134 Reproach! (Seeking Collections)

Seeing Su Yunjin so serious, Fu Lin said no more and instructed the driver to set the destination to the villa district.

In less than half an hour, Su Yunjin arrived at the villa.

From a distance, she could already see the light shining in the study that belonged to Grandfather Wu.

Sitting in the car, Su Yunjin let out a sincere sigh of relief. If Grandfather Wu had returned to the sect, she would probably have to fly back overnight.

After getting out of the car, Su Yunjin turned to Fu Lin. "Thank you. I’ll go upstairs first."

Fu Lin replied, "Okay, call me if you need anything."

"Alright."

After bidding farewell to Fu Lin, Su Yunjin said a few words of thanks to the driver, then bowed slightly and turned to enter the villa.

She knocked on the door, and Aunt Qiao quickly opened it.

Upon seeing Su Yunjin, a relieved expression appeared on her face. "Yunjin, you’re finally back. Master Wu is waiting for you in the study."

"I know. You should go get some rest, Aunt Qiao. I’m going to see Grandfather Wu."

Su Yunjin didn’t try to hide her injury.

First, the "Hot-Blooded Soldiers" event was broadcast live nationwide.

Second, given the sect’s schedule, it was already past bedtime, but the light in Grandfather Wu’s study was still on—he was definitely waiting for her to return or call.

Taking a deep breath, Su Yunjin went upstairs and arrived at Grandfather Wu’s study.

She knocked and then pushed the door open, stepping inside. The study was decorated in an extremely classical style.

The furniture was made of woven rattan; a low tea table held a chessboard and a tea set, while a faint scent of sandalwood lingered in the air.

At the rattan desk sat an elderly man approaching seventy, sipping tea and reading a book.

“Grandfather Wu,” Su Yunjin called softly.

The old man, head bowed, looked up, put aside his book without a word, and beckoned her over. "Come here, let me see the injury on your hand."

"Okay."

Su Yunjin obediently approached and extended her injured left hand.

Without her needing to intervene, Grandfather Wu carefully unraveled the layered white bandages. As each layer was removed, the wound on her hand was revealed.

The black stitches stood out starkly against her pale skin, looking fierce and jagged, yet at this moment, the injury seemed like a priceless treasure in Grandfather Wu’s eyes.

“Move it.”

After scrutinizing the wound several times, Grandfather Wu said.

Su Yunjin obediently moved her five fingers slightly, but the pain limited her movement to slight motions.

"Bend it back. See how far it can bend."

She tried again but soon realized the grave problem: even with all her strength, her left hand’s fingers could not bend beyond ninety degrees.

“The wound is so deep; it must have damaged many nerves. Even if the major nerves aren’t hurt, the minor ones you cut probably severed numerous fibers.”

Grandfather Wu’s words came again, and Su Yunjin raised her head to meet his reproachful gaze.

This was true rebuke, making Su Yunjin feel deeply ashamed.

“As my disciple, and the successor of Sixth Grandmother, you should understand how precious your hands are.

Since you were little, no matter which grandparent you studied with, I always emphasized protecting your hands.

Do you realize now that this single cut nearly wasted all our hard work?”

“I’m sorry, Grandfather Wu.”

“Is sorry enough now? As a healer, your hands are practically ruined. Even if they heal, you’ll be left half-disabled.”

His words were stern, and Su Yunjin dared not argue.

If she had once been indifferent in the hospital, now she was overwhelmed by regret—deep, profound regret.

Because of her recklessness, she had disappointed all her grandparents.

Especially Grandfather Wu—medical inheritance was his lifelong dream, and he had invested countless efforts in her.

Yet she had so carelessly thrown away a lifetime of his dedication.

The guilt struck her heart. Biting her lip, her vision blurred as tears clouded the elderly man before her.

“I’m sorry, Grandfather Wu.”

“Enough crying. What’s done is done. Remember this lesson—don’t be so reckless next time.”

Though his tone remained cold, Su Yunjin understood the meaning: he was forgiving her.

Yet this forgiveness overwhelmed her, and she could no longer hold back, covering her face as great tears fell.

“But... but I have let down Grandfather Wu and Sixth Grandmother’s hopes...”

She gritted her teeth, forcing herself to say it clearly.

She wasn’t afraid of the pain, nor of her hand being ruined. But she could not bear to disappoint the grandparents who raised her.

Especially Sixth Grandmother, so gentle and kind. When she was young and made mistakes, Sixth Grandmother always covered for her.

Even when she tried to slack off studying under Third Grandfather, Sixth Grandmother would stop him from punishing her.

Yet this gentle, loving elder had been abandoned by her just hours ago.

She had forgotten the mission on her shoulders, forgotten the grandparents on Mount Zongshan who looked upon her with great hope.

She had injured her hand and nearly destroyed Sixth Grandmother’s lifelong legacy entrusted to her.

She could neither forgive nor excuse herself.

Biting her lip, she fought to keep from crying in a pitiful way, but finally, soft sobs escaped.

Shame, guilt, pain, regret—all emotions swirled within her until she felt a large hand rest gently on her head.

“As long as you recognize your mistake, that’s good. Grandfather Wu still has ways to treat this wound.”

The warm yet strong voice of Grandfather Wu reached her.

Su Yunjin lifted her head from the pain, looking at him, tears still uncontrollable as she asked, “T-Then… can I still… still be the same as before?”

“That depends on your willpower. You’ve studied with me since you were young. You should know recovery is thirty percent medicine, seventy percent effort.

What I can do now is use acupuncture to stimulate the regeneration of the severed meridians. Whether they can return to their original state depends on whether you’re willing to train.”

With a long sigh, Grandfather Wu’s eyes showed indescribable complexity, his brows tightly furrowed.

Su Yunjin understood the helplessness and pain in his heart.

Yet upon hearing these words, she felt genuine relief.

Nodding, she expressed her understanding.

“A healer must first learn self-love—not mere preservation of life, but because only by that can one save others.”

Taking out a box of needles, Grandfather Wu spoke earnestly. Then, with a helpless sigh, he added, “But after this, Grandfather Wu knows you’ve learned your lesson.”

Su Yunjin said nothing.

Nor did Grandfather Wu require a reply.

Opening the needle case, among the gleaming silver needles, he selected the most suitable one.

Pinching the needle’s tip firmly with his index, thumb, and middle fingers, he inserted it into the acupuncture point on Su Yunjin’s hand.