Chapter 5

(Updated twice today, support appreciated!)

Due to congenital heart disease,

Wang Cheng could not run and play wildly like other children from a young age; he could only quietly stay on the side and watch.

His body could not engage in intense exercise, and he also had to control his emotions to avoid excitement, as these were all factors that could trigger a heart attack.

Therefore, Wang Cheng, who was very sensible even when he was young, followed the doctor's advice, reduced his physical activity, and controlled his emotions. This was very cruel for a child, but Wang Cheng managed to do it. From a young age, he appeared different from the other children around him. While others were playing, running, and jumping, he would sit quietly, often holding a book to read.

Wang Cheng believed he could cure his illness when he was young, so he read various medical books. The more he learned, the more he realized the slim hope, but he never gave up. He found opportunities to work at the two traditional Chinese medicine halls in Jiangzhou from a young age, seeking advice from the old TCM practitioners there. They told him that practicing martial arts could strengthen the body and prolong life. So during his winter and summer vacations, he also worked and learned at the two martial arts gyms in Jiangzhou, observing their martial arts and boxing.

Over the years, he had learned the boxing techniques of the Six Harmonies Martial Arts Hall and the Tai Chi Martial Arts Hall to a considerable extent. This summer, he applied for a position at the Cangding Temple on Wu Sheng Mountain, also hoping to learn the health-preserving martial arts of the Cangding Temple.

Years of persistent practice gradually improved Wang Cheng's health. Unlike when he was young, he no longer gasped for breath after a few quick steps or experienced breathing difficulties when emotionally excited. His body was no longer as weak as it used to be.

Now, Wang Cheng could participate in ordinary physical activities, but he still could not do so like a normal person.

The doctor's words from his childhood, that he could live for at most twenty years, still echoed in his ears, like a sharp sword hanging over his head, ready to fall at any moment.

Now, his pulse was actually normal?

The top-grade problem that had troubled him for over a decade was gone?

Wang Cheng could hardly believe it was true, fearing he had misdiagnosed himself. He then calmed his emotions and checked his pulse again with both hands. Indeed, his pulse was very stable and full of vitality, something his previous pulse lacked. Although his pulse was mostly stable before, it lacked the vigor of a young person and instead seemed somewhat listless, like that of an elderly person.

The pulse is the most direct reflection of the heart's condition, as it is the manifestation of the heartbeat and blood flow. If there is a problem with the heart, it will be clearly shown in the pulse.

Zhang Xuan and Wang Yuanyuan came over with food. Wang Yuanyuan bought two burgers and two chicken wings for her brother, and one burger and one chicken wing for herself, as her brother was injured and needed to eat more.

Zhang Xuan admired Wang Yuanyuan's thoughtfulness in buying more for her brother, wishing she had such a well-behaved and considerate sister. Thinking of her own mischievous sister, she felt a headache.

"Brother, here you go."

Wang Yuanyuan said with a smile, the young girl still enjoying the lively atmosphere, seeing many children around her age, which made her very happy.

Wang Cheng frowned slightly, pushing the food away, and said, "I'm not hungry, I won't eat. You eat more."

Zhang Xuan was moved again, wishing she had such a good brother. She hadn't thought that a boy of this age would not like KFC, so it must be that he saw his sister liked it and preferred to let her eat more. What a good person, what a good brother.

Wang Yuanyuan, seeing her brother frown, asked with concern, "Brother, what's wrong? Do you have a headache or feel unwell?"

Zhang Xuan also noticed that Wang Cheng's face seemed off, but since he usually had a blank expression, it wasn't obvious. Unlike the two siblings who had been together for years, she could easily tell.

"Is something wrong? You look very pale. If you're not feeling well, we should go to the hospital again."

Zhang Xuan also said with concern.

Wang Cheng's frown eased, and he smiled, taking a few deep breaths. He felt the blood surging in his body, and his heart seemed to beat strongly. "I'm fine, I just remembered I need to go to Renhe Hall later."

Renhe Hall?

Zhang Xuan knew it was the largest traditional Chinese medicine hall in Jiangzhou. What was he going there for?

Wang Yuanyuan asked curiously, "Brother, aren't you working at Grandpa Li's place anymore?"

Wang Yuanyuan knew that her brother had often worked at Renhe Hall for the past few years, persisting for five or six years, going there on weekends and during winter and summer vacations, sometimes even after school. However, in the past two years, he seemed to go there less often, and she thought he had stopped working there.

Zhang Xuan was surprised, "You work at Renhe Hall?"

The old man at Renhe Hall, Li Mushan, was a well-known national-level TCM practitioner.

Zhang Xuan knew that Wang Cheng would work to earn money during his holidays, but she didn't know where he worked. She thought he would work at some restaurants or fast-food places like KFC or McDonald's.

What could a child do at a traditional Chinese medicine hall?

Wang Cheng glanced at Zhang Xuan, nodded, and said calmly, "Yes, I learned from Grandpa Li for a while. I go there to help and earn some pocket money when I have time."

Zhang Xuan fell silent, feeling a bit ashamed of herself for spending her family's money on KFC and pretty clothes compared to this quiet boy. Her proud academic achievements seemed insignificant.

"You often work during holidays. Can you introduce me to a job during the winter break? I want to try earning my own money."

Zhang Xuan said excitedly.

Wang Cheng looked at the excited class monitor and shook his head with a smile, "What I do, you can't do. If you want to experience life, you can go to KFC. They would definitely hire a pretty girl like you as a waitress to attract customers."

Hearing Zhang Xuan's rare compliment, Zhang Xuan's eyes narrowed with a smile, "I won't come here. There are so many people. Where did you work before? Was it fun?"

"Renhe Hall, Six Harmonies Martial Arts Hall, Tai Chi Martial Arts Hall, library, museum, Cangding Temple, I've been to all of them."

Wang Cheng said simply, without going into detail.

Wang Yuanyuan, while eating, said, "My brother is very capable."

She knew her brother was capable, but she didn't know much more.

Wang Cheng looked at his watch, adjusted his breathing, and tried to speed up his blood flow, which would also speed up his heartbeat. If he couldn't handle it, it would mean his pulse was wrong.

For years, Wang Cheng had controlled his heartbeat to keep it stable, but now he was trying to make his heart race.

After a few breaths, the blood in his body seemed to burn, and his face turned slightly red. However, he wasn't focused on that. He felt his pulse with one hand, and indeed, it accelerated. He could also feel his heart beating faster, but he didn't feel any discomfort or pain.

His breathing was smooth, and his whole body felt comfortable, just a bit warm.

Wang Cheng knew it might be true.

His body was really getting better.

However, he still didn't dare to make such a quick judgment. He needed to go to Renhe Hall and have Grandpa Li check him. As the saying goes, a doctor cannot treat himself. When a doctor treats himself or a family member, it's easy to misdiagnose due to subjective emotions, so it's better to have someone else check.

Zhang Xuan saw that Wang Cheng was more boring and uninteresting than she remembered from over a year ago, sitting there alone, lost in thought, and not talking to her. She pouted and didn't talk to Wang Cheng, instead chatting happily with Wang Yuanyuan, asking about her grade, school, and academic performance.

She didn't know until she asked, and she was surprised.

Wang Yuanyuan had just graduated from a primary school opposite City No. 1 Middle School and entered the junior high school of City No. 1 Middle School as a special student, with full tuition waived. This was because her primary school graduation scores were all perfect, with no points deducted from her essay, which was three points higher than the second place, a difference that was entirely due to the essay.

"Hey, your sister got the top score in the city, and her essays were all perfect. Did you give her a reward?"

Zhang Xuan interrupted Wang Cheng's thoughts, trying to get some benefits for Wang Yuanyuan.

Wang Cheng glanced at his sister and smiled, "Got first place? Not bad."

Wang Yuanyuan, receiving her brother's praise, smiled happily, as if she had received the best gift.

Zhang Xuan immediately covered her head, feeling she was about to be defeated by these two siblings. Were they really siblings who had relied on each other since childhood? Shouldn't they be very close, paying attention to each other's academic performance, and shouldn't the brother jump with joy when he heard his sister got first place?

"Just one 'not bad'? Your sister is much better than you. You didn't even take the final exam last semester."

Zhang Xuan said bluntly, "Do you know that our homeroom teacher always uses you as an example when talking about students who waste their studies by playing too much?"

"Our homeroom teacher always says, 'You all should study hard and not think you're smart enough to slack off, or you'll end up like the top student in the middle school entrance exam, Wang Cheng.'"

Zhang Xuan imitated the homeroom teacher.

Wang Cheng looked at Zhang Xuan strangely. He knew the homeroom teacher of the top class, as he had been in that class for a semester and was a key focus of the teacher, Mr. Ma. "Mr. Ma said that?"

Zhang Xuan nodded, looking unhappy. She had always felt sorry for Wang Cheng. "Yes."

Wang Cheng didn't care and said to his sister, "Finish eating quickly. We'll go to Renhe Hall, and I'll cook a big meal for you tonight."

Wang Yuanyuan threw the remaining half of the food aside, wiped her mouth and hands with a napkin, and said, "I'm not eating anymore. It's not good. It's not as good as the food my brother cooks."

Fast food might taste good the first few times, but it's only popular in Western countries where people don't have much talent for cooking. In the East, with various styles of cuisine, the flavors are diverse and far superior to the bland fast food that becomes like tofu after eating too much.

Wang Yuanyuan felt the difference between the fast food and her brother's cooking after eating two burgers and stopped eating.

Wang Cheng pulled Wang Yuanyuan to leave, and Zhang Xuan felt ignored, quickly saying, "Hey, what about me?"

Wang Cheng asked curiously, "What do you want?"

"I'll go with you to see."

Zhang Xuan couldn't help but say, being a child with simple thoughts.

If she were older and used to being pursued by many boys, she wouldn't have gone along so easily.