Return to the City: The Strongest King
Chapter 922 - 923: The First Lesson

Chapter 922: Chapter 923: The First Lesson

Song Xiaodong immediately recognized that this boy was likely pursuing Lu Yaobing, while she probably didn’t have any feelings for him yet.

Youth often lacks a bit of grace. Jealousy isn’t wrong, but failing to maintain enough composure in front of a girl may come off too strongly. This intensity can create a sense of pressure for her.

With a slight smile, Song Xiaodong was about to speak when Lu Yaobing remarked coldly, "This is Teacher Song. Don’t mess around here."

"Ah... a teacher?" The boy’s face instantly looked awkward. "I’m sorry, I thought you were a student."

"It’s fine, let’s go. Class is about to start." Song Xiaodong waved him off.

The boy gave a sheepish smile, then turned to Lu Yaobing and said, "Yaobing... tonight I..."

Before he finished, Lu Yaobing interrupted, "I’ve been really busy lately. No time. Don’t hold me up, I need to get to class. Teacher Song, let’s go."

With Teacher Song present, the boy had no choice but to stop pestering her, and could only watch as Song Xiaodong and Lu Yaobing entered the teaching building together.

When they reached the third floor, Lu Yaobing stopped at a classroom door and said, "Teacher Song, this is where the acupuncture class’s professional lessons are held."

Song Xiaodong nodded and said, "Thank you."

It was at this moment that Lu Yaobing flashed a mischievous smile and said, "Teacher Song, we’re also students of the acupuncture class. Since we brought you to class, you have to look after us in the future!"

Song Xiaodong’s face darkened. "You two... didn’t say anything earlier. Fine, I’ve decided to be extra strict with you from now on."

"Teacher Song, you wouldn’t!" Wang Xiaoling exclaimed, looking deeply aggrieved.

"Haha, let’s get moving. Anyway, thank you both, but class is class, and gratitude is gratitude. If you don’t study properly, I won’t go easy on you."

The three of them entered the classroom, which was already almost full. Lu Yaobing and Wang Xiaoling took seats in the lecture hall, while Song Xiaodong stood at the podium.

This drew curious looks from everyone. A man standing at the podium who looked barely older than them seemed to be their teacher. But in the medical school, teachers were usually much older, so his age seemed out of place.

After a few more students trickled in and time was up, Song Xiaodong lightly cleared his throat and said, "Hello everyone, I am your teacher for this year’s applied acupuncture class. My surname is Song, and my name is Song Xiaodong."

As he spoke, he wrote his name on the blackboard. It had been ages since he last held chalk, but fortunately, given how often he had been writing his own name lately, it didn’t turn out too sloppy.

Turning back to the class, Song Xiaodong said, "You’re probably all wondering why there’s no textbook for this course and why it’s only offered once a week. Let me explain: this class isn’t something you’ll find in a textbook. What I’ll be teaching you is how to use acupuncture to truly treat illnesses."

"This course is entirely voluntary—attendance is optional, it won’t count towards your credits, and there won’t be exams. But if you choose to attend, you must take it seriously. No one is allowed to disrupt others, or I’ll kick you out immediately."

The students reacted in various ways. Some looked thrilled, while others were full of curiosity.

"I know you must still have questions, so let me offer a demonstration. Which one of you would like to volunteer and assist me?"

The students looked at each other, unsure of what to do, until one person raised her hand—it was Lu Yaobing.

Song Xiaodong nodded and said, "Lu Yaobing, please come forward."

As she approached the lectern, Song Xiaodong addressed the class. "Classmates, learning acupuncture begins with mastering acupoints, each with its own functions. You’re all juniors now and should be familiar with this knowledge. I will now use a few acupoints on Lu Yaobing’s hand to temporarily make her hand lose sensation."

As he spoke, Song Xiaodong pulled out three silver needles. "Lu Yaobing, don’t worry. This will only result in temporary numbness and will quickly return to normal without any side effects."

"Okay, I’m not scared, Teacher Song," said Lu Yaobing, her face lighting up with excitement.

Song Xiaodong instructed Lu Yaobing to place her left hand on the lectern. Using three silver needles, he pierced three acupoints on the back of her hand and said, "Alright, Lu Yaobing, try to feel your hand now."

Raising her left arm, Lu Yaobing’s face immediately revealed surprise. "It feels like my hand doesn’t exist anymore. Can I pinch it?"

"Sure," Song Xiaodong nodded.

She pinched her left hand with her right, but—feeling nothing—unconsciously applied more pressure.

"Don’t use too much force!" Song Xiaodong quickly cautioned. "You don’t feel pain now, but once I remove the needles, you’ll feel it, and it’ll hurt a lot. Pain is an essential mechanism to prevent injury."

Only then did Lu Yaobing let go. After withdrawing the needles, she let out a gasp. "Ouch!" She rubbed the spot where she’d pinched herself earlier.

"That’s amazing!" she exclaimed.

Smiling faintly, Song Xiaodong said, "You can return to your seat now. Who else would like to give it a try?"

This time, several students eagerly volunteered. Song Xiaodong picked a few at random and let them experience it for themselves.

"Alright, though some of you still want to try, don’t worry. This course places a strong emphasis on hands-on practice. Every class, I’ll invite a few of you to experience acupuncture firsthand. Anyone who sticks with this course will have their turn under the needle!"

The classroom erupted in laughter.

Having livened up the atmosphere, Song Xiaodong raised his hand to settle them down. "My teaching approach is simple. Each class, I will introduce a few acupoints. Before the next class, I’ll let you know which ones we’ll be covering. I hope you’ll prepare in advance and at least get to know the primary functions of these acupoints. Then, during class, we’ll practice needling them together."

After his demonstration, the students became noticeably more focused.

More importantly, Song Xiaodong’s lessons were highly practical. His teaching style was straightforward and easy to understand, quite different from traditional methods, which made the material feel engaging rather than boring.

Before they knew it, an hour had passed, and Song Xiaodong announced a break.

During typical breaks, students would either step out for some fresh air or chat among themselves in the classroom. This time, however, a large group surrounded Song Xiaodong instead.