Medical Sage

”WOW!”

The crowd at the airport was in an uproar. They clearly hadn’t expected this group of South Koreans to be so arrogant, twisting the truth and accusing others of disrespecting foreign guests right off the bat.

However, one had to admit that this was indeed the reality of the domestic situation. Generally, when so-called foreign guests were involved, especially those from developed countries like Europe, America, Japan, and South Korea, neither the local government nor the public was willing to escalate matters. Even when they were in the right, they would rather apologize and keep the peace, simply because the other party was a ”foreign guest,” an ”international friend.” It was, in truth, both sad and laughable. The great nation of Huaxia... who was there they couldn’t stand tall against?

And yet, this mentality had become a routine. It was as if when a foreigner lost something in the country, the local police would become more anxious than if they had lost something themselves. But if one of their own people lost something of minor value, they likely wouldn’t even bother reporting it. This wasn’t due to wealth or caprice, but because the police often wouldn’t pay such cases any mind. Getting it back? You’d have better luck daydreaming.

So, to some extent, in the eyes of many people today, the interests of so-called foreigners were countless times more important than those of their own citizens. Even being in the right was pointless! After all, these were international friends, foreign guests.

”You must apologize to us right now! If you don’t, I will immediately protest to your Huaxia authorities, have you fired, and hold you legally responsible! You need to understand that we are South Koreans. Your current behavior is a complete slander and show of disrespect toward us, your South Korean guests,” a woman in her thirties, wearing heavy makeup and glasses, suddenly stood up and shouted. She spoke down to the flight attendant in clumsy Chinese, her tone utterly imperious.

She was the very picture of haughtiness and superiority, her gaze disdainfully fixed above everyone’s heads.

Standing beside her was a man in his sixties, dressed in a luxurious suit and wearing an expensive watch. His eyes were bright and his head was held high, his expression even more arrogant and superior than the woman’s, as if he didn’t consider anyone else in the cabin worthy of his notice.

”Ma’am, the cabin is a public space, and the volume of your conversation was indeed too loud. Could you please lower your voices so as not to disturb the other passengers?” Despite the grievance and fury raging inside her, the flight attendant managed to force a smile to maintain her professional composure.

”Lower our voices? You’re clearly singling us South Koreans out and now you’re blaming us? Do you have any idea who we are? Do you know that Mr. Song is with us? Mr. Song is the recipient of the highest medical achievement award in the Republic of Korea! Even your Huaxia leaders wouldn’t dare speak to Mr. Song this way! You are disrespecting us South Koreans!” the bespectacled woman sneered, puffing out her flat chest in a display of arrogance.

At her words, a look of intense pride flashed in the eyes of the elderly man beside her as he glanced disdainfully at everyone present.

”I don’t care if he’s… Please, don’t make things difficult…” The flight attendant seemed to be a straightforward person and almost blurted out her true feelings, but she caught herself, her expression souring as she forced a smile.

”Mr. Song?”

Just then, a cry of surprise cut her off. A Huaxia man in his thirties or forties hurried over anxiously. He glanced at the elderly man’s face, then turned to the bespectacled Korean woman and blurted out, ”Excuse me, are you the Korean Medicine representatives coming to Huaxia for the seventh Traditional Medicine Academic Conference? Is this gentleman Mr. Song Jinhu?”

This Huaxia man was also a doctor and knew about the upcoming conference in the Capital City. His own skills and seniority were too low, so he had no qualifications to attend such an international event. But that didn’t stop him from recognizing Song Jinhu. Doctor Song Jinhu of the Republic of Korea was the recipient of the country’s highest medical achievement award. Countless billionaires queued up to hire him as their private physician, only to be rejected. Furthermore, he enjoyed a significant reputation throughout the Traditional Medicine Community in Southeast Asia and even globally, fully on par with Elder Du of the Northern Mountain City Traditional Medicine Hospital. He was a true big shot, especially in the eyes of a medical professional like him. He had never expected to meet the man here.

”That’s right! Our Mr. Song is indeed the recipient of the highest medical achievement award in the Republic of Korea and an important representative of the Korean Medicine delegation attending your Huaxia conference! This woman has slandered and insulted us, and even worse, she has insulted Mr. Song! She must apologize immediately!” Seeing that this Huaxia man recognized them and knew of Mr. Song, the bespectacled woman’s expression became even more superior and haughty as she shouted arrogantly.

”Apologize? Why should I apologize? You’re the ones with no manners, making a scene in the first place…” Hearing this, the flight attendant felt deeply wronged and retorted.

”Qing Lan!” A man who looked like the cabin manager quickly came over and hushed her in a low voice.

”Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Huang Kaisheng, and I’m currently an associate chief doctor at the Tongzhou City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. My uncle is a director at the provincial health department.” At the same time, the Huaxia man had turned to frown at the flight attendant. ”You should just apologize to Mr. Song and our friends from South Korea. Our nation, Huaxia, is a great power, and we must show excellent character. Besides, Doctor Song and his delegation are here for the conference. If this gets any bigger, you, a simple flight attendant, cannot bear the responsibility.”

”Why should I? It’s not my fault! So what if they’re South Korean? I’m a citizen of Huaxia!” the flight attendant protested, refusing to yield.

”So you’re determined to make an enemy of our Mr. Song, is that it? Just you wait. Don’t you regret this,” the bespectacled woman said, her face darkening. She turned and babbled something to Mr. Song.

Instantly, a flash of anger appeared on the face of the man in his sixties, the one called Mr. Song Jinhu, and he shouted a few sentences at the bespectacled woman. As if instantly energized, she turned back to the flight attendant, her expression a mask of arrogance and superiority, as though she had been transformed into an imperial envoy. ”Mr. Song says that we, from the Republic of Korea, are esteemed foreign guests, yet you are deliberately targeting us and looking for trouble. This is a sign of disrespect. Doctor Song is now going to call the police and notify your country’s leaders and the foreign affairs office to handle this matter.”

”You, you, you…”

Hearing this, the anger and grievance on the flight attendant’s face faded, replaced by panic and fear. Even with her direct personality and worldly experience from her job, the threat of involving the police, national leaders, and the foreign affairs office was enough to frighten her. She had no idea what to do.

Seeing this, even the cabin manager, her colleague and superior, grew pale. He leaned in and whispered frantically, ”Qing Lan, stop being stubborn and apologize to them quickly. They’re South Koreans, foreign guests! If this blows up, let alone how the authorities might punish you, the company will certainly fire you.”

”That’s right. Miss, just apologize, what’s the big deal? You have to understand, Doctor Song Jinhu is the recipient of the highest medical achievement award in the Republic of Korea! Given his status, ordinary people don’t even get the chance to speak to him,” Huang Kaisheng added with an air of self-righteousness. His sycophantic expression made it look like he was one step away from hugging their thighs and licking their shoes.

”I… I…”

An expression of intense helplessness and sorrow washed over the face of the flight attendant named Qing Lan. She looked to the other passengers for help, but they immediately averted their gazes, avoiding her eyes as if terrified of getting involved. Despair began to creep into her heart.

It couldn’t be helped. If the other party were just ordinary South Koreans without any significant background, perhaps someone might have stepped up in a ”hero saving the damsel” moment. But given how impressive these Koreans were—a recipient of the highest medical achievement award, an official representative for the medicine conference—who would dare? Even Huang Kaisheng, an associate chief doctor from the Tongzhou City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the nephew of a health department director, was practically groveling before them. The other passengers weren’t fools; why would they make enemies out of such troublesome people?

Besides, though it was an unpleasant truth, this was the current domestic reality. If the situation truly escalated, the government would almost certainly side with the South Koreans to maintain its international image and prestige. At that point, anyone who got involved might be dragged down too. Was it worth it?

”Humph! How dare you slander and disrespect us South Koreans? You’re truly overestimating yourself. Apologize! This is the last time I’m telling you! If you wait until Mr. Song calls the police, we’ll see what happens to you! I can tell you, just last night, our Doctor Du was dining with leaders from your Jiangnan Province. There was Vice Director xxx of the Provincial Health Department, Director xxx, President xxx of the Tongzhou City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine…” Seeing the flight attendant completely isolated, the bespectacled woman’s arrogance swelled, and she reeled off the names with haughty pride.

As she listed the influential figures, the eyelids of the flight attendant, the cabin manager, and the other passengers twitched, and their faces paled slightly. A Vice Director of the Provincial Health Department? A Director? The President of the Tongzhou City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine? These were all high-ranking officials.

Only Huang Kaisheng maintained his fawning and self-righteous look, scolding the flight attendant, ”Alright, I’m sure you now realize the gravity of your mistake. Hurry up and apologize to Mr. Song and our foreign friends. If the police are actually called, you’ll be in for a world of hurt.” With that, he turned to the South Koreans, his expression disgustingly fawning and servile.