Fated Love With the Billionaire
Chapter 345 I Am Not False

Chapter 345: Chapter 345 I Am Not False

Cheng Qiaobei’s gaze was icy cold as he refused decisively, "I’m not sick, I don’t need it."

Ding Yuan said, "He’s really skilled at taking pulses. Just give it a try."

Seeing that Cheng Qiaobei was about to refuse more sharply, Chen Ningxi didn’t want Ding Yuan to feel embarrassed in front of an outsider, so she went over to persuade him:

"Qiaobei, it’s rare to come across a reliable traditional Chinese medicine practitioner. Now that we’ve found one, let’s give it a try."

Cheng Qiaobei paused for a moment and then nodded.

Nobody but Chen Ningxi could persuade him.

Ding Yuan smiled and glanced at Chen Ningxi; she had always believed she made the right choice with this daughter-in-law.

Cheng Qiaobei sat down properly, rested his wrist on the pulse pillow, and the elderly Chinese medicine practitioner pressed his fingers against Cheng Qiaobei’s wrist. With closed eyes, he relaxed his brows occasionally, his forehead furrowing slightly as though confirming something.

In traditional Chinese medicine, legacy is important. Seeing the ancestral photos hanging on the wall, with the names of patients written at the bottom—many of them were once highly famous individuals, including a leader whose pulse had been checked personally by the practitioner—Chen Ningxi immediately felt that the elderly doctor deserved more trust.

Chen Ningxi leaned in behind Cheng Qiaobei, while Ding Yuan was fully engrossed in listening.

Cheng Qiaobei was the calmest until the elderly practitioner said:

"Kidney deficiency comes in two types."

At just this sentence, Cheng Qiaobei withdrew his arm, his sharp gaze cutting toward Ding Yuan like a blade. The doctor said:

"Don’t move, put your arm back down."

Cheng Qiaobei was about to get up but was forcibly pressed down by Ding Yuan, who placed his arm back onto the pulse pillow.

Cheng Qiaobei said with a grim face, "I’m not deficient."

The doctor replied, "Don’t rush, young man. Being impatient can lead to kidney Yang deficiency."

"I’m not deficient," Cheng Qiaobei retorted.

But aside from insisting he wasn’t deficient, he couldn’t say anything else because he wasn’t an expert in traditional Chinese medicine and lacked the technical vocabulary.

The elderly practitioner continued, "Let me finish. Kidney deficiency comes in two types: kidney Yin deficiency and kidney Yang deficiency. Kidney Yin deficiency usually comes from excessive depletion of vital energy—frequent sexual activity, overwork, prolonged high-intensity mental or physical labor; all these can lead to kidney Yin deficiency."

Listening to the practitioner list out one cause after another, Chen Ningxi suddenly felt these symptoms matched perfectly with Cheng Qiaobei.

"Ah..."

Seeing how Chen Ningxi seemed to believe it, Cheng Qiaobei turned solemnly to her to explain, "I’m not deficient. Really, I’m not. You’d know if I were deficient, wouldn’t you?"

Chen Ningxi flushed crimson and stammered, "...Stop talking."

Her embarrassment was mistaken by Ding Yuan as shame at discussing intimate topics, which left Ding Yuan convinced there must be issues in their marital life. Luckily, she’d dragged him to see the doctor; otherwise, if the root problem worsened, it might be harder to cure.

The elderly practitioner asked Cheng Qiaobei some questions, which he answered swiftly to prove he wasn’t deficient.

The practitioner then asked, "Do you experience lower back soreness and pain?"

Cheng Qiaobei was about to deny it, but he had indeed felt discomfort in his lower back from prolonged sitting at work. However, that’s pretty common among office workers; it wasn’t something extraordinary.

Initially, Chen Ningxi had approached the consultation casually, but now she believed sincerely.

Chen Ningxi answered on his behalf, "Yes, he has that problem."

The practitioner asked, "Do you feel fatigue in your limbs?"

Chen Ningxi replied, "Yes, he does."

Cheng Qiaobei turned to Chen Ningxi, "It’s only happened once or twice. Once was when I was playing badminton with He Yunyi—you forgot."

Chen Ningxi frowned seriously, "Don’t interrupt. Once or twice still counts as happening."

She worried about his health; if the pulse revealed an issue, they should prescribe treatment and address it promptly.

The practitioner continued, "Do you have hair loss or loose teeth?"

Cheng Qiaobei was utterly speechless, pointing incredulously at his thick hair and then at his mouth. "Wearing a wig, full dentures."

Ding Yuan thumped his shoulder, "Be serious." Then she laughed and explained to the doctor, "My son has thick hair; no hair loss. His teeth are great, not even a single cavity."

But to her surprise, the practitioner said sternly, "You’re the patient, but he’s the patient. Let him answer."

Fearing he might act out further, Chen Ningxi coaxed him, "Qiaobei, cooperate."

Cheng Qiaobei sighed, "Alright, I’ll cooperate." He said to the doctor, "No hair loss, and my teeth aren’t loose either."

The doctor nodded, "Mm."

What followed was even more direct.

"Have you recently experienced excessive libido or premature ejaculation issues?"

Cheng Qiaobei calmly turned to Chen Ningxi and said, "Now this one you’ll answer for me."

Chen Ningxi’s toes nearly curled into a three-bedroom, two-bath unit from embarrassment. She glared at him with a flushed face.

Cheng Qiaobei chuckled, "Heh... No."

The practitioner asked, "Is it no excessive desire or no libido at all?"

Unable to take it anymore, Chen Ningxi fled the consultation room, needing a quiet, solitary space to cool her flushed face.

Cheng Qiaobei became completely candid in his responses.

Not for any other reason but to prove to the practitioner and Ding Yuan that he was not deficient!

Ding Yuan listened the entire time. Finally, when the practitioner confirmed that Cheng Qiaobei wasn’t kidney deficient, he noted that his body was indeed exhausted—vital energy depleted—which, over time, could lead to kidney Yin deficiency. He recommended some herbal tonics for replenishment.

The medicine was prescribed for one course, and the cost was reasonable.

When Ding Yuan suggested the practitioner take Che Ningxi’s pulse next, Cheng Qiaobei flatly refused.

"No way," he said, taking advantage of the practitioner’s absence as he fetched the herbs. "It’s bad enough you’re meddling with me. You want to drag her into this, too? I’m your son; if I get sick, you can handle it. But she’s someone else’s precious daughter; if something goes wrong for her, can you bear the responsibility?"

At that, Ding Yuan grew silent.

He was right—better safe than sorry.

Cheng Qiaobei said, "You tricked me all the way here just to see a practitioner."

Ding Yuan tucked her hair behind her ear and feigned determination, "I did it for your own good. You’ve been married for so long, and Ningxi hasn’t shown any signs. Of course I’m worried! What if you end up like Xue Jiao’s son? If it’s really your problem, we can treat it early."

Cheng Qiaobei replied, "So I should be thanking you, huh?"

With arms crossed, Ding Yuan said, "What mother doesn’t worry about her own child?"

That single sentence ignited Cheng Qiaobei’s fury. "Why didn’t you think about this earlier? Now you’re worried?"

Just moments earlier, Chen Ningxi had been playing outside with a kitten but immediately noticed the argument indoors. Though the voices weren’t loud, she was sensitive to Cheng Qiaobei’s tone and quickly walked into the house.

She saw the two in the main room, their faces equally tense—especially Cheng Qiaobei, whose eyes were bloodshot, clearly suppressing his anger.

She walked over and said to Cheng Qiaobei, "There’s a kitten in the yard. I want to pet it, but I don’t dare catch it."

Cheng Qiaobei’s expression softened slightly, "...Mm."

He turned and walked out, while Chen Ningxi stayed to calm Ding Yuan. "Mom, you know Qiaobei’s temperament. Don’t get mad at him; I’ll go talk to him."

Ding Yuan said, "Good girl."

Chen Ningxi quickly followed him into the yard, where Cheng Qiaobei was standing by the wall attempting to catch the kitten. The tabby cat, unusually clever, stretched lazily on the wall upon seeing an unfamiliar hand reach toward it, then ran away.

Cheng Qiaobei: "..."

Chen Ningxi approached, and Cheng Qiaobei said, "I didn’t catch it."

"Haha..." Chen Ningxi chuckled, "It’s fine."

Cheng Qiaobei said, "My mom wanted him to take your pulse, but I stopped her."

Chen Ningxi lightly bumped his shoulder. "Is that why you argued with her?"

Cheng Qiaobei nodded, "She can mess with me, but not you."

Chen Ningxi said, "Mom meant well."

"Nobody’s allowed," Cheng Qiaobei said, looking at Chen Ningxi. She was the person he treasured like a gem in his hands; nothing could be allowed to go wrong with her.