He didn't know how many needles Tong Tong had pricked him with, only that his body was getting hotter and hotter, like a blazing fire burning his entire being.
"Tong Tong, why is Daddy so hot?" Liu Yifeng felt an urge to crawl into a freezer.
"Daddy, don't move around. This is a normal phenomenon. Being hot means the meridians in your body are being unblocked, and your blood circulation will speed up as the meridians open. You just need to persist for ten minutes, and the heat will subside," Tong Tong said.
"Then how long do I have to lie here, Daddy?" Liu Yifeng asked.
"Twenty minutes is enough. After twenty minutes, I'll remove the needles for you and then give you a Heart Protection Pill. After that, Daddy will be able to withstand high-intensity training. This Heart Protection Pill was given to me by Grandpa You. He said it's very difficult to refine, and there are only seven in total. He took one himself and gave me another. Daddy, eating it will not only help you train your martial arts but also protect your heart meridian from damage, preventing any heart problems for a lifetime."
Upon hearing how precious the item was, Liu Yifeng immediately said, "Tong Tong, since it's so precious, you should keep it. What if it's needed for something important later? Daddy is still young, and I can handle any training."
"But Tong Tong wants to give it to Daddy. When I gave it to Mommy before, she saw the Heart Protection Pill was blood-red and refused to take it, thinking it would harm her body. Does Daddy also want to refuse me?" As Tong Tong spoke, tears began to fall.
Liu Yifeng couldn't bear to see Tong Tong cry, so he readily agreed, "Don't be sad, Tong Tong, Daddy will take it. I wasn't refusing just now, I just wanted to save it for emergencies. Maybe I can give it to Grandpa if he needs it!" This was his primary thought. Although he didn't wish for his father to have any health issues, his father was getting old, and his physical strength was declining. Even if he was healthy now, who could guarantee lifelong well-being!
Knowing what Daddy was worried about, Tong Tong patted his chest and said, "Daddy, don't worry. Even if Grandpa has health problems, as long as Tong Tong is here, it won't be a problem."
He remembered that Tong Tong was no ordinary child, even understanding acupuncture. He must know some medical skills, so he didn't say anything further. Since Tong Tong's filial piety was so sincere, wanting to give him the only remaining Heart Protection Pill, how could he, as a father, refuse his son's filial gesture! He could already imagine Tong Tong's disappointment when Yun Duo'er had unhesitatingly refused the Heart Protection Pill, despite Tong Tong's hopeful offer. As a father, he couldn't let him experience that disappointment a second time.
Soon, twenty minutes passed. Liu Yifeng felt as if he had just come out of a sauna, drenched in sweat from head to toe. It felt like his bath had been in vain. Tong Tong, following the sequence, removed the silver needles one by one. Liu Yifeng immediately felt a surge of strength coursing through him, as if he had inexhaustible energy. The effect was incredibly potent and astonishing.
Tong Tong did not discard the silver needles. After sterilizing them, he put them away. Unlike the time he had resolved the love蛊, where the poison was absorbed by the needles, leaving residual toxins even after sterilization, these needles had no poison. As long as they were sterilized, they could be reused. This was different from unblocking his father's Ren and Du meridians; the needles had no toxic substances, so they were reusable after sterilization.
After putting away the needles, Tong Tong opened the wardrobe, took out his suitcase, and from a hidden compartment, retrieved a small white bottle. He poured out the single Heart Protection Pill.
"Daddy, this is the Heart Protection Pill. Eat it quickly!"
Looking at the Heart Protection Pill Tong Tong handed him, Liu Yifeng was deeply moved. "Thank you, Tong Tong. Then Daddy will take it." Although the Heart Protection Pill looked frighteningly red, he would eat anything Tong Tong gave him, even poison. The Heart Protection Pill was about the size of his little fingernail. Liu Yifeng tilted his head back and swallowed it. It looked hard, but it dissolved instantly upon entering his mouth, melting before it even reached his throat. It tasted a bit bitter, but as they say, good medicine is bitter, so bitterness was normal.
"Tong Tong, Daddy has taken the Heart Protection Pill. Can I go take a shower now?"
"Not yet, Daddy. Find a clean towel and wipe off your sweat. You can shower tomorrow." Although he didn't understand why, Liu Yifeng obediently complied. Since Tong Tong said he couldn't shower, he wouldn't. He simply wiped off his sweat, then immediately changed the bedsheets. Afterward, he urged Tong Tong to sleep quickly. Tong Tong usually fell asleep around nine o'clock, and it was already past ten. If he didn't sleep soon, he wouldn't be able to wake up the next day.
Tong Tong fell asleep shortly after lying down. Liu Yifeng looked at his sleeping son, kissed his forehead, and then, with a happy smile, drifted off to sleep as well.
The next morning, Liu Yifeng woke up early. After the acupuncture treatment last night, he felt significantly more energetic, as if he could run a thousand meters. As soon as he finished washing up, he called Huang Yao to ask if he had arrived. Huang Yao told him that he was already loading the vegetables onto the truck and would be delivering them to the kindergarten shortly. Liu Yifeng asked Huang Yao to drive slowly and not to rush, emphasizing that safety was the most important thing. After hanging up, he suddenly remembered something. He hadn't informed the kindergarten that he had hired a driver to deliver the vegetables. So, he quickly sent a text message to Zhao Qing, thinking it wouldn't disturb her and she could see it when she woke up. To his surprise, Zhao Qing immediately replied with an "ok," indicating she had received the message. Relieved, Liu Yifeng started preparing breakfast. There was a lot of leftover rice from last night, so he simply made fried rice and reheated the chicken soup from the clay pot. A bowl of fried rice and a bowl of chicken soup would be enough for everyone. After preparing breakfast, Liu Yifeng went to wake Tong Tong up. Since Tong Tong had slept late last night, he wasn't as energetic as yesterday, yawning continuously. It seemed that no matter what, he shouldn't let Tong Tong stay up late in the future.
After breakfast, Liu Yifeng rushed Tong Tong to kindergarten. On the way, he worriedly instructed, "Tong Tong, if that Xiong Ruiming bullies you again, don't hold back. Only by scaring him into submission will he stop bullying you. Don't be afraid even if you send him to the hospital; Daddy will pay the money!" Liu Yifeng had come to realize that Tong Tong shouldn't always be submissive. Such tolerance would only embolden others. Only by completely subduing the opponent and making him fearful could they have peaceful days. As for Xiong Ruiming's family being officials, that didn't mean they could cover the sky with one hand. He shouldn't be afraid just because of that. He was a father, and he couldn't consider the other party's feelings when his son was being bullied, fearing Tong Tong would injure him. People are judged by their actions from a young age; character is formed early. The sooner this troublesome child is disciplined, the better, or he might stray onto the path of crime as he grows older. Making Tong Tong subdue Xiong Ruiming was actually helping him, Liu Yifeng mused.