CIATB Chapter 143 Observation, Auscultation, Inquiry and Palpation!
Chapter 143 Observation, Auscultation, Inquiry and Palpation!
"You're Zhang Yan?"
The voice was like two frosted stones rubbing together—deep, powerful, and carrying an unquestionable interrogation tone.
Zhang Yan could feel that Nie Qingcheng, who was holding his arm, tensed up for a moment.
He did not answer.
He simply freed Nie Qingcheng's cold hand from his arm, then turned around and completely enveloped it with his warm palm.
He gave her a reassuring look before raising his head again to meet Nie Zhenbang's sharp, hawk-like eyes.
He was still smiling, his eyes clear, without the slightest fear or hesitation.
"Uncle, I am Zhang Yan."
He didn't use the formal "you" but instead used the more intimate "you," yet his form of address still conveyed the respect due to a junior.
The way he called him "Uncle" was so natural, as if they were not meeting for the first time, but relatives who had known each other for many years.
A very subtle shift appeared on Nie Zhenbang's perpetually icy face.
He considered many possibilities.
This young man might be obsequious, nervous, feigning composure, or even rebellious.
But he never imagined that it would be this kind of "calm" attitude.
It was as if the person standing in front of him was not a high-ranking military officer who would make most of his peers in the capital tremble with fear, but just an ordinary elder.
"Hmm." Nie Zhenbang responded with a sound from his nose, which was considered an acknowledgment of the form of address.
His gaze remained fixed on Zhang Yan's face, as if he were using a microscope with the highest magnification to analyze every subtle expression.
"I watched Qingcheng grow up." Nie Zhenbang spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but every word carried immense weight.
"She is arrogant, doesn't know how to be tactful, easily offends people, and is easily deceived."
"I don't care what your status or background is in Jinghai."
"In the Nie family, you'd better keep those inappropriate thoughts to yourself."
"If you dare to let her suffer even the slightest grievance..."
He paused for a moment after saying this.
An invisible pressure, imbued with the aura of blood and fire, instantly enveloped the entire helipad.
Even the car next to it, a Hongqi L9, seemed to tremble slightly under this aura.
Nie Qingcheng's face paled, and she was about to speak when Zhang Yan gently squeezed her palm.
Zhang Yan's smile remained unchanged.
He even took a step forward, closing the distance between himself and Nie Zhenbang.
"Uncle, you're mistaken."
Nie Zhenbang frowned.
"Qingcheng isn't arrogant; she's just kind and doesn't know how to refuse others."
"It's not that she's easily fooled, but rather that the people she trusts are people she can trust."
Zhang Yan's voice was calm, as if he were stating an objective fact.
"As for feeling wronged..."
He paused, looked up at Nie Zhenbang, and a deep light, incongruous with his age, flashed in his clear eyes.
"With me here, that word will never appear in her dictionary again."
The air seemed to freeze.
Nie Zhenbang stared intently at Zhang Yan, his scrutiny turning into astonishment, even a hint of disbelief.
arrogant.
This was the first word that popped into his mind.
But this arrogance was wrapped in an extreme calmness and confidence, making it impossible for anyone to feel any aversion to it.
He had lived half his life and this was the first time he had ever seen a young man like this.
Just then, Zhang Yan's gaze suddenly fell on Nie Zhenbang's left shoulder.
【Ding! 】
[God-tier social skill (passive) triggered; temporary sub-skill 'Observation, Listening, Inquiry, and Diagnosis' (basic) activated.]
[Target: Nie Zhenbang.]
[Diagnosis: Old fracture of the left scapula, caused by exposure to cold and overuse in earlier years, resulting in local blood stasis and meridian blockage. The patient experiences needle-like pain on rainy days or late at night, and the pain has recently been worsening.]
A series of messages flashed through Zhang Yan's mind.
The smile on his face now held a hint of understanding.
"Uncle," he suddenly spoke, his tone casual as if he were chatting with someone.
Has your old injury in your left shoulder become more painful lately?
"Especially between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m., when the liver meridian is at its peak, the flow of qi and blood is obstructed here, so you must be in so much pain that you can't sleep, right?"
Nie Zhenbang's pupils suddenly contracted.
He subconsciously moved his left shoulder.
This is his biggest secret.
It was an injury sustained during a top-secret mission years ago. Because of the confidentiality regulations, he never mentioned it to anyone, including the military region's doctors and his own family.
He persevered through sheer willpower.
How did this young man know that?
And he described it so accurately, even the exact time of the attack was perfect!
"How could you..." Nie Zhenbang's voice wavered for the first time.
"I know a little about traditional Chinese medicine," Zhang Yan replied casually.
He didn't continue the topic, but rather brought it to a close at the right moment.
He extended his hand, making a "please" gesture.
"Uncle, Grandpa and Grandma must be getting impatient. Let's go inside first."
Nie Zhenbang gave him a deep look, his gaze shifting from initial scrutiny and pressure to a complex mix of shock, curiosity, and apprehension.
For the first time, he put away his condescending attitude in front of this young man.
He nodded, turned around, and personally opened the rear door of the Hongqi L9 for the two of them.
This subtle movement left Nie Qingcheng, who was standing to the side, completely dumbfounded.
Her uncle, who was so arrogant and only nodded slightly to the old man of the Nie family, actually took the initiative to open the car door for a junior?
Looking at the calm and collected man beside her, the worry in her heart was completely replaced by a feeling of pride and admiration.
The car drove smoothly toward the Nie family's old residence.
Speechless all the way.
But the atmosphere inside the car had undergone a complete transformation.
……
The Nie family's old residence is located in a garden in the western suburbs of Beijing. It has blue bricks and gray tiles, and is simple and solemn.
The stone lions at the entrance looked majestic and solemn in the winter sun.
The car was parked at the entrance of the main hall.
As soon as Zhang Yan and Nie Qingcheng got out of the car, they saw a familiar figure standing under the eaves.
It was none other than the patriarch of the Nie family, Nie Qingyun.
He was dressed in a dark blue Tang suit, holding a wolf-hair brush in his hand, facing a large red Xuan paper sprinkled with gold on a long mahogany table, his brows furrowed.
Around the table, a circle of Nie family relatives stood.
My second aunt, Liu Yun, whom I had met at the birthday banquet before, was among them.
The moment she saw Zhang Yan, a hint of resentment flashed in her eyes, but she quickly put on a forced smile and spoke in a sarcastic tone.
"Oh, our Nie family's great hero is back."
"Qingcheng, you'd better keep a close eye on your little boyfriend. Our Nie family temple is too small to accommodate such a big Buddha."
Her words drew snickers from several aunties nearby.
Nie Qingcheng's face turned cold, and she was about to lash out.
Old Master Nie suddenly slammed the brush in his hand onto the table.
With a "splat", ink splattered everywhere.
"What's all the noise about!"
The old man roared, and the entire courtyard fell silent instantly.
Liu Yun trembled with fright and dared not say another word.
The old man didn't even glance at her; his gaze fell directly on Zhang Yan.
Those cloudy but still sharp eyes looked him up and down, finally settling on his clean and slender hands.
"Hmph, I've been feeling uneasy ever since you got a free ride last time."
As the old man spoke, he picked up the ink-stained calligraphy brush on the table and, without saying a word, shoved it into Zhang Yan's hand.
"We haven't written any Spring Festival couplets at home this year."
A half-smile played on his lips, and his eyes were full of a test.
"Kid, why don't you give it a try?"