135 Deciding to return to the production team!

A piercing pain surged through her, and this time, Su Yunjin gritted her teeth to endure it.

"Do not hold back. Pay attention to your breathing, regulate it, and relax your body."

Fifth Grandfather’s voice came through, carrying an irresistible air of authority. Su Yunjin understood this well; it was not because he lacked affection for her, but because Western medicine differed from Traditional Chinese Medicine. Western medicine prioritizes speed and immediate results, whereas Traditional Chinese Medicine focuses on the principles of mutual generation and restraint, and complementary effects. Acupuncture, in particular, demands absolute precision—a hair’s breadth of error can lead to a thousand miles of difference. When a person is tense, their muscles contract, making it difficult for the needles to penetrate and increasing the risk of misplacement. While a tiny silver needle might look fragile outside the body, once it enters, it acts like a steel spike; if it strikes an acupoint, even a burly man would be forced into submission.

"Hoo—hoo—"

Following Fifth Grandfather's instructions, Su Yunjin hurried to regulate her breathing to relax. Yet, as she relaxed, the piercing pain flared instantly, accompanied by an unbearable sensation of soreness and numbness. Compared to this, the sting of the hydrogen peroxide Dr. Lu had poured on her wounds at the military hospital felt like child’s play.

"Stimulating the meridians to grow and recover is the most painful part of all acupuncture treatments. You must hold on," Fifth Grandfather said.

Su Yunjin knew this to be true. She bit down hard on her lower lip. Once the wave of soreness and intense pain subsided, she took a hurried breath and nodded during the brief respite. Fifth Grandfather picked up another needle and inserted it into her hand, guiding it right along the path of her laceration. Even though Su Yunjin believed she could endure it, as the agony struck, a streak of crimson blood trickled down the corner of her mouth. She had bitten through her own lip, and beads of sweat, nearly visible to the naked eye, covered her forehead.

Then the third, the fourth, the fifth needle...

As each silver needle was inserted, Su Yunjin’s right hand was already raw from her own biting, and her entire face was flushed as if it might bleed.

"The needles need to remain for another half hour. I will go prepare your medicine; you must take it once the session is over," Fifth Grandfather said, rising to his feet with a look of profound complexity in his eyes. Seeing the grandchild he had cherished since childhood suffer pained his own heart. Yet, as a healer, he knew this suffering was unavoidable; for her hand to heal, it had to be this way. And this was only the beginning—every day would be like this until the severed meridians in Su Yunjin’s hand had fully regrown. With a long sigh, he walked out.

"Fifth Grandfather, is Yunjin's injury serious?" Aunt Qiao asked, stepping forward with concern as soon as he stepped out of the study. She had been waiting there since the beginning. Though she didn't know the extent of the injury, seeing the Fifth Grandfather looking as if he had aged several years, her worries deepened.

"It is not life-threatening, but recovery will not be easy," Fifth Grandfather replied with a weary expression. "In the coming days, I will prepare a detailed list. Follow it to prepare nutritious meals for Yunjin."

"Yes, yes, please rest assured, Fifth Grandfather. I will take good care of Yunjin."

"Hm."

Nodding, Fifth Grandfather had no heart for further conversation and dragged his exhausted body toward the pharmacy. He did not delegate the tasks of gathering and decocting the herbs to anyone else. When the time was nearly up, he returned to the study.

By now, Su Yunjin was almost drenched in sweat, and large droplets were falling from her hair. She had her right hand stuffed firmly into her mouth, her features tightly contorted; she only adjusted her breathing to relax for a fleeting moment after the worst of the pain passed. But in less than a second, her brows would knit together again as the torment resumed.

Hearing his approach, Su Yunjin knew her suffering for the day was nearing its end, but she was still being tortured by the stabbing pain in her hand and could not spare the effort to open her eyes. Keeping them tightly shut, she soon felt Fifth Grandfather’s hand rest on her head as his familiar voice spoke: "The time is up."

Without needing her input, Fifth Grandfather moved to her front, held down her hand—now bristling with five or six needles—and began to withdraw them one by one. If the insertion was painful, the extraction was worse. With her eyes closed, Su Yunjin could feel the needles pulling at her flesh as they were removed. She couldn't help but let out a soft groan. Fortunately, Fifth Grandfather was quick; in less than a minute, all the needles were out.

Only then did Su Yunjin exhale in relief. She slowly opened her eyes, but everything was pitch black, with only a faint glimmer of light piercing the darkness. It wasn't that her eyes were damaged; rather, it was a natural reaction of her ocular nerves after having kept them squeezed shut through the pain. After a few minutes, she could see Fifth Grandfather sitting before her, head bowed, carefully bandaging her wound.

"I have asked Aunt Qiao to prepare light, nourishing meals for you during this time, which will be beneficial for your wound. Do not go running about," he instructed without looking up, seemingly aware that her vision had adjusted.

Su Yunjin wanted to comply, seeing her Fifth Grandfather’s hidden affection beneath his stern exterior. But if she withdrew from "Hot-Blooded Marvels" over something like this, how could she ever establish a foothold in the entertainment industry?

"Hm? What is it?" Fifth Grandfather asked, looking up when he noticed her silence.

Su Yunjin had to be honest. "Fifth Grandfather, I want to agree, but if I do, I will have no status in the entertainment industry."

She did not spell it out, but she knew that her seven grandparents were all brilliant people, especially her Fifth Grandfather. In the entertainment industry, having no status was equivalent to being an ant. To climb, she had to show her determination and silence the gossiping tongues.

"So, you mean you still intend to return to that program?"

"Yes."

Su Yunjin nodded solemnly, though her heart was filled with complex emotions. Fifth Grandfather remained silent. The atmosphere grew heavy; the only sound in the study was the rhythm of her breathing as they looked at each other. Finally, she saw him sigh and nod in resignation. "Very well. Returning while injured might at least earn you some sympathy and popularity. Although there are gains and losses, it is better than coming away with nothing. However, once you return, do not be reckless. Protect your hand well. Especially during this period, it must not touch water, you must not lift heavy objects, and you must avoid excessive activity."

Su Yunjin nodded.

Fifth Grandfather continued to admonish her, "Also, you must return here every day after the program ends; even if it is a live broadcast, you must come back at night. I will continue to provide acupuncture for you, as this is the critical period for your meridians to reshape. I once spoke of you revitalizing national pride, but if the price is your hand, then I retract those words."

Fifth Grandfather’s expression was stern, and Su Yunjin’s was equally grave. The two looked at each other with seriousness. Su Yunjin understood how vital these instructions were. She nodded firmly and said, "I understand, Fifth Grandfather."