Chapter 19
Xie Yubo finally realized why he had felt doomed when praised for having “completed his training.” It wasn’t due to the lingering trauma from the tyrant deceiving him about his calligraphy skills, but because Elder Brother Xie was about to conduct a surprise inspection!
It was all the tyrant’s fault for dulling this Imperial Astrologer’s vigilance!
Xie Yubo carelessly shifted the blame. Upon learning that Xie Chenbo was bringing friends along, he grew even more anxious.
His shrewd older brother was never easy to fool; one glance would reveal whether the massage techniques had truly been learned. If Xie Chenbo viewed his younger brother through a lens of seven parts bias, there might still be hope for redemption—but what if that friend spoke the plain truth?
The Grand Imperial Astrologer spent the entire afternoon class pondering countermeasures. Fewer people sneezed in the classroom, and an unusual quiet prevailed.
Many gazes filled with curiosity and admiration turned toward Xie Yubo, as though he were some radiant beacon.
The Health-Enhancing Talisman had taken effect: those who had been teetering on the brink of a cold suddenly found their noses clear and throats refreshed upon waking from their afternoon nap, with all signs of impending illness vanished.
Of course, this could also be described as positive psychological factors overcoming the virus.
But this also reveals another issue—could Xie Yubo’s standing in their hearts really be that high? Did they trust his health-boosting talismans so much?
Xie Yubo suddenly flipped two pages of his book, making a loud rustling sound.
The eavesdroppers immediately averted their gaze and shrank their necks; the boss was reminding them to focus on their studies.
I’m studying! I’m studying!
After school in the afternoon, Xie Yubo headed straight to Wang Fuyang’s place.
The hottest service at the Wang Family Massage Parlor right now is the foot soak for dispelling cold. If you pass by the parlor without stepping in for a soak, you’re clearly not taking proper care of your legs.
Wang Fuyang knew Xie Yubo’s formula was miraculous, but he never expected it to be this powerful; even he couldn’t resist indulging in a soak before bed.
When the foot soak service was first introduced, many elderly people who came just to enjoy the free heating treated it as a mere bargain. However, once they discovered that their feet no longer felt icy at night and that they could sleep warmly and soundly until dawn, they fell in love with this deeply relaxing quality of rest.
Word spread rapidly from one person to ten, then from ten to a hundred. During the free trial period, the hall was packed with people coming for foot soaks, prompting Wang Fuyang to urgently purchase a large batch of foot soak buckets.
Next came the paid phase, during which Wang Fuyang cunningly advertised: “One treatment course lasts seven days. Our ancestral foot-soaking formula boasts the advantage of nourishing your vital energy without harming your body. One day’s soak addresses the symptoms; a full course cures the root cause.”
The foot-soaking business was extremely popular. In recent days, people even kept coming to steal the used foot-soak water to analyze the formula, attempting to plagiarize it, yet Wang Fuyang paid them no mind.
The young master had said that if someone could steal it, they truly deserved it; giving it to them would be no loss.
Today marked the first day of adding foot soaks to the massage package, and many customers voiced strong complaints, calling Wang Fuyang a heartless merchant for engaging in bundled sales.
Wang Fuyang just smiled and said, “The main road leads east; I don’t force anyone to buy or sell.”
For the sake of soaking their feet, they had no choice but to reluctantly lie down on the massage beds.
One hour later—
“Truly a family heirloom craft! It instantly made my muscles and bones feel unblocked and refreshed. It didn’t hurt much either, far better than those massage shops on the market that press your soles with brutal force.”
“Some young folks insist that the harder, the better. But with these old bones of mine, I can’t afford reckless pressing; I have to stick with the Wang family’s Tai Chi brand.”
“Boss Wang, were you short on money a while back and didn’t pay the heating bill? It got so cold that everyone stopped coming. You see how much better it is now? Lately, I’ve had back pain but couldn’t find a skilled therapist to treat it.”
The conversion rate from foot soaks to massage therapy is extremely high.
The reputation of the Wang Family Massage Parlor quickly recovered. Former staff returned, and Wang Fuyang officially took over management, discontinuing the giveaways of eggs and stainless steel washbasins; the lobby now serves customers exclusively.
When Xie Yubo arrived, Wang Fuyang was busy, so he did not disturb him and instead quietly opened his Heavenly Eye to learn from the side.
Press, rub, knead, pinch…
Chen Yang, the new female apprentice, gets along well with the receptionist; they often huddle together to share gossip. When the cleaning staff can’t keep up, they help tidy up the treatment rooms.
This time, she didn’t notice Xie Yubo just on the other side of the wall. While disinfecting the hydraulic massage table recently used, she remarked, “Something big happened back in my hometown lately—a blind massage parlor got shut down.”
The receptionist immediately caught her drift: “Busted in a vice raid?”
“No,” Chen Yang whispered. “A customer discovered that none of the three blind masseurs at that place were actually blind. Many female customers let their guard down and changed clothes right in front of them; it seems they were all photographed. One of the masseurs tried to blackmail a customer with the photos, but she was sharp enough to call the police immediately.”
“You can never judge a person by their appearance. They really know how to put on an act—staring without blinking or changing expression while peeking; clearly habitual offenders. When I called home, my mom even asked me if such things happen around here.”
The receptionist replied, “Those aren’t blind masseurs; they’re just perverts. You’ve come to the right place. Our big boss may look chubby, but he’s incredibly upright—he’d rather die than tarnish our reputation. As for our second boss, the little immortal, he’s genuinely blind. Just look at his noble and radiant appearance; I worry he’ll be the one taken advantage of while giving massages.”
Chen Yang nodded. “In the future, whenever the little immortal is working, at least one of us must stay by his side. We can’t allow him to suffer any injustice.”
Xie Yubo: “…”
My feelings are complicated.
This Imperial Astrologer is not a pervert, absolutely not.
In due time, this Imperial Astrologer will close the Heavenly Eye.
But if I close the Heavenly Eye, it will truly become blind massage, making the crash course significantly more difficult.
Xie Yubo thought, “I’ll just open my Heavenly Eye a little to see the path and avoid looking at people’s bodies.”
Wang Fuyang wasn’t very skilled in blind massage therapy. He dug out an old CD, saying, “My aunt was quite proficient in blind massage. Although she never took on apprentices, she recorded most of her techniques on video.”
Wang Fuyang suggested, “How about I watch the videos first, then teach you step by step?”
Teaching a blind person left Wang Fuyang lacking confidence.
Xie Yubo: “There’s no time; I’ll take it back tonight to study. I have a way to read it.”
Wang Fuyang felt reassured. Xie Yubo was a deity descended to earth; perhaps by merely placing his hand on the disc, all the videos would automatically upload into his mind, just like connecting another USB drive.
If he had been able to learn with such efficiency during his school days, his father wouldn’t have chased him around beating him.
“Is the young master here?” Old Doctor Qian Kaikang arrived at the door, his expression a mix of joy and worry.
Ever since he treated Zheng Bin and Xue Jing, Qian Kaikang became famous within their social circles, with people seeking his help in an endless stream. He even hired a personal bodyguard for himself.
Qian Kaikang knew his own worth clearly: he charged fees commensurate with his abilities, just as he always had. Already ranking among the top practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine, he would treat patients if he could, or honestly admit when he couldn’t.
However, this time the family seeking him out was exceptionally wealthy. Recalling that the young master seemed particularly fond of cash, Qian Kaikang decided to ask whether he would be willing to make a purchase.
Xie Yubo hesitated, saying, “I have to study tonight.”
Qian Kaikang: “Two hundred thousand.”
Xie Yubo: “Besides, the exam isn’t until the day after tomorrow.”
He looked exactly like a slacker student being dragged out shopping two days before an exam.
Xie Yubo suddenly brimmed with confidence; having studied Traditional Chinese Medicine, he was highly proficient in the body’s meridians and pulse diagnosis. After all, massage therapy and acupuncture shared the same roots five hundred years ago.
Someone as clever as he could make even Buddha complain of sore feet from being summoned at the last minute.
“Where is the patient?” Xie Yubo asked.
Qian Kaikang: “He just finished chemotherapy at the hospital and now needs to focus on recuperation. Chemotherapy was so painful that he’s now afraid of anyone in a white coat; he told his family he hopes to try Traditional Chinese Medicine instead.”
Xie Yubo had familiarized himself with many modern medical terms and knew exactly what chemotherapy entailed. “Prescribing a regimen for recovery? That I can do.”
Those who sought out Qian Kaikang more or less had connections with Xue Jing and Zheng Bin. To avoid slipping up, Xie Yubo decided this time to pose as Qian Kaikang’s disciple.
The patient seeking treatment was named Duan Wenyao, twenty-seven years old. He lay deeply asleep on the hospital bed, his complexion pale and sallow, his body emaciated, his breathing shallow.
The Duan family is also a media powerhouse. Duan Wenyao had only returned from studying abroad and worked at the company for less than two years when he was diagnosed with cancer.
Duan’s parents eagerly surrounded Qian Kaikang. It wasn’t that they particularly believed in Traditional Chinese Medicine; after all, every profession has its specialty. Someone capable of nourishing Zheng Bin’s stomach might not necessarily excel in post-chemotherapy recovery. However, since their son insisted on using TCM, they had to believe whether they wanted to or not, just to ensure Duan Wenyao cooperated with the treatment. They even needed to appear enthusiastic and firmly convinced that he would recover.
Qian Kaikang first conducted the diagnosis himself. Later, under the pretext of allowing his young apprentice to learn, he would have Xie Yubo take the patient’s pulse as well.
He wished to learn from Xie Yubo’s medical skills. To do so, he first needed to understand the patient’s condition thoroughly, enabling him to better study the prescriptions Xie Yubo formulated and absorb their essence.
Therefore, Qian Kaikang observed with great seriousness.
The three of them gathered around the hospital bed. Xie Yubo did not step forward; wearing sunglasses and a face mask, his appearance was completely obscured, as if he were a celebrity making a public appearance. Only his eyebrows were visible, exquisitely shaped like willow leaves carved by a blade.
“Disciple, come over and take a look,” Qian Kaikang called out. “Wake him up; I have a few questions to ask him.”
Duan’s mother was somewhat reluctant; her son had finally fallen asleep, so why did this master and disciple have to come at night?
She gently woke Duan Wenyao, and Xie Yubo asked him a few questions.
Seeing that Xie Yubo was still wearing sunglasses, Duan’s mother frowned and said, “Shouldn’t your teacher be the one asking these questions?”
Qian Kaikang quickly replied, “These are basic questions; it doesn’t matter who asks them. My little apprentice is almost more skilled than I am.”
Mrs. Duan remained unconvinced, staring fixedly at Xie Yubo throughout, as though every additional word her son spoke to him would shave a year off his lifespan.
Duan Wenyao spoke weakly yet politely, “Mother, I believe this young master’s skills are truly exceptional; there is no need for you to worry.”
Once Xie Yubo completed his examination, Qian Kaikang stated, “We now fully understand the patient’s condition. The prescription will require approximately one night to finalize; Mrs. Duan may send someone to collect it tomorrow once it is written.”
After leaving the ward, Qian Kaikang whispered, “I should not have brought you here. With the young master’s miraculous healing abilities, it ought to be others making three visits to his thatched cottage to seek his counsel.”
Xie Yubo didn’t mind; his attire was somewhat peculiar: “Just give me the money.”
Two hundred thousand yuan—he planned to exchange it for gold bars and stash them under his bed.
Xie Yubo didn’t arrive home until nine o’clock that evening, explaining that after finishing his massage therapy studies, he had visited Liu Fei’s house as a guest.
There was a computer in Xie Yubo’s room, though no one had ever used it. Uncle Wang helped him insert the disc and set everything up. “Young master, once a video ends, just press this key to move on to the next one.”
Xie Yubo: “Alright, thank you, Uncle Wang.”
Uncle Wang left with a worried expression. As one of the few who knew the truth, he couldn’t help but wonder: The young master had never learned massage for even a single day; could he really master it so quickly?
And he was relying on “listening” to videos for a crash course.
Contrary to what Uncle Wang imagined, Xie Yubo muted the sound, watching without listening. The old videos had no subtitles, and since Wang Fuyang’s aunt spoke with a noticeable accent, Xie Yubo couldn’t understand her anyway. He also feared the sound might leak out and alert his brother that he was cramming at the last minute.
This Imperial Astrologer can understand just by watching.
Xie Yubo watched several chapters at accelerated speed, yawning three times in succession.
He’s just a high school senior who goes to bed at ten!
So sleepy.
The video collection is massive; Little Aunt Wang’s wardrobe includes both summer and winter clothes, indicating the footage was shot over several years—truly daunting.
Xie Yubo skipped through one video, dissatisfied with the urgent need to proceed sequentially, and decided to watch them in reverse order instead.
Start with the most difficult; once mastered, everything before it will fall into place.
He clicked on the second-to-last video, whose title differed significantly from the others.
It was called “Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation,” and he had no idea how it had ended up there.
“This humble Imperial Astrologer now understands: it is a technique for nurturing the internal organs,” Xie Yubo declared with feigned authority, refusing to admit his own ignorance.
Xie Yubo dragged the progress bar, skipping the introductory explanations; since he had muted the audio anyway, he ignored all commentary and focused solely on the movements.
Everything he’d watched so far demonstrated back massages; this was a rare front-facing position.
The Grand Imperial Astrologer was now half-asleep, struggling to keep his eyes half-open as he勉强 studied the technique.
After reviewing it repeatedly, he concluded this video featured the simplest steps yet the most miraculous effects, perfect for emergency situations; Xie Yubo mentally noted it down.
Tsk, not only did they strip someone’s clothes, but they also had to locate the center point on a chest that should be seen by no one, and even bow their heads…
Suddenly, the Grand Imperial Astrologer’s expression changed.
“Morals are deteriorating by the day; how can people still kiss on the lips?”