Cangmang Asks the Way 1: Guardian of the Lamp

Zheng Tao, Zhao Xiaohu, and Wang Yaowu, who had been secretly watching and burning with jealousy, immediately seized this excellent opportunity.

"Tsk, see? Now that you're famous, you've become arrogant and can't be invited anymore." Zhao Xiaohu said sarcastically to a few boys in the restroom.

"That's right, he's a 'celebrity' now, he doesn't care about us ordinary classmates anymore!" Wang Yaowu added fuel to the fire.

Zheng Tao sighed, "Sigh, Tianci is probably just too busy. But thinking about it, I can understand. After all, he's juggling multiple roles these days, and his time is precious. It's just tough on those students who genuinely want to learn or who aren't feeling well."

These comments spread like a virus in the shadows. Labels such as "arrogant" and "cold-blooded and selfish" were quietly attached to Cang Tianci.

However, Zheng Tao was not satisfied with this. He observed coldly.

One day, he noticed that Zhang Hao, who had injured his left wrist while playing basketball, had been refused help by Tianci. Zheng Tao deliberately "bumped into" Zhang Hao, who was fretting over his wrist, after class and asked him with concern, "Zhang Hao, what happened to your hand?"

"Ugh, don't even mention it. I poked myself while playing ball, and it hurt a bit right away. I thought rubbing it would make it better, but the more I rubbed it, the more swollen it became. Now I can't even touch it. What bad luck!" Zhang Hao said with a bitter face, unconsciously using his other hand to pinch his swollen wrist.

"Isn't there a miracle doctor in our class? Why don't you go find him?" Zheng Tao asked.

"Why didn't I contact him? But he seemed very reluctant at first. Only after I begged him did he touch it, and in the end, he still suggested that I go to the hospital to see a doctor."

Zheng Tao suddenly realized and said, "No wonder you seemed so down. So that's what it is. But he's a celebrity now, he's very busy every day. How could he have time to treat these minor injuries and ailments? Actually, some techniques, though they may seem mysterious, may not be the right treatment. Especially in the acute phase, improper handling can easily lead to complications. I advise you to see a more professional doctor as soon as possible, don't delay."

After leaving Zhang Hao, Zheng Tao called Zhao Xiaohu to a secluded spot and whispered, "Zhang Hao injured his wrist, find Cang Tianci..."

Zhao Xiaohu understood immediately. He first "accidentally" bumped into Zhang Hao, then casually glanced at Zhang Hao's wrist and exclaimed, "Haozi, your wrist looks painful to me. Didn't Cang Tianci take a look at it?"

"What are you looking at? He just gave me a perfunctory answer and then told me to go to the hospital," Zhang Hao said irritably.

"Oh, is that so?" Zhao Xiaohu exclaimed in surprise. "Last time, didn't he treat Li Qiang's sprain, and it worked quite well? How come it's like this with you... Oh dear, you're so swollen. Could it be that he hurt you by squeezing you? I've heard people say that when it comes to bones and muscles, even a slight mistake can lead to a huge problem. If you don't massage them properly, it's better not to massage them at all!"

Zhang Hao was taken aback, looking at his still swollen wrist with disbelief: "No way... he just touched it, he didn't really press it."

"There's a subtle force at play; you can feel it when you touch it," Zhao Xiaohu said in a low voice, sounding completely open and honest. "Haozi, I'm only telling you this because we're friends. He's gotten arrogant now, and he might not care about us as much as before. If he really cared, would he have let you swell up like this? Li Qiang is only good when he wants to show off; with us, he'd probably just give us a perfunctory treatment. This injury can't be left untreated. I know an old traditional Chinese medicine doctor who's incredibly skilled at bone setting; it's a family heirloom technique, and his fees are reasonable. Why don't you give him a try?"

Seeing Zhang Hao hesitate, Zhao Xiaohu added fuel to the fire: "I really couldn't stand by and watch, that's why I pointed you in this right direction. People become famous easily, their hearts change. Who knows if his techniques are even half-baked? What if he really delays your progress, leaving you with a lingering injury that affects your future playing? Wouldn't that be a loss?"

Looking at his swollen and aching wrist, Zhang Hao recalled that Tianci had indeed only given a quick check-up before flatly refusing to help, a stark contrast to his previous eagerness to assist Li Qiang. Resentment and suspicion mingled in his heart. Zhao Xiaohu's last words struck a chord with his fear. He finally nodded and muttered, "Okay, Brother Hu, take me to see him."

Zhao Xiaohu immediately added, "However, that old Chinese medicine doctor has a strange temper. He hates those who pretend to know what they don't and who treat people haphazardly. When you go there, tell him that you were previously treated by a half-baked student at school who massaged you haphazardly, and the more he massaged, the more swollen you became. Only then will he be willing to put in the real effort to treat you, and you won't waste your money."

The next day, accompanied by Zhao Xiaohu, Zhang Hao met with the "old Chinese medicine doctor." The old doctor squeezed Zhang Hao's wrist, then shook his head and said, "Young man, your injury wasn't serious at first, but someone used an amateurish method to massage it, causing your qi and blood to become disordered and your meridians to become tangled, which is why the swelling and pain are so difficult to subside. Luckily you came early; if you had waited a few more days, it might have become a chronic condition."

After saying that, he told Zhang Hao to "bear with it" and performed a seemingly professional but actually brutal "bone setting" and massage, which made Zhang Hao grimace in pain. Afterwards, he applied a black plaster with a pungent smell and charged a hefty fee.

Before leaving, the "old Chinese medicine doctor" repeatedly urged, "Go back and tell your classmates that bone and joint injuries are no joke, and don't let those quacks mess around with it again."

After this ordeal, Zhang Hao's wrist was still swollen and painful, and instead appeared even redder due to the rough treatment. However, he had already deeply believed in the old Chinese medicine doctor's words.

After returning home, Zhang Hao told his parents what the traditional Chinese medicine doctor had said. His parents, furious, went to the school demanding an explanation.

The school took this matter very seriously, with the director of the Student Affairs Office personally overseeing it. Xu Wenyuan approached Cang Tianci with a grave expression and asked, "Tianci, what exactly happened? Didn't you say you wouldn't treat classmates' injuries anymore? Why did you treat Zhang Hao's sprain again this time? And it just got worse. Now his parents are coming to our door."

Cang Tianci was shocked. He clearly remembered that he had only checked Zhang Hao's wrist, told him about the emergency treatment, and suggested that he go to the hospital.

He truthfully informed Teacher Xu of the situation.

Xu Wenyuan frowned, saying worriedly, "Now the other party is insisting that your mistake worsened the injury. What should we do?" He thought for a moment, then asked, "Were any other students present when you were examining his injuries?"

"Yes, Lin Ruoxi, Song Wei, and others seem to be present."

"That's good. I'll go and call them over for a confrontation."

A moment later, Lin Ruoxi and Song Wei were invited to Director Yang's office in the Political Education Department. The atmosphere inside was heavy. Zhang Hao's father had a livid face, while Zhang Hao stood to the side with his head down, the strong-smelling black plaster still on his wrist.

Teacher Xu Wenyuan spoke first: "Parents of Zhang Hao, students, we've invited you here today to clarify some details regarding Zhang Hao's wrist injury. Tianci said that he was only examined and did not receive any treatment. To fully understand the facts, let's hear what the other students present have to say."

Director Yang nodded, his gaze sweeping over the girls.

Lin Ruoxi stood up, her cool gaze fixed on Zhang Hao, and calmly said, "That day after free time in PE class, I was tidying up my things near the equipment room, not far from the basketball court. I saw Zhang Hao clutching his wrist as he walked towards Cang Tianci, and I overheard their conversation. Cang Tianci clearly stated, 'I won't treat your acute injury,' then quickly checked him and told Zhang Hao, 'You need to apply ice, and it's best to go to the infirmary or hospital immediately.' Throughout the entire process, I didn't see any treatment movements resembling bone setting or massage. The swelling of Zhang Hao's wrist when he left was the same as what I see now..."

She glanced at Zhang Hao's hand with the ointment on it, "At least visually there's no obvious difference."

Her words were clear and concise, with specific details about the time, place, and key conversations, making them highly persuasive.

Song Wei continued, "Yes, Director, Teacher Xu, Tianci told us all long ago that he only helps relieve minor issues like muscle fatigue. For acute injuries, you must see the school doctor or go to the hospital, and he has always followed this rule. I was nearby that day, and I can testify that Tianci absolutely did not 'treat' Zhang Hao; he just looked at him and gave him some instructions. Zhang Hao, tell me, is that right?" She was impatient and looked directly at Zhang Hao.

Zhang Hao's body trembled, his head drooped even lower, and his lips murmured, but no sound came out.

Looking at his son's swollen wrist covered in a strange ointment, Zhang Hao's father was both heartbroken and furious. He wouldn't listen to any explanations and his voice grew even harsher: "You're all classmates, of course you'll side with each other. It's a fact that my son's hand is swollen like this, isn't it? That so-called old Chinese medicine doctor said it was damaged by improper massage techniques. Who knows if he used the wrong force during the examination? In any case, my son got like this after seeing him at school. He has to take responsibility."

Faced with such an unreasonable parent, Cang Tianci felt a surge of anger. But he quickly realized this and hurriedly focused his mind, circulating the Hidden Dragon Technique to restore his clarity. He calmly looked at Zhang Hao's father and said, "Uncle, since that's the case, please call that old Chinese medicine doctor here. I want to confront him face to face."

Seeing that Cang Tianci was so calm, Zhang Hao's father was taken aback, but still said firmly, "Alright, but it's a bit late today, I'll invite that old Chinese medicine doctor over tomorrow."

After saying that, he grabbed Zhang Hao and stormed out of the office.

Watching the father and son walk away, Xu Wenyuan rubbed his temples, looked at Cang Tianci, and said, "Tianci, be prepared for a tough battle tomorrow."

Cang Tianci took a deep breath and nodded. Outside the window, dusk deepened, and a gust of wind blew in, stirring up clouds of dust...