Chapter 185: How Do You Want to Punish Your Fiancée?

Chapter 185: Chapter 185: How Do You Want to Punish Your Fiancée?

After his two classes ended, Wang Chenning was immediately surrounded by a few old-timers.

They all crowded around him, asking why he had suddenly announced he would be taking on apprentices, what his criteria were, and if he had already decided who to accept and made arrangements with them in advance!

Wang Chenning didn’t deceive them. He answered honestly that he had only decided on one apprentice so far: Chang Hongwei’s grandson, Chang Qingfeng.

As for whether he would accept anyone else, he hadn’t decided yet.

Zheng Guilong, the inheritor of the Fire Needle technique, and Wu Jianyan, the inheritor of the Ghost Gate Thirteen Needles, instantly saw a glimmer of hope. They eagerly pleaded with Wang Chenning to accept them as his apprentices.

Wang Chenning neither refused nor accepted. He simply said he was treating everyone to dinner that evening and invited the senior practitioners for a drink.

Wang Chenning intended to discuss the matter over dinner. Once the old men understood his meaning, they happily agreed.

Wang Chenning gave Lu Yuanshan a call, inviting him to dinner.

When he heard that Wang Chenning wanted to discuss the apprenticeship matter over dinner, Lu Yuanshan, who originally had other plans, immediately canceled his engagement and agreed to come.

"What the hell are you up to, you brat? You’re always full of surprises!" Lu Yuanshan chided Wang Chenning over the phone. "Your grandfather knows all about the trouble you’ve been stirring up in Yandu. He’s furious! He said he’s coming to Yandu in the spring to give you a good beating!"

"You old bastard, you actually snitched on me to Grandpa!" Wang Chenning flew into a rage. "Believe it or not, I’ll just quit!"

"How could I have snitched on you?" Lu Yuanshan was startled and quickly explained, "I don’t even know half the things you’ve been doing, so I couldn’t tattle if I wanted to! He must have found out through other channels."

Hearing Lu Yuanshan’s words, Wang Chenning’s thoughts immediately turned to Yang Xiaofei.

Yang Xiaofei was always in contact with Wang Chongjiu; she was the likely one who told his grandfather everything.

He immediately sent Yang Xiaofei a text: "Have you been snitching on me to my grandpa?"

Half an hour later, Yang Xiaofei replied: "Teacher Wang, you’re judging a noble person by your own petty standards!"

Wang Chenning texted back: "I’ll get you for this next time!"

To Wang Chenning’s surprise, Yang Xiaofei sent back a message that read: "My dearest fiancé, how exactly are you planning on ’getting’ your fiancée? Are you going to kiss me breathless, or are you going to make me your *real* wife? After all, you’re so strong, and a weak little woman like me can’t possibly resist you. Whatever you want to do, just give the order. I’ll be a good girl and lie down waiting for you!"

Seeing this message, Wang Chenning nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.

He sent back a confused text: "Did your account get hacked?"

Yang Xiaofei replied: "When I have a straight face, you say I’m deadpan. Now that I’m being a living, breathing, delicate young woman, you can’t handle it. Just tell me, what exactly do you want from me?"

And with that, Wang Chenning was defeated. "Alright, you win. Bring on whatever tricks you have. I’m curious to see just how many faces you can show me!"

Yang Xiaofei: "So, are you coming to give me my treatment tonight?"

"I have plans tonight!" Wang Chenning quickly explained that he was treating a group of old masters to dinner to discuss the rules for accepting apprentices. "Let’s talk after I’m done with that!"

Yang Xiaofei: "If you come, I’ll tell you something important!"

Wang Chenning’s curiosity was instantly piqued. "What is it?"

Yang Xiaofei: "I’ll tell you when you get here!"

"Hah, women!" Wang Chenning added two eye-roll emojis to his message.

Yang Xiaofei didn’t reply.

When word got out that Wang Chenning would be announcing the details of his apprenticeship that evening, the famous traditional medicine doctors still lingering in Yandu, as well as many of the city’s own senior practitioners, all wanted to attend.

Chang Honghong and Chang Qingfeng also planned to come, and Chang Qingfeng called Wang Chenning at once to inform him.

"Then come," Wang Chenning said, not refusing.

In the end, the guests filled three entire tables.

Zhao Xiao’an had already heard about the event. Naturally, she came to join the excitement, and she even brought a few colleagues along, ready to conduct an on-site interview.

Wang Chenning didn’t refuse Zhao Xiao’an’s interview request.

The program Zhao Xiao’an had been planning for so long was scheduled to begin filming in the next few days, and tonight’s excitement could be included in it.

At six in the evening, once all the invited guests had arrived, Wang Chenning walked onto the stage, ready to announce his plans.

"I’ve invited all you seniors to this banquet today because I have an announcement to make: I am preparing to formally accept apprentices! My goal, of course, is to pass on what I know to more people so that we can ultimately relieve the suffering of countless patients and truly achieve the revival and further development of our traditional medicine."

Wang Chenning didn’t mince words, getting straight to the point. "I know many of you wish to become my disciples to learn my acupuncture and other skills. However, I must tell you all that mastering my techniques is not a short-term endeavor, and the aptitude required of an apprentice is very high. To truly achieve greatness, one must master the Qi Vortex Needle. This demands that the learner possess a certain amount of Inner Strength; without it, it is impossible. Therefore, I will only be accepting young people as my apprentices!"

Wang Chenning’s words caused an uproar among the guests.

Many felt that Wang Chenning had played them for fools and were instantly indignant.

Wang Chenning wasn’t surprised by their reaction. He raised a hand, signaling for them to calm down. "I am willing to continue exchanging knowledge with all the seniors present, so we can practice together and improve. I’m happy to offer pointers to anyone interested in my acupuncture techniques, but we cannot have a formal master-disciple relationship. Otherwise, the entire generational hierarchy would be thrown into chaos. Moreover..."

He trailed off, pausing deliberately.

The previously raucous hall immediately fell silent. Everyone waited with bated breath for Wang Chenning to say what came after "Moreover."

"Each and every senior present here can choose a promising junior to send to me for study. As long as I approve of their aptitude, I will teach them everything I know without reservation!"

Wang Chenning’s words once again caused an uproar, but this time, it was a clamor of excited shouts.

"Teacher Wang knows we don’t have the energy or capacity to learn such profound Acupuncture Skill and diagnostic techniques, so he has chosen to teach the younger generation instead!" Zheng Guilong said excitedly. "This way, our traditions will have successors! My youngest son is twenty-five this year and has excellent aptitude. He should be able to meet Teacher Wang’s standards."

Zheng Guilong immediately called his son, telling him to catch a flight to Yandu that very night.

Inspired by Zheng Guilong, the others also whipped out their phones, calling and instructing specific family members to hurry to Yandu to prepare for their apprenticeship under Wang Chenning.

Seeing this scene unfold, Zhao Xiao’an’s heart swelled with immense pride.

She took lots of photos, recorded some short on-the-spot interviews, and then posted it all to her Weibo and social media feeds.

"Teacher Wang has finally decided to take on apprentices! He respects the seniors in the medical world so much—willing to guide them but refusing to take the title of ’master.’ I’m truly in awe of his magnanimity. His focus on training the younger generation shows just how forward-thinking he is. I believe that in a few years, Teacher Wang’s students will be found far and wide, and traditional medicine will experience a true revival and period of rapid growth. This will benefit countless patients, and the plight of the critically ill with nowhere to turn will be drastically improved. And yes, I’m sure you all know... your girl is fangirling hard again."

Zhao Xiao’an’s post on Weibo and Moments once again caused a massive stir...