As Gu Jiaojiao finished inserting the silver needles for Elder Ren, she asked, "Grandpa, were your legs still hurting last night?"
"Last night was much better than before. They didn't hurt while I was sleeping, and I slept much longer than usual. I slept straight through until dawn."
"The pain stopped before you went to sleep last night, but that was because you took painkillers. If you can bear it, try to avoid them. Taking too many has side effects."
"Okay," Elder Ren agreed readily. His pain was always especially severe in the winter, and he had to take painkillers almost every day, but they didn't have much of an effect.
"After five more days of these treatments, you can have the operation. It's a minor, minimally invasive procedure. You'll be able to walk on the same day."
The two of them only discussed the treatment for his chronic leg pain. Neither brought up Ren Cuiping.
