A Valiant Life

Lin Fan waved his hand casually, “It’s nothing. Just a small matter. Enough talk about this. Today is a special day for Nanshan Children’s Welfare Institute. Since we’re here, let’s go in and take a look together.

The more he avoided talking about it, the more curious Zhou Qing Quan became. His heart was itching.

“Master Lin, wait a moment, please tell us more about it,” urged Zhou Qing Quan.

Lin Fan chuckled, “Actually, it’s nothing much. It’s just that in a few days, I’ll be bringing Ming Qing with me to do volunteer work by practicing medicine. We’ll be going to five cities and it’ll take over ten days.”

“Are you short of people?” asked Zhou Qing Quan swiftly. This was a brilliant thing. It was like the olden times, when the teacher would pass down important knowledge to his disciple through practical work.

“If you want to come, you are welcome,” said Lin Fan with a smile.

Elder Wang said, “Elder Zhou, do you even have time to go? You’ve already promised to be elsewhere.”

Zhou Qing Quan was slightly frustrated. When he received that reminder from Elder Wang, he suddenly remembered that he indeed had many things to do. In the Association, there were many matters that required his management. In particular, an important patient required his treatment. It wasn’t an option not to be there.

“Sigh, it’s a shame, Master Lin, but I cannot come,” said Zhou Qing Quan regretfully.”

“No problem, whatever you have is more important. Moreover, this ‘Various Types of Typhoid’ still must be taken by you back to Beijing. Alright, let’s not talk about these for now. Let’s go in. I have to prepare food for the children,” said Lin Fan.

Lin Fan was unsuccessful in trying to trick Zhou Qing Quan into coming with him but it couldn’t be helped. He had things to do, so it couldn’t be helped.

But this time, when he traveled to the five cities, he had to complete the task. Then, he would be able to receive the next task.

The Encyclopedia was a f*cking awesome existence. If he just got stuck at this task, it would be a great loss.

...

Every time he came to Nanshan Children’s Welfare Institute, Lin Fan would put his culinary skills on display and produce fragrant dishes. To everyone, it was a feast for the taste buds. To Zhou Qing Quan, Zhou Ming Qing and the rest, they just couldn’t believe it.

For these dishes to taste so good, it just didn’t make sense.

Then, everyone felt that Lin Fan’s ability was far beyond their imaginations.

He was simply a genius.

Lin Fan worked all the way until nighttime.

Lin Fan drove Zhao Ming Qing and the rest home. As for Fraud Tian and his people, he got them to take other people’s cars.

In the car.

“Ming Qing, tomorrow, do an announcement in the academy to see if any students are willing to come with us. After all, we will be practicing medicine. It would be a good experience for students of Chinese medicine. Studying from books can never be as effective as getting real experience,” said Lin Fan.

Zhao Ming Qing agreed with this statement. He nodded and replied, “Mmm, Teacher is right. Nowadays, students pursuing Chinese medicine are able to receive a systematic education from the academy but they have no real life experiences. They are all only good in theory.”

“Thinking about our country’s essential Chinese medical knowledge from ancient times, a lot of it has been lost through the long stream of time. And the knowledge that is passed down now is often incomplete. We have to slowly feel out everything. This ‘Various Types of Typhoid’, whether to students or to old Chinese doctors, is a very good educational book,” said Zhou Qing Quan with a sigh.

Lin Fan smiled and didn’t say anything. He drove them back to Zhao Ming Qing’s place, then left alone.

The next day!

Shanghai’s First Chinese Medical Academy.

Among the students here, some of them were engrossed in their studies while others were starting to look for new paths to take.

Everyone had a certain fantasy about Chinese medicine that was deeply-rooted in them from young.

However, the difference between reality and fantasy was very huge.

It was only after studying Chinese medicine that they realized that it was completely different from what they had thought.

Before, they had fantasized about becoming godly doctors respected by everyone. But now, they realized that these things only happened in f*cking storybooks.

If one were to look at it by age, Western doctors could get famous at forty, while Chinese doctors had to be at least sixty or even seventy before they could attain a little fame. It was simply not worth it.

The Academy’s notice board.

The Academy’s web forum.

The Academy’s text message notification.

“At around the end of the month, a voluntary medical practice will be organized under the name of Academy Director Zhao. It will involve traveling to five cities. The locations are yet to be confirmed. The duration will be fifteen to twenty days. This activity will not be counted into your grades. It is voluntary participation. The quota is five students. Interested students may look for Director Zhao to sign up and await his notice.”

When the students received this notice, some of them didn’t even read it.

In their chat groups, forums and dormitories, many of the students started discussing it.

“I won’t even consider such an activity. It’s simply a waste of time.

“Going out for fifteen to twenty days? I have better things to do. I’ve already taken the test for Western medical hospitals. Who would still want to study Chinese medicine?”

“Brothers, I have to work two part-time jobs daily. I don’t have time.”

“This is basically going out to see the scenery. Moreover, in order for us to practice medicine, there have to be people willing to see Chinese doctors.”

“I feel like Director Zhao is starting to waver. A while back, he created a medicine for anorexia, right? To me, it seems like he is shifting towards public work and he’s promoting himself.”

“That makes sense. I only have two words to say: Not going.”

...

In a certain dormitory.

A male student was in front of the computer, searching for information on the internet. Then, he recorded it in his booklet.

His schoolmates from the dormitory looked at him and said, “Qiu Jie, what are you looking at these things on the Internet for? Most of them are fake. Listen to us, stop studying Chinese medicine. Let’s go and take the test for Western medicine together and start afresh.”

Qiu Jie didn’t look away from the screen. He shook his head and said, “I’m not going. I won’t study Western medicine. I will only study Chinese medicine. For me to live to this age, it’s because the old Chinese doctor from the village saved me with his medicine. I feel that Chinese medicine is mystical. It has an accurate description of the human structure, the Yin and Yang and the five elements. It corresponds to the laws of nature. The only problem is that we haven’t reached that level of understanding yet.”

“D*mn, you speak as if Chinese medicine is a divine technique.”

Qiu Jie turned around. “Don’t doubt it. Let me tell you, the human body has 365 acupuncture points, corresponding to 365 days in a year. The human body has 12 meridians and coincidentally, a year has 12 months. The human body can be cold, warm, heaty or cool, while there is spring, summer, autumn, and winter every year...”

“Alright, alright, we give in Brother Jie. How could you believe all this? Those are all just coincidences.” His dorm mates had given in.

Qiu Jie shook his head, “These aren’t coincidences. They’re the relationships between the human body and nature. When someone is sick, Western medicine says that he should take medicine or go through surgery. But in a Chinese medical point of view, the medicine required to treat an illness can be found within the natural world. Using the powers of the natural world, one can replenish the things that are lacking in the body. Although it is a slow process, living things do require time to grow or to recover. That is how one tackles the root cause of the problem.”

His dorm mate said helplessly, “If your words were to be heard by a Western doctor, you would get scolded. You really are addicted to your research. Trust us, it’s best to escape from this suffering as soon as possible. Don’t wait until all your hopes and efforts have come to nothing. When that happens, you won’t even have the chance to cry.”

Qiu Jie wasn’t bothered by all this. He looked at the school’s web forum, then, he cried out in surprise, “What? Director Zheng is going to organize a voluntary medical practice. That’s great! There are only five slots available. I must hurry up and sign up. Otherwise, there will be so spaces left.”

Then, he hastily left the dorm.

His dorm mates shook their heads, “Don’t rush. Don’t worry, no one will go. Who, other than you, would care about something like this? In our class of thirty-six, everyone except for you has looked for another path to take. Don’t rush, just go slowly.”

“Sigh, Qiu Jie is obsessed.”

“Leave him be. When he graduates and goes looking for a job, he’ll realize how bad of a choice it was to study Chinese medicine.”

“Nowadays, the Chinese doctors in hospitals are just holding inconsequential jobs.”