Chu Nanli frowned, seeing a girl with sallow skin, emaciated, and disheveled, straw-yellow hair standing beside her, arms crossed, watching her.
When their eyes met, the girl was not afraid; instead, she even scoffed provocatively.
"Oh, so now you know fear, huh? Too late, you've already done the deed. It looked like the old lady was coughing just now, but after you messed with her, she's completely unresponsive."
Around them, a hush fell, followed swiftly by murmurs.
"What she said kind of makes sense. There's a distant relative in my family who works as a barefoot doctor, and he mentioned something a couple of years ago when I saw him. He said that if you come across someone who has collapsed, don't move them if you don't know what's wrong. It could be fatal."
"I told you this woman was reckless! So young and yet so ignorant of the gravity of things! Look what she's done, she's killed someone."
"I think she must have a grudge against this old lady! Wishing the old woman dead, she used the opportunity to commit murder by proxy!"
The surrounding chatter became more and more outrageous, the girl who had suddenly barged in taunted, "Tsk tsk, what a vile woman."
Chu Nanli's brows knitted tightly, sensing something off about this seemingly righteous girl who had appeared out of nowhere.
Nonetheless, the situation of the old lady lying on the ground couldn't be delayed. She couldn't just stand by listening to these people spout nonsense.
"I am a doctor. Based on my initial assessment, this elderly woman has suffered from palpitations leading to unconsciousness and breathing obstruction. Please step back and make some room, so I can treat her."
Her tone was resolute, without any hesitation. As she spoke, she took out her silver needles she always carried with her, ready to lay the old woman flat on the ground.
"Wait!" The self-appointed defender of justice grabbed Chu Nanli's wrist, her face fierce.
"Can't you understand human speech?"
"Let go," Chu Nanli said.
The girl sneered, "I won't!"
After speaking, she looked up at the people around and said, "This woman claims she's a doctor, taking out a set of silver needles to put on a show, and you all believe her? If this old lady dies right before our eyes because of her, will any of you be able to sleep at night?"
With this, the crowd's expressions changed again, and they began to accuse Chu Nanli with hostile faces.
"Foolish woman! Get out of the way! Stop harming people!"
"If you don't leave, we'll report you to the authorities!"
The girl looked on triumphantly at the scene unfolding.
A united voice can penetrate gold.
She had learned this phrase from an old storyteller in a teahouse, and it seemed to perfectly describe the situation the woman was in now.
Without a doubt, this woman was going to be in trouble.
But what did it have to do with her? She was just trying to make some money.
With that thought, the girl's eyes darted about, ready to add fuel to the fire.
In an instant, her other hand reached for the veil on Chu Nanli's face, "Hiding your face, yet daring to call yourself a doctor... Ah!"
A cry of pain silenced the accusing and abusive voices around them.
The crowd looked on in astonishment at the silver needle Chu Nanli had inserted in the girl's wrist.
The girl still held the same posture, with her hand not yet touching Chu Nanli's veil, but she was already motionless.
Chu Nanli looked up at the others, her revealed brow and eyes conveyed impatience, making her appear even more distant and unapproachable as the high moon.
"Ladies and gentlemen, could you please keep quiet and step back a bit?"
The few who had been shouting accusations swallowed hard and quietly stepped back.
Chu Nanli shifted her gaze away, ignoring the paralyzed girl beside her, and quickly inserted a few silver needles into the old woman lying on the ground.
Her movements were fluid and practiced.
"Hey! Wait a minute! Why are you just sticking needles in her? Isn't this nonsense?!"
A series of hurried footsteps approached, accompanied by a voice filled with urgency and anger.
Chu Nanli checked the pulse, ascertaining the old lady's condition had stabilized, before finally looking up.
An elderly man in a scholar's hat, carrying a medical kit on his back, with white hair and beard, ran over, panting heavily.
As he barged in, he shoved Chu Nanli aside. Having been squatting for a while and weakened by her frail body, she was pushed to the ground without any warning.
However, the old man ignored her completely, put down his medical kit, and eagerly took the pulse of the old woman.