Medical Sage

”What? Traditional Chinese medicine? From you? You’re so young...” Xiao Qianrang’s expression changed instantly. Traditional Chinese medicine? From a practitioner this young?

Gao Zhinan’s face fell at the scene. ”President Xiao, Doctor Chen’s medical skills are truly exceptional. I...”

”That’s enough, Gao Zhinan,” Xiao Qianrang said with a gloomy, clearly displeased expression. ”I appreciate your good intentions, so I’ll overlook this matter. Let’s just drop it. How could a mere practitioner of traditional medicine, and one so young, possibly cure my strange illness?”

However, his words made Chen Fei’s brows furrow. He couldn’t help but retort, ”President Xiao, from the sound of it, you look down on traditional Chinese medicine, is that right?”

”You dare talk back to me?” Xiao Qianrang was stunned. He never expected a mere doctor to have the audacity to question his words. It left a sour taste in his mouth.

”Hmph. Director Gao, let’s go,” Chen Fei snorted coldly, turning to leave without a moment’s hesitation or a single backward glance.

”This... ah... President Xiao, my sincerest apologies. We’ll take our leave now.” Seeing this, Gao Zhinan could only shake his head helplessly and turn to follow Chen Fei. Although he desperately wanted to board the Xiao Group’s ship, he didn’t dare disregard Chen Fei’s wishes for a single moment. He was afraid.

Just then, an orderly knock echoed from the door. A fiercely arrogant man in his fifties entered, followed by an elderly man in a long robe with a full head of silver hair.

”Wang Yuan?” Gao Zhinan’s expression shifted when he saw the newcomer. The man with the grim eyes was none other than Wang Yuan, the man in control of the Celestial Phenomena Group of Northern Mountain City.

”President Xiao, I heard you were unwell, so I took the liberty of bringing our Divine Doctor from Northern Mountain City, Elder Du. I’m sure you’ve heard of him. He is the former dean of the Traditional Medicine Affiliated Hospital of Northern Mountain and has even treated high-ranking national leaders,” Wang Yuan said, shooting a glance at Gao Zhinan. A hint of cruelty flickered in his narrow eyes as he laughed heartily at Xiao Qianrang.

Hearing this, Gao Zhinan’s face grew even darker. He couldn’t believe Wang Yuan had managed to invite Elder Du. This was the man widely recognized as the number one Divine Doctor in Northern Mountain City, a figure who held a status in the national medical community comparable to Mount Tai Beidou, an authority who had treated the nation’s most important leaders!

”Elder Du?”

Chen Fei, by contrast, remained perfectly calm, merely sparing the silver-haired elder a surprised glance. Elder Du was the former dean of the Traditional Medicine Affiliated Hospital of Northern Mountain, a man of such superb medical skill that even Dr. Xu Zhenxing from the same hospital admitted his own inferiority. Naturally, Chen Fei was interested, but he’d never expected to run into him here.

”So it is Elder Du! Please, have a seat, have a seat. I never imagined Elder Du would personally pay me a visit today. You truly honor me, Xiao Qianrang. I’m afraid my strange illness will require your full attention, Divine Doctor,” Xiao Qianrang said, his excitement obvious. He was clearly aware of Elder Du’s reputation.

Elder Du was a renowned authority in the country’s traditional medicine community, regarded as a Mount Tai Beidou of medicine. His skills were considered peerless, like a modern-day Hua Tuo. Even the highest echelons of the government had sought his consultation. His status was far beyond that of any ordinary practitioner, commanding immense prestige and renown. It was no wonder Xiao Qianrang was so enthusiastic and reverent.

In fact, if he hadn’t been tied up with an extremely important cooperative project, Xiao Qianrang would have already traveled to Northern Mountain City to seek out Elder Du himself. He never expected Wang Yuan to bring the man right to his home. It was a truly delightful surprise.

”Let me take a look first. According to the symptoms President Wang described, it does sound quite peculiar...” Elder Du nodded slightly. A strange light flashed in his turbid eyes as he stepped forward, gesturing for Xiao Qianrang to extend his wrist so he could take his pulse.

”Yes, yes. I’ll trouble you to take a look, Elder Du,” President Xiao said, not hesitating for a second to let Elder Du begin the diagnosis.

Seeing this, a hint of coldness touched Chen Fei’s face. ”Director Gao, let’s go.”

He could have just as easily taken the man’s pulse and diagnosed his illness, but he had been met with nothing but scorn and contempt. Xiao Qianrang clearly didn’t give him a shred of respect, and that was something he found unbearable. Fine. Since you, Xiao Qianrang, look down on me, Chen Fei, then you should know my skills aren’t so cheap. Heh. You’re on your own now.

”Doctor Chen, I’m so sorry about today. I never should have brought you here,” Gao Zhinan said, his face etched with genuine regret. He felt terrible for dragging Chen Fei into his own affairs, only for him to suffer such an indignity. He, too, was seething with anger.

Normally, even if things had become this unpleasant, Xiao Qianrang would have offered some polite words and perhaps an ”appearance fee” to smooth things over and give Gao Zhinan some face, all for the sake of harmonious business. But now, with the great master of traditional medicine, Elder Du, at his doorstep to personally treat him, he saw a ray of immense hope. His mind was clearly no longer on Gao Zhinan or Chen Fei.

”Very well, Brother Gao. I won’t see you out,” Xiao Qianrang said with a dismissive wave of his hand upon hearing they were leaving.

Gao Zhinan’s expression turned even uglier, almost sinister. As Chen Fei turned and walked away without a flicker of emotion, Gao Zhinan completely abandoned any thought of latching onto the Xiao Family. He had finally seen the truth: Xiao Qianrang didn’t consider him worth his time. There was no need to offer a warm face only to be met with a cold shoulder. His Vast Sea Group might be a far cry from the Xiao Family, but he didn’t need their approval to survive. He turned and followed Chen Fei.

”Brother Gao, why are you leaving just as I’ve arrived?” Wang Yuan suddenly blocked their path, a smile on his face that didn’t reach his eyes. ”Could it be that I, Wang Yuan, am so unlikable? And this young brother here must be the doctor you invited. Elder Du is here treating President Xiao. Don’t you want to stay and learn, to observe a little? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a young man like you!”

”Wang Yuan, get out of the way!” Gao Zhinan roared, his face as dark as a thundercloud.

”Learn and observe? What’s there to learn? He can’t cure this illness anyway,” Chen Fei chuckled lightly, shouldering past him. ”Move. Don’t block the path.”

Wang Yuan staggered, the smile freezing on his face. ”You... Insolent! Who do you think you are, daring to question Elder Du’s medical skill!?”

Just then, Elder Du’s calm, solemn voice cut through the air, stopping Wang Yuan’s tirade dead in its tracks. ”President Xiao, I cannot cure your esteemed son’s illness.”

Wang Yuan stood there, dumbfounded. ”Elder Du, you...”

He couldn’t believe it. Not only was the great Elder Du helpless against Young Master Xiao’s strange illness, but that brash young man had actually predicted it.

”Elder Du, is my illness really that difficult to treat? Even with you here personally, you’re powerless?” Xiao Qianrang’s face was a mask of disbelief. To be let down by the renowned national master, Elder Du, was a blow he wasn’t prepared for.

”President Xiao, President Wang,” Elder Du said calmly, as if the powerful men before him were just ordinary people. ”Though I, Du Bin, have practiced medicine for fifty years, this is the first time I have ever encountered such a strange illness. I have no idea where to even begin. For that, I apologize.”

In fact, at his ripe old age of seventy and living a reclusive life, he had long grown indifferent to status and position. If not for an old favor he owed Wang Yuan, the president of the Celestial Phenomena Group, he wouldn’t have made this trip today.

”Young man,” he said suddenly, turning to Chen Fei. ”You knew I wouldn’t be able to treat this illness... May I have the honor of knowing your name?” He had, of course, heard Chen Fei’s bold declaration earlier and couldn’t help but ask. How on earth did he know? Or perhaps, did he know the origin of this strange disease?

”My name is Chen Fei,” he replied lightly, a peculiar gleam in his eyes as Elder Du addressed him.

”Chen Fei? Are you the Chen Fei from the city center hospital?”

Hearing the name, a sharp glint appeared in Elder Du’s cloudy eyes. ”Old Xu has been telling me a divine doctor joined their hospital!” he exclaimed excitedly. ”Seeing you today, it’s clear your reputation is well-deserved. Doctor Chen, you must know the cause of this strange illness, don’t you?”

It turned out that Elder Du and Dr. Xu were old friends who had known each other for decades. Naturally, he had heard a great deal about Chen Fei from his friend.

”Elder Du, you flatter me. I’m just a young man who still has much to learn from seniors like you,” Chen Fei said with a small smile, deftly avoiding the question about the illness. ”Elder Du, this isn’t the right place to talk. I’ll take my leave for now. I will head to Northern Mountain later and pay you a visit at the Affiliated Hospital of Traditional Medicine.”

With that, he turned and walked away.

”Doctor Chen...” Elder Du trailed off, then his gaze swept meaningfully over the others in the room. He said no more; everything was clear to him.

”Wait, just a moment...” Xiao Qianrang started to say, but the words caught in his throat. He wanted to call Chen Fei back, but he couldn’t swallow his pride.

It’s understandable, I suppose. He’s the richest man in Jiangnan Province, the most distinguished male of his generation in the Xiao Family of Jiangnan Province. People have always begged him for favors; when has he ever had to humble himself before anyone? Let alone be so utterly ignored by someone like Chen Fei.

Damn it! Could that kid really cure my strange disease? No, I can’t let even a glimmer of hope slip away...

Thinking this, Xiao Qianrang immediately pulled out his phone and called Steward Li at the manor’s main gate. ”That doctor named Chen who just left—stop him!”

Seeing how things had developed, Elder Du gave everyone a final, placid glance, then turned to Wang Yuan. ”President Wang, the favor I owed you has, by our agreement, been repaid. That being the case, I shall take my leave.”

He left without another word, leaving Wang Yuan standing there, his expression shifting from shock to fury. His face was as dark as a stormy sea, utterly unsightly. He had truly tried to steal a chicken only to lose the rice used to lure it; he had lost Elder Du’s favor and gained absolutely nothing in return.

Just as Chen Fei and Gao Zhinan reached the ground floor of the Xiao Family Manor and were about to leave, Steward Li, a man from the Philippines who wore gold-rimmed glasses, suddenly appeared. He was followed by several sharp-eyed bodyguards whose bulging muscles looked as if they might burst through their black suits. They surrounded Chen Fei and Gao Zhinan with menacing expressions.

”Wait. Stop right there.”