chapter 5 Flying needle pricks the acupuncture point and foams at the mouth

"Mom," he called out, rushing over to her.
Louise Zhang, not yet fifty but with hair graying like a sixty-year-old, had aged quickly from bearing the entire family's burdens alone.
"Cyneburg!" Louise embraced her son, tears streaming down her face.
Cyneburg, coming back to his senses, quickly wiped away his tears and reassured, "Mom, I'm out of prison now. I'll take care of everything at home from now on."
Then he turned towards the men still digging up the tree.
The leader, Cruzito Man, he knew well. Cruzito, the village chief's second son, was a local delinquent who dropped out of elementary school and often bullied Cyneburg in their childhood.
"You're digging up my family's tree? And you want to tear down our house?" Cyneburg asked coldly.
At first sight of Cyneburg, Cruzito was wary, knowing he had just been released from prison. But being no saint himself, he defiantly said, "Your tree is ruining the village's appearance, and I'm going to dig it up. Also, your house lacks proper paperwork. According to the law, we have to demolish it for reconstruction."
Cruzito then threatened, "I know you just got out, but if you dare cross me, I'll make sure you go back to prison!"
Cyneburg chuckled, "Why would I cause trouble? I'm a model citizen now, fully supporting the village's work. But let me warn you, this old locust tree has a spirit. You'd better not touch it."
Cruzito was taken aback, then burst into laughter, "A spirit? You're kidding me!" He then dug his shovel in more fiercely.
At that moment, Cyneburg discreetly launched a gold needle into one of Cruzito's acupoints. The needle, extremely thin, went unnoticed.
Suddenly, Cruzito convulsed, foaming at the mouth, biting his tongue until it bled.
The others panicked, futilely trying to revive him. Cruzito's condition worsened, and his eyes filled with terror.
Cyneburg said, "The Locust Tree Immortal is angry. Better get him to the hospital, or he might die."
They quickly loaded Cruzito into a car and sped off toward the hospital.
Louise, witnessing their sudden departure, wondered if the tree really had a spirit.
Arlet Tang approached with a smile, politely introducing herself to Louise as Cyneburg's friend.
Louise's eyes brightened upon seeing Arlet, "Such a beautiful girl!"
"Is she your girlfriend, Cyneburg? Introduce her to me," she asked excitedly.
Cyneburg quickly clarified, "Mom, she's just a friend, not my girlfriend."
Disappointed, Louise muttered, "Such a shame for such a pretty girl."
Then she asked Arlet with a smile, "Do you have a boyfriend?"
Cyneburg, overwhelmed, quickly suggested going inside to talk.
The courtyard was filled with flower pots, the blossoms in full bloom, thanks to Louise's efforts.
After some small talk with Arlet, Louise went to prepare lunch, and Andi helped her.
Inside, Cyneburg and Arlet were left alone. Arlet suddenly said, "Brother, I can tell you're skilled."
Surprised, Cyneburg looked at her half-smiling, "Oh, you think I'm skilled?"
Arlet nodded, "The power of your kick when you rescued your sister was impressive. What happened just now wasn't the tree spirit but your doing, right?"
Cyneburg was impressed with her insight and asked, "You're quite observant. Who are you really, and why are you following me?"
Arlet sighed, "I'm trouble, big trouble!"
"Big trouble? How so?" Cyneburg inquired.
She explained, "Today was supposed to be my wedding day, but I didn't love the groom, so I ran away."
Cyneburg realized, "So you're a runaway bride, but why are you trouble?"
Arlet bitterly said, "My family has some influence. If they find out I'm with you, it might cause you harm."
Cyneburg asked, "So you're staying here for a while?"
Arlet looked at him pitifully, "Brother, you're a good person. I feel safe with you."
Cyneburg rolled his eyes internally – women can be so complicated!
Lunch was served – four dishes and a soup. Louise's cooking impressed Arlet, endearing her further to Louise.
During the meal, Arlet played the pity card, complaining about not affording rent and the dangers outside.
Louise immediately sympathized, "We have a spare room. Stay with us, it'll be convenient."
Cyneburg quickly interjected, "She should pay rent."
"What rent?" Louise glared at Cyneburg, "She's a young girl, life is hard enough for her outside."
Arlet expressed her gratitude with a sweet smile, "Auntie, you're so kind!"
Her charm quickly diminished Cyneburg's standing in Louise's eyes, leaving him to eat his meal in silence.
After the meal, Cyneburg handed Louise a bank card, "Mom, there's 800,000 dollars in here. I earned it by trading stocks in prison. Keep it for me."
Louise was startled and pleased, proud of her son's intelligence.
"Alright, I'll save it for when you get married," she said, glancing meaningfully at Arlet.
Arlet and Andi went to wash the dishes, whispering among themselves. Meanwhile, Cyneburg took the opportunity to treat his mother's illness. He prepared acupuncture needles and then rode his electric bike to fetch some herbs for brewing.
The cancer treatment required a gradual approach, involving needles, medication, and Qi to open the patient's meridians.
This treatment session quickly led to the afternoon. Around 3:30 PM, a sudden commotion arose outside, prompting Cyneburg to step out and investigate.
Cyneburg saw the same group from the morning continuing to demolish the wall. They glared at him as if warning him not to interfere.
Cyneburg, arms crossed, declared loudly, "I told you, our Locust Tree has a spirit. It's the guardian of our family. Keep demolishing our house, and beware of the Locust Tree Immortal."
This statement made the men anxious, remembering Cruzito Man was still in the hospital and hadn't recovered.
But then, they dismissed the thought, rationalizing that there was no such thing as a locust tree spirit. It was just nonsense.
Ignoring Cyneburg, they continued with their work. But as soon as one of them struck with a hammer, he suddenly screamed, convulsing and foaming at the mouth, just like Cruzito had earlier.
Cyneburg immediately said, "See, the Locust Tree Immortal is angry. Better get him to the hospital."
Terrified and panicked, the men dropped their tools and rushed the man to the hospital, leaving just as quickly as they had arrived.