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Wu Sheng, who was standing a few steps away, heard and immediately said, "Young Master, let me go."

Lian Musu nodded his head, confirmed the location with Divine Doctor Huang, and then sent Wu Sheng on his way.

After Wu Sheng left, Lian Musu urged Divine Doctor Huang and Lih Qingshu to go take a nap and rest for a while.

Lih Qingshu shook her head, refusing. She wasn’t tired.

Divine Doctor Huang glanced at his foot, stroked his beard, and retorted, "Your foot isn’t congenitally lame, is it? What a pity to have been born with such a fine appearance."

Pointing at a nearby chair, he said with indisputable authority, "Sit down, take off your shoes, and let this old man have a look."

Lian Musu was taken aback and then his heart missed a beat. He held his breath and asked, "Divine Doctor, is this...?"

Divine Doctor Huang grew impatient, "Just take them off if I tell you to, why all the fuss?"

"Yes," Lian Musu quickly sat down and was about to remove his shoes, but hesitated again when he saw Lih Qingshu beside him.

There should be no physical contact between men and women who are not related, and although Miss Lih was a daughter of the jianghu, she was still a lady. It would be too rude of him to proceed.

A faint hint of pleasure appeared in Lih Qingshu’s eyes as she looked at him with a smile and said, "It’s alright."

This time, when she found her benefactor, all she knew was that the Lian Family had met with misfortune, and her little disciple was nowhere to be seen. The benefactor had only mentioned it briefly before he became too distressed to continue.

She refrained from asking so as not to touch upon his sorrow, yet she couldn’t help but worry. She was concerned for the well-being of her benefactor and also for her little disciple.

She had only taught Lian Hua embroidery for a short while, and although it wasn’t long, she had taken a particular liking to her little disciple. Lian Hua was innocent and lively, endearing and adorable, and genuinely kind-hearted to others.

Though the little disciple had no talent for needlework, she was extremely clever in other areas. She had even given her a wooden doll that she had carved herself, modeled after her likeness, and with her tiny body, carried a large bundle of gifts for her.

When she opened it, she found tea leaves produced by the little disciple’s family and many of the little disciple’s treasured items.

The little disciple was very reluctant to part with her but did not cry over the farewell, nor did she cling on her, preventing her from leaving. Instead, she simply smiled brightly and said she really liked her, asking her to visit whenever she found the time.

Back then, she had to leave because of feuds within her sect, and later she couldn’t extricate herself due to other matters. Once those issues were resolved, she traveled with Qian Chen to other places. So many years had gone by in a flash, and she had never seen the little disciple again.

She couldn’t put her mind at ease and was determined to find her little disciple this time. She would leave only after learning that the little disciple was safe; otherwise, she would remain uneasy.

Last night, when she discovered Lian Musu had a limp, everyone was busy throughout the night, and she didn’t have the chance to ask. She also feared stirring up sad memories. Now, seeing that Divine Doctor Huang seemed capable of treatment, she felt truly relieved.

"I’m being rude," Lian Musu slightly bowed his head to apologize and, without further hesitation, removed his left shoe and sock, exposing his calf for Divine Doctor Huang to examine.

Divine Doctor Huang pulled the blanket from his body to the chair, got up, squatted down, and carefully felt the leg with his hands.

Feeling a spot, he pinched it hard and muttered to himself, "This was fractured by an external force, several years ago, wasn’t it? Which quack did this reset? Didn’t set it properly at all."

Lian Musu pursed his lips to withstand the pain from the broken bone, his face showing slight discomfort—the quack was none other than himself.

At the beginning, when someone broke it, I had absolutely no conditions for medical treatment, so I had to learn how to bind the bone with a few sticks I found, but there were no conditions to heal properly. Eventually, it ended up like this, and he became accustomed to it.

Divine Doctor Huang carefully pinched, feeling the growth of the broken bone and muttered to himself, "Tsk, an old injury from years back, set so roughly, uneven on both sides, causing a limp in the left foot. Too much walking wears it down severely. On rainy and humid days, it must swell and ache terribly. I don’t know how he endures it. "

Lian Musu bore the pain without speaking. Divine Doctor Huang’s assessment was accurate; his broken leg would start to hurt when he walked too much, and it would flare up from time to time during the change of seasons and on rainy days.

He had sought treatment before, but it was incurable, only palliative ointments were applied, which addressed the symptoms but not the root cause.

Fearing Xiao Bao might feel guilty, he always acted as though nothing was wrong. He didn’t regret the incident that had caused it, for trading one of his legs for Xiao Bao’s life was well worth it.

Miss Lih couldn’t help but ask from the side, "Divine Doctor, is it possible to heal?"

Divine Doctor Huang stroked his beard with one hand while still feeling the bones above and below the break in the leg through the flesh and, squinting his eyes, replied, "It’s not easy to treat."

Sweat beaded on Lian Musu’s forehead from the pain, yet he kept silent. At the words, he smiled, "It’s alright, I’ve grown accustomed to it, and it doesn’t cause any significant trouble."

After so long, he had already given up hope of a cure.

Divine Doctor Huang raised an eyebrow and said, "Heh, who told you it causes no significant trouble? If you keep wearing down this broken leg year after year, it will be useless in another ten years."

Lian Musu fell silent. Doctors had told him before to walk as little as possible, and he was aware of this, but he couldn’t manage that.

Miss Lih frowned slightly. It was that serious.

Having felt enough, Divine Doctor Huang sat back down and said, "I didn’t say it couldn’t be treated. Why such a long face? Other incompetent doctors indeed don’t have the skill to heal it, but count yourself lucky, boy, for you have met me."

Lian Musu looked up at Divine Doctor Huang, his heart pounding fiercely, "Is what you say true, Divine Doctor?"

If it could be cured, how wonderful it would be. Xiao Bao wouldn’t have to blame themselves, and he could be just like a normal person again.

Divine Doctor Huang glanced at him, stroking his beard, and said indifferently, "I can heal it, that’s true, but it depends on whether you can endure it.

The site of your broken leg has grown new bone which has joined badly, and has worn down quite a bit at the incorrect junction.

I would have to break it again and set it anew, shaving off the improperly grown bone.

The pain is not something an ordinary person can bear.

Throughout the realignment, you will have to endure the pain without moving a muscle.

If you do move and tear the tendons inside, your leg will be completely useless.

You’d best think this through carefully. "

Lian Musu felt a tumultuous storm within his heart. The Divine Doctor could cure him, but it would depend on his own capacity to bear it.

He was not one to act rashly or overestimate his abilities. The words of Divine Doctor Huang were indeed tempting, but everyone has their limits. Where were his?

To have his bone broken anew and then to grind it down – could he withstand such pain? He needed to consider this carefully.

Moreover, he had more pressing matters to attend to at the moment. Although his mother’s illness showed signs of improvement, she couldn’t overexert herself, and the future of the Lian Family was still bleak. His younger sister was still missing, adding to his concerns, leaving no room for error.

With these thoughts, his mind gradually calmed, and he considered the feasibility with utmost solemnity.

Miss Lih’s brows first relaxed, then knitted together again, "Divine Doctor, can’t we use an anesthetic or a soporific to make him unconscious before setting the bone?"

Divine Doctor Huang paused in stroking his beard, gave a snort and said, "You girl, if I could use it, wouldn’t I?

That pain cannot be completely eliminated by stinking anesthetic or soporifics.

As I said, he must remain absolutely still to avoid injury to the tendons.

If he were to convulse violently from the pain while unconscious, there would be no need to even attempt setting the leg. We might as well saw it off."