"Cheng... Cheng Han!"
Ma Hongwen rubbed his eyes in disbelief, his voice trembling.
His body went limp, and he collapsed into the chair.
"Cheng Han!"
"It's the National Healer, Cheng Han!"
The reporters were stunned. None of them had expected Cheng Han to make an appearance!
He had been out of the public eye for over a decade, but his reemergence was as impressive as ever—full of energy, exuding an otherworldly aura.
Many viewers watching the live broadcast were moved to tears.
In the past, from the nobility to the common people, countless lives had been touched by Cheng Han's benevolence.
His unparalleled medical skills and noble character made him truly deserving of the title National Healer.
The reporters swarmed around him, eager to capture the moment and obtain firsthand information.
Qiao Xi stared at the familiar old man in shock.
They were saying that Grandpa Cheng was Cheng Han, the National Healer?
Grandpa Cheng's full name was Cheng Lidong.
And "Lidong" could be interpreted as "Han" (winter)!
It was simply unbelievable.
She turned to Huo Xingzhou for confirmation. The man nodded slightly.
Qiao Xi was dazed. So he had known all along. That was why he was so confident that her innocence could be proven. The certificates he had produced earlier were almost certainly authentic.
This was the secret between him and Grandpa Cheng.
Cheng Han glanced at the crowd and declared, "Qiao Xi is my disciple, and these certificates are real. I have never stepped down from my honorary position as president of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Association, and the seals on them are legitimate."
"I have been secretly training her for over a decade. Thankfully, I planned ahead and had these certificates issued for her. I never expected someone would stoop to using this matter to frame her."
"I'd like to see who dares to accuse her of practicing medicine without a license now!"
He picked up the certificates and flipped to the last page. In the lower right corner, the signature "Cheng Han" was clearly visible.
Qiao Xi had obtained her medical license through the traditional master-apprentice system, and her mentor was none other than the renowned National Healer himself.
The room fell into silence.
Even the live-streaming chat had gone quiet.
What a twist! Judging by Cheng Han's words, even Qiao Xi hadn't known about his true identity as the National Healer.
With a voice full of authority, Cheng Han continued, "Though she is young, her talent is extraordinary, and she has worked incredibly hard. By her current level of skill, she should have graduated as my apprentice long ago!"
Instinctively, people were skeptical about a young woman having such great capabilities, but these words came from Cheng Han himself.
With a voice like thunder, Cheng Han turned to Huo Xingzhou and said, "Young man from the Huo family, how much longer do you plan to keep this a secret?"
The corners of Huo Xingzhou's mouth lifted slightly.
He slowly stood up and walked to Cheng Han's side. "I dare not hide it any longer."
Huo Xingzhou stood up!
All eyes were fixed on his legs. He said, "It was Qiao Xi who healed them."
Everyone was stunned to the point of numbness.
My goodness!
This was a miracle.
"Mr. Huo... can really walk now?"
"I never imagined Qiao Xi's medical skills were so advanced."
"It turns out geniuses like this do exist. Isn't working at the city hospital beneath her abilities?"
"A National Healer's disciple—a living, breathing National Healer's disciple!"
Onstage, Sun Shao couldn't hold it in any longer.
With an air of arrogance, he announced, "My illness was also cured by Qiao Xi! You've all heard the rumors about me recently, haven't you? This young master has regained his virility, as good as ever!"
Sun Shao was rather proud of himself.
But instead of mocking him, everyone felt a deep sense of envy.
Qiao Xi truly lived up to being Cheng Han's disciple.
Sun Shao turned to Ma Hongwen and demanded, "Vice President Ma, don't you owe Qiao Xi an apology? You've slandered her again and again—what grudge could you possibly have against her?"
Ma Hongwen's face turned green and white, and he gritted his teeth as he said, "I'm sorry. It was a misunderstanding."
"A simple 'sorry' won't cut it. What about the statements you published?" Sun Shao pressed on relentlessly.
Humiliated, Ma Hongwen replied, "I'll delete them."
After saying this, he stumbled out of the conference hall in a panic, as though staying a second longer would condemn him to endless disgrace.
Meanwhile, the live-stream chat exploded with messages.
"Qiao Xi, we're sorry."
"Sorry."
"We misunderstood you."
Online, a trending topic emerged in real-time: "The Whole Internet Owes Qiao Xi an Apology."
The reporters scribbled furiously, racing to publish their stories with eye-catching headlines:
"Shocking! National Healer Cheng Han Appears at Press Conference—Qiao Xi Revealed as His Disciple!"
"Huo Xingzhou, President of Tianyuan Group, Walks Again, and Sun Shao's Hidden Illness Cured—All Thanks to This Woman!"
"The Truth Behind the Accusations of Unlicensed Practice—We Owe Qiao Xi an Apology!"
Just as Huo Xingzhou had promised, the slander and insults aimed at Qiao Xi were being washed away, bit by bit.
"Today's press conference ends here. Thank you all for coming," said Xu Xiuyuan with a complicated expression, closing the hospital's live stream.
The reporters, unwilling to let go, chased after Qiao Xi and Cheng Han, desperate for more news. Huo Xingzhou ordered security to hold back the frenzied crowd and escorted the two back to the inpatient ward.
In front of their televisions, countless viewers felt a whirlwind of emotions, unable to calm down for a long time.
Back at the Huo family villa.
Huo Sijiao's face turned red as she exhaled deeply. "Sister-in-law is actually a disciple of the National Healer. I must be dreaming!"
Her eyes brimmed with tears of joy. "Mom, look! Brother can stand again! Our family has finally made it through the hardest times—Sister-in-law is truly our family's good fortune!"
"Yes, Qiao Xi really is a blessing to our family!"
Du Juan wiped her tears away, smiling through her emotions.
Her son could finally stand again!
Who knew how much effort Qiao Xi must have put in.
Her daughter-in-law was the disciple of the National Healer Cheng Han. It was the kind of thing that would make you laugh out loud in your sleep.
Mother and daughter laughed through their tears, unable to contain their joy.
In the Liu family's living room.
The elderly Liu matriarch sighed with a complicated expression. "I thought I'd never see Cheng Han again in my lifetime, and now he's appeared for the sake of a junior."
The eldest daughter-in-law, Yang Yuerong, said excitedly, "Then doesn't this mean there's hope for Uncle? If Cheng Han has come forward, he must have a way to help."
The Liu family had a "living dead" relative.
Someone who had been bedridden for 22 years.
The old matriarch's voice trembled with sorrow. "Years ago, we invited Cheng Han, but he refused to come. Now, it's even more unlikely."
Yang Yuerong, quick on her feet, said, "But we have Dr. Qiao! She healed Huo Xingzhou and Sun Weimeng—she might even surpass Cheng Han."
"Yes!"
The matriarch's eyes filled with tears. "There's still Dr. Qiao!"
At the Su family home.
Su Weiwei threw her teacup at the television.
With a loud crash, the LCD screen shattered.
"This can't be real! How can that country bumpkin be Cheng Han's disciple? And how did that cripple Huo Xingzhou recover?"
Everything drove her into a frenzy, making her lose her mind.
Her jealousy consumed her, tearing at her very soul.
Su Heng's face darkened as he questioned Zhao Yuzhen, "Your daughter has such skills, and Cheng Han has been mentoring her for years. How could you not know?"
"I... I didn't know!"
Zhao Yuzhen stammered, trying to explain.
"You foolish woman! Such obvious opportunities and connections were handed to us, and you ruined it all!" Su Heng's temples throbbed with anger.
A National Healer's disciple, the president of Tianyuan Group—what priceless resources and networks had Zhao Yuzhen destroyed?
"Honey…" Zhao Yuzhen called out weakly.
But Su Heng slapped her across the face. "Stay away from me! I won't be coming back for the next few days."
"Honey!"
Zhao Yuzhen watched helplessly as Su Heng stormed out in fury.
"Stupid woman, you've ruined me!" Su Weiwei lashed out, taking her frustration out on Zhao Yuzhen with punches and kicks.
Zhao Yuzhen screamed in agony but dared not fight back.
In her heart, she was crying out. She had to find Qiao Xi!
No matter the cost, she had to beg for her forgiveness.