“I don’t believe it,” Ethan said. “I’ve watched you grow up, and I never knew you knew acupuncture.”

“A lot can happen in a short time. Moreover, we weren’t in contact for a few years.”

Emmeline gently massaged her father’s body to find the appropriate spots.

Ethan thought he was looking at a professional at work.

“Emma, do you really know how to treat illnesses?”

“A little,” Emmeline said. “Father’s condition is a piece of cake. Anything more complicated than this, and I’m helpless.”

“I suppose so,” Ethan said. “Well, you might as well give it a try. You’re not going to kill him, right?”

“Shush!” Emmeline shot a glance at her brother and inserted a silver needle into her father’s body.

After inserting several needles, Maxwell slowly opened his eyes. Color returned to his complexion.

“Emma! Father is waking up!” Ethan said happily.

“Mm,” Emmeline replied while gently twiddling a needle. “I’ll leave the needles in for a few minutes. He should be fine after I take them out.”

“I didn’t expect you to be so skilled!” Ethan kneaded his hands happily.

Emmeline took a small pill from her purse and fed it to Maxwell.

“What’s that?” Ethan felt uneasy.

“I made the pill myself. It’s very effective.”

“Oh.” Ethan kneaded his hands again.

Benjamin returned to the room with two boxes in his hand.

Ethan went up to him. “Mr. York! We shouldn’t have troubled you!”

I can’t possibly trouble Ms. Louise either! Benjamin thought.

“Don’t mention it. I was worried you and Emma might be hungry,” Benjamin said.

“Thank you, Mr. York. It’s an honor for me and Emma,” Ethan said as he took the boxes from Benjamin’s hands.

“You didn’t have to include me!” Emmeline said without turning her head.

“That’s because you don’t appreciate what Mr. York does for you? Isn’t he a hundred times better than Abel?”

Why is he saying the same thing?

Swish! A silver needle grazed past Ethan’s ear and struck the door next to him.

Ethan was dumbfounded.

After Emmeline removed the needles, Maxwell woke up.

Emmeline took her supper and went to the pantry. Only Ethan was left in the room with his father.

“Thank you for bringing me to the hospital, Ethan. I thought I was a goner.”

“Don’t say that, Father,” Ethan said while eating his supper. “You have to thank Emma too. She inserted some needles into you, and you woke up.”

“What… What did you say?” Maxwell’s eyes widened. “Emma stabbed me with needles?”

“Ah, it’s not like that. Emma learned acupuncture and she treated you with needles. You woke up after your veins were cleared,” Ethan explained.

“No wonder my head feels clearer and I can see better. It’s all thanks to Emma.”

“That’s right. After you’re discharged, you should invite her home for dinner,” Ethan said. “You haven’t been treating her well.”

“Indeed. It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have listened to Alondra and kicked you all out of the household.”

“It’s all in the past.” Ethan’s eyes were blurred with tears.

He, as a man, was supposed to make a living for himself, but his sister must have suffered.

He did not know what happened to her during those years when they lost contact.

The next morning, after Ethan and Emmeline left the hospital, Alondra came to visit.

She was shocked to see Maxwell in good spirits.

“You look well, my dear!”

“Yes,” Maxwell said while he propped himself up. “Usually, stroke victims would be left paralyzed, but look at me. I’m perfectly fine.”

“That’s weird. How did you recover so quickly?” Alondra asked.

“It’s all thanks to Emma! She didn’t tell me anything, but Ethan told me everything!”

“Emma?” Alondra did not understand. “What did she do other than accompany you last night?”

Maxwell told Alondra about how Emmeline had inserted needles into him.

Alondra was shocked. She did not know Emmeline could do that!