A Brother's Burden

"Who did this to you?" This question truly pierced the heart of the protagonist, Xiao Chen.

He had hoped that with the advantage of being reborn and the foresight it brought, he could alter his tragic fate. Yet, here he lay, before even beginning his apprenticeship, his dreams and promising future shattered by a woman weighing over 200 pounds!

Can anyone explain why this happened?

Of course, the overweight woman was merely an unwitting catalyst. 

Being the magnanimous protagonist he was, Xiao Chen refused to shift blame onto bystanders. Instead, he placed the entirety of the responsibility on.

"Lin Beifan! It's all because of him!!!" Xiao Chen seethed, gritting his teeth.

Zhao Siming was taken aback. "Lin Beifan? The one who called me? What's wrong with him? The doctor mentioned that he brought you here and even prepaid for your medical expenses! Such genuinely good-hearted people are rare in society nowadays. Why blame him?"

Xiao Chen shot Zhao Siming an angry glare.

Brother, you've been deceived, and yet you're helping them count their money!

In my previous life, you were mistreated to the point of losing your job and eventually had to leave Song Family Hospital, leading a miserable existence.

But, brother, I don't blame you!

Because I've been reborn, but you haven't. You don't know his cunning and deceitfulness!

This guy is incredibly crafty!

Despite possessing considerable power and influence, he insists on playing the ignorant wastrel. When everyone lets their guard down, he strikes with lightning speed.

What's even more terrifying is the adversary's extraordinary tactics.

They don't just employ schemes; they embody deception!

Always positioning themselves on the moral high ground, they ruthlessly undermine you at every turn.

Back then, not only was I their victim, but several of my brothers suffered the same fate, crushed by their machinations!

And it didn't stop at business; they even absconded with the women!

Reflecting on it now still makes my heart ache!

"Senior Brother, don't be fooled by their facade! Investigate for yourself! The other party is the eldest son of the Lin family, a rich, ignorant second-generation wastrel who only knows how to squander money! How could someone like that be a good person?" Zhao Siming questioned skeptically.

"Is that...true?" Zhao Siming asked uncertainly.

"Of course it's true, Junior Brother. Why would I lie to you? He's despicable, the kind of person who exudes malice!" the protagonist Xiao Chen said bitterly. "But it's too early to dwell on these matters now. You'll come to understand in due time! Just trust me, Senior Brother; I would never deceive you!"

Zhao Siming nodded in agreement.

"Let's not dwell on those unpleasant matters! Senior Brother, the reason I asked you to come here, aside from seeking your counsel, is to request your personal intervention to heal my wounds," Xiao Chen explained.

The protagonist smiled wryly. "You've seen it for yourself; I've got three broken ribs now. It'll take at least two months to recover. I can't afford to wait that long! I need to get better soon!"

"Haha! Junior Brother, you've chosen the right person this time! With Senior Brother's intervention, I guarantee that within a week, you'll be fully healed and bursting with vitality!" Zhao Siming chuckled confidently.

Xiao Chen's eyes lit up with excitement. "Senior Brother, could it be that your Guigu Shenzhen needle has reached the seventh needle?"

Zhao Siming nodded with a smile, his expression radiant. "Indeed, we have nine needles for Guigu Shenzhen! The first for pain relief, the second for cold, the third for fever, the fourth for hemostasis, the fifth for healing wounds, the sixth for internal organs, the seventh for bones, the eighth for reviving the spirit, and the ninth, known as Hades, for ending life!"

"Though my talent may not match yours, I've made significant progress through relentless practice. Recently, I reached the seventh stitch—bone joining! If a bone is broken, it can expedite recovery. With my silver needle, you'll be healed in less than a week!" Xiao Chen exclaimed ecstatically. "Haha! Senior Brother, you're truly incredible. Please, help me cure this!"

With determination, Xiao Chen resolved, "Lin Beifan, just wait for me! Once I'm healed, I'll settle the score with you!"

"Junior Brother, wait a moment. I'll begin the healing now," Zhao Siming said, retrieving a silver needle from his backpack. After sterilizing it with fire, he cautioned, "Junior Brother, it may cause some discomfort, but bear with it."

Xiao Chen nodded, his gaze resolute. "Brother, I've endured the pain before, I can handle this little discomfort!"

"Alright then, I'm ready. Stay focused!" Zhao Siming cautioned.

With determination, Zhao Siming picked up the sterilized silver needle and attempted to insert it into Xiao Chen's chest. However, despite his efforts, he couldn't pierce through.

"Junior Brother, could it be that you've cultivated inner strength?" Zhao Siming queried.

Xiao Chen shook his head. "How could I have had the time for that? If I had cultivated inner strength, I wouldn't be in this predicament! I don't understand; my skin seems unusually tough. Brother, please exert more force!"

"Okay," Zhao Siming complied.

Despite applying additional pressure, the skin remained unbroken, and the silver needle ended up bent.

"It's fine, I'll try another one," Zhao Siming assured, swapping needles.

But each attempt yielded the same result—bent needles and unscathed skin.

"I'll try a thicker one and tie it off," he persisted, but to no avail.

One after another, the silver needles broke, leaving the skin untouched.

"This is unbelievable!" Zhao Siming exclaimed in frustration.

Finally, grasping the last silver needle, Zhao Siming squatted on the bed and exerted all his strength. Unfortunately, his foot slipped, causing him to fall, and the silver needle vanished.

Xiao Chen asked with concern, "Senior Brother, what's happening?"

Zhao Siming's face turned pale. "I managed to get it in."

"But... why don't I feel anything?"

"It pierced through my flesh... Oh, it's excruciating! It hurts, it hurts..."

Xiao Chen, the protagonist, stood in silence, unable to offer any words of comfort.