All the old gentlemen at the table stared wide-eyed at the audacious Professor Jiang, who had just started poaching talent right under their noses.
“I say, Jiang Bighead… we invited you here to help, not to steal people away… This is just too… too much! Poaching right in front of us?” Old Dean Guo sputtered, the scent of liquor on his breath, his beard bristling and eyes glaring at Professor Jiang.
Professor Jiang, also a bit tipsy, saw Dean Guo’s bristling beard and glaring eyes. He glared right back, his finger trembling as he pointed at Dean Guo. “You old rascal… I’m not poaching anyone! Xu Ze’s primary training is in Western clinical medicine. How can you call it poaching?”
“Hey! He participated in our Rising Star Assessment today, so he’s one of us now!” Dean Guo showed no sign of backing down. He turned to look at Xu Ze and snorted, “Young Xu… did anyone force you to take this assessment? You participated voluntarily, right?”
“Uh… voluntary. Totally voluntary.” Faced with these tipsy elders, Xu Ze wisely answered without hesitation.
The other old gentlemen nearby, now stirred to a sense of common purpose by Professor Jiang’s actions, all rose unsteadily to their feet, emboldened by the alcohol. They glared angrily at Professor Jiang, looking very much like they were ready to jump in and lend a foot to the cause at the first sign of trouble. Xu Ze, watching from the side, found the whole scene both amusing and exasperating.
Seeing that Professor Jiang was about to incur the wrath of the entire group, Professor Tang Wuyou quickly stepped in to mediate. “Now, now… I say, Old Guo, are you planning to gang up on one man? We’re guests here, remember? Is this how you treat your guests?”
Hearing Professor Tang’s words, the old men suddenly realized their behavior was a bit inappropriate. These men were guests who came to help out every year. It wouldn’t do to treat them like this. With that, they reined in their tempers and hastily sat back down.
Seeing everyone seated again and Dean Guo’s anger subsiding, Professor Jiang cleared his throat and continued. “Look, Xu Ze doesn’t belong exclusively to Western medicine or TCM. He combines the strengths of both. My suggestion for him to pursue further studies is for his own good. Learning is like rowing upstream—if you’re not moving forward, you’re falling behind. No matter what, one must keep striving upward. Am I right?”
“How is this poaching? It’s about facilitating his growth. He can continue learning TCM as well. With so many of you old masters right here, are you saying you wouldn’t teach him? And you, Old Guo, you’re right here in Beijing. Could you possibly let this young man’s skills go to waste?”
At this point, Professor Jiang’s face, flushed from the aged Maotai, was filled with emotion. He snorted and continued, “People who are truly proficient in both Chinese and Western medicine are rare these days. If he can genuinely integrate the strengths of both fields and achieve something significant in each… well, wouldn’t that ultimately be even more beneficial for promoting TCM? Isn’t that so?”
Hearing Professor Jiang’s words, the old men considered them carefully and found a certain logic in his argument. They finally quieted down.
Seeing that the others had stopped objecting, Professor Jiang turned to Xu Ze with a smile and asked, “Xu Ze, what do you think of my proposal?”
“Well…” Xu Ze was actually somewhat tempted by the offer. It wasn’t just that Capital Medical University was one of the top institutions in the country; the prospect of developing his career in Beijing was appealing. After all, the Sun family was based here. If he wanted to gain their recognition and eventually wield greater influence, Beijing was certainly the more suitable place.
With Elder Li here, along with the highly influential Dean Guo in the domestic medical community, and the support of these two professors, it would undoubtedly be beneficial for his goals. Although Beijing was quite far from Xingcheng, flights made travel back and forth fairly convenient.
After a brief hesitation, Xu Ze said, “Professor Jiang, I’m still in my fourth year of university. It’ll be some time before I graduate.”
“Still a fourth-year?” Everyone except Master Wang was surprised again upon hearing this. This young man really hadn’t graduated yet.
Professor Jiang pondered for a moment upon hearing Xu Ze’s reply, then his face brightened with a smile. “That’s not an issue. In the first half of next year, you’ll be starting your internship. With your abilities, an internship is hardly necessary. You can apply directly for our graduate program during your fourth year. I’ll put in a word for you then. There won’t be any problem.”
“Is that so…” Xu Ze raised an eyebrow slightly and then smiled. “Professor Jiang, let’s do this: I’m not ready to decide just yet. I need to discuss it with my family first.”
“Not a problem. If you do decide, just remember to contact me before the end of the first semester this year. I’ll make the arrangements for you.”
Hearing such favorable terms, Xu Ze was naturally quite happy to agree. After all, there were still six months left; there was no rush to make a decision.
Watching Xu Ze secure yet another promising opportunity, the other rising stars at the neighboring table couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy. But there was nothing they could do. They were TCM specialists. With these national masters around, they could go to any TCM university in the country, though it wouldn’t necessarily offer them the same distinct advantage.
The enjoyable drinking session continued until the senior masters, thoroughly impressed by Xu Ze’s prodigious alcohol tolerance, were completely satisfied and the party broke up. After saving the phone numbers of several professors, masters, and his new senior fellow apprentices, Xu Ze made another trip to see Elder Li.
Having successfully advanced to Level 3 Medical Corpsman, Xu Ze had effectively resolved Elder Li’s chronic ailment during the previous two treatments. As a result, Elder Li was in excellent spirits these days.
Seeing Xu Ze arrive, he insisted that Xu Ze stay and join him for a few more drinks before finally letting him return to his hotel.
Xu Ze napped for a while. By evening, Li Yue showed up again.
Smelling the faint scent of alcohol on Xu Ze, Li Yue chuckled softly. “I heard you were quite impressive today. Downed over a catty of liquor and still managed another half catty with my grandfather?”
“Heh, I didn’t have much choice. I was entertaining some senior masters who did me a huge favor, so I drank a few extra cups. And as for Grandpa Li, when he asks me to drink, how can I refuse?” Xu Ze replied with a wry, helpless smile.
Seeing the pained expression on Xu Ze’s face, Li Yue burst into hearty laughter. It was rare to see Xu Ze in such a state. After a good, long laugh, he said, “Come on, since you’ve been drinking, let’s go take a nice hot bath.”
When it came to having fun in Beijing, few could match Li Yue. He drove Xu Ze to a large club and casually tossed his car keys to the valet before walking inside with Xu Ze.
All along the way, beautiful women in short cheongsam dresses that revealed their long, slender legs lined both sides of the path. They bowed repeatedly to Li Yue, greeting him with a respectful, “Good evening, Young Master Yue.”
Li Yue smiled and nodded, leading Xu Ze up the elevator to the eighteenth floor and into a luxurious hall. A female manager in a tailored suit immediately approached them with a warm, familiar smile. “Young Master Yue! It’s been far too long since we last saw you.”
“Manager Lin, please arrange a double room for us. We’d like to take a bath,” Li Yue said with a faint smile.
“Certainly. Please follow me, Young Master Yue and sir.” Manager Lin respectfully guided them further inside.
Once they entered a spacious room, Manager Lin smiled and asked, “Young Master Yue, we have two new attendants. Their technique is quite good.”
“Fine, Manager Lin. Whatever you arrange will be fine,” Li Yue nodded.
After Manager Lin left, Li Yue sat down on the sofa with a chuckle and looked at Xu Ze. “You’re really something. You’ve done a great service for both the Tang family and my Li family this time.”
Xu Ze understood immediately what Li Yue was referring to. He smiled and said, “It was just luck. I happened to be there and realized it might involve the Tang family, so I lent a hand.”
“Haha… luck like that only seems to find you. I never seem to run into it,” Li Yue said with a soft laugh. “Even if I had, I’m not sure I’d have dared to intervene so readily. I heard that Zhang family man was a retired special forces elite. Yet you took him down without breaking a sweat. No wonder that captain from State Security’s Special Section Three still hasn’t forgotten about you.”
“Captain Li?” Hearing Li Yue mention the man, Xu Ze couldn’t help but smile. Captain Li was a straightforward and generous man. Although they had only spent a month together at the military camp, Xu Ze still vividly remembered the passionate, blood-stirring atmosphere there.
Just then, there was a soft knock at the door, and two fresh-faced young women in short skirts entered.
Li Yue stood up with a smile and said to Xu Ze, “Come on, let’s go soak. We can talk while we relax.”
Soaking in the warm water, with a pair of gentle yet firm hands kneading his shoulders and a hot towel draped soothingly over his forehead and eyes, Xu Ze let out a comfortable sigh. “Li Yue… you really know how to enjoy life.”
“Heh… life is short and hard. If you don’t seize the moment for pleasure, you’re just making things difficult for yourself.” Li Yue scrubbed his face vigorously with a hot towel, then chuckled lightly. “A’ze, same goes for you. Don’t be too hard on yourself. With your current abilities, you’re set for life. You’ll never want for anything. And with the Tang family and my Li family backing you, plus your rank as a Major in the General Staff Department, you could live a carefree, boundless life in this world.”
Xu Ze gave a bitter smile and sighed. “You have your responsibilities, and I have my goals. We’re the same, you and I. Can you truly let go? Aren’t you just stealing moments of leisure amidst the busyness?”
“Haha… you’re right. I can’t even manage my own affairs, yet here I am lecturing you. How cliché of me.” Li Yue laughed heartily a few times, then draped the hot towel back over his face.
Xu Ze also scrubbed his face hard a couple of times with the hot towel, tossing it aside. After the young woman behind him gently replaced it with a fresh, warm one on his face, he rested his head back against that soft, fragrant warmth and sighed contentedly.
After their bath, both men emerged feeling completely refreshed. As the young women helped them dress, Li Yue suddenly chuckled and asked, “How about it? Want me to find you some company for tonight?”
“Tch… forget it.” Xu Ze shook his head with a light smile. He might have his needs when it came to women, but he truly had no interest in casual, arranged companionship.
Seeing Xu Ze’s unmoved expression, Li Yue couldn’t help but sigh in admiration. “No wonder my grandfather thinks so highly of you. You really are something else. Your self-discipline and willpower… I can’t compete with that.”
