’s my grandpa, too,” Zinnia said seriously.
By this point, Jackson was fully aware of the gravity of the situation and made to leave.
Yannis, who had been silent until now, walked over to Zinnia, leaned down, and gently placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. In a soft voice, he said “Keep going, but don’t push yourself too hard. If it ever feels like too much, we can always find another way.”
For some reason, Yannis couldn’t shake off a sense of unease. Charlie’s worried expression made it clear just how critical Henry’s condition was. ‘What exactly is she planning to do to save him?’ he wondered.
“Alright.” Zinnia pressed her dry lips together. “You all should step outside now. His condition is critical. I need to begin the acupuncture immediately.”
“Charlie will stay to assist you,” Yannis said. With Charlie’s medical training, Yannis thought Charlie might be able to help Zinnia.
Zinnia didn’t object. She simply nodded and said, “Alright.”
With that, Yannis and Jackson left the room.
“Zinnia, Grandpa…” Charlie’s face was ashen. As a well–trained physician, he understood the gravity of Henry’s condition better than anyone except Zinnia. But without medical equipment, his hands were tied. He was powerless to help. Earlier, with Sofia present, he’d withheld the grim truth, fearing the shock would be too much for her.
“Charlie, I can save him,” Zinnia said with calm determination, her eyes showing an uncharacteristic stubbornness. She was absolutely certain she could bring him back. “I’ve already stabilized his meridians with acupuncture. This will effectively prevent any cardiac stress during the procedure.”
“Zinnia, what are you planning to do?” Charlie knew Zinnia wasn’t one to make empty promises. Since she said she had a way, she must have a solution. As he looked at her, hope flickered in his eyes.
“The Flowing Technique,” Zinnia said as she flipped open Henry’s eyelids. Henry’s eyes were already unfocused. There was no time to lose.
“The–the Flowing Technique?” Charlie’s eyes widened in disbelief. He’d heard of this legendary acupuncture method, a unique creation of Richard, the former head of the Moore family. But it was notoriously difficult to master; even Raymond hadn’t been able to learn it. After the Moore family perished in that tragic fire, everyone thought the technique was lost forever. He never imagined Zinnia would possess it.
“Could you please sterilize my used needles over a flame later?” Zinnia asked as she spread out her silver needle case.
The silver needle case unfurled, spanning a graceful arc nearly a meter long. Inside were 720 needles, each differing in length and thickness. Among them, several caught the light with an eerie violet glint, their edges razor–sharp and chilling.
Suppressing his astonishment, Charlie nodded. “Alright.”
The Flowing Technique targeted nine critical acupoints. These acupoints could relieve headaches, dizziness, and insomnia, boost vitality, regulate internal organs, aid digestion, strengthen the body’s foundation, promote blood circulation, and protect the heart. Every needle placement in acupoints was absolutely critical. There was no room for error.
Charlie stayed close by her side and asked, “Zinnia, how can I help you?”
“I need you to cut my palm with the silver needle. I can’t do it myself,” Zinnia said, extending her soft, delicate hand and picking up a cup from the table. “Please help me squeeze out at least a cup’s worth.”
“Wait, you want to draw blood?” Charlie was completely caught off guard.
“My blood actually has therapeutic properties because I have taken medicinal baths and been on medications since childhood for years. This procedure takes six hours. Grandpa, I’m worried I might not be able to endure it.”