“Chinese Medicine... I’m not saying it’s a bad choice, but it will limit your future potential. It’s a waste of your talent.” Nie Mi spoke solemnly. If he could, he would have dug his heart out for her to see how much it was aching.
He cherished talent greatly. Had it been someone else, he wouldn’t even have bothered wasting his energy to persuade them. But this was her, how could he bear to let her pick a tougher path to trod on?
Qiao Nian could tell whether one was sincere or not. She wouldn’t care if other people told her this, but now she couldn’t help but sigh, knowing that he meant well. She changed her posture a little and looked at him helplessly. “I like Chinese Medicine.”
Nie Mi said, “You can’t make a living out of liking something!”
It would be a shock for others to hear this from him.
Nie Mi was known as a “weirdo”. He was too noble to care much about money. To someone like him, money and career meant nothing.
All the wealth in the world couldn’t make him happy!
If he really wanted money and reputation, young people like Wei Ling wouldn’t even have a chance at being famous in this field.
It was precisely because he did not care for such worldly stuff that others found him hard to connect and get along with.
It was as if two planets had collided, for someone so prideful to be taking so much effort in telling another that “you can’t make a living out of liking something”.
Qiao Nian did not find it strange or shocking. She lazily responded, “Another reason is that studying medicine will allow me to save people.
“The world is too cold and cruel, someone needs to bring some warmth into this place.”
Nie Mi was almost huffing at this point, with his eyes wide open. “Music can spread warmth too, and save people!”
Qiao Nian had never met someone as stubborn and hard to convince as him. She smiled and said rather confidently, “No, music can save a person’s soul but not their life. I want to give that warmth tangibly, and not help others heal through music.”
Nie Mi did not quite understand her. He was about to rebut when she gave him a few examples of how music saved people.
She started eloquently, “I met a child previously. He was very young and obedient, but he was unfortunate to have been born with a disability. This disability bothered him even until he grew up. Music could soothe his hurt feelings, but it could not treat his illness. I want to save people, not just by making them feel better inside. I want them to be healthy so they can live a life like normal people.”
She then added slowly, “I have another reason for studying medicine. There’s an elder I know who has been bedridden for years. He hasn’t found anything that can treat him. Recently he did, but his body was too weak and he was unable to go for surgery right away. I still have some areas in which I’m not sure about. I want to learn a bit more and see if I can help to overcome those challenges so he can undergo surgery as soon as possible.”
Nie Mi did not say anything anymore. He kept quiet for a while, not knowing how to respond. “Even if you learn Chinese Medicine, you won’t be able to operate on someone. Why don’t you study Western Medicine, instead? I know Liang Lu from Qing University, she’s a professor for the Clinical Department and is very well-known in the country. If you want to study medicine, I can talk to her about it and have you learn from her.”
Liang Lu? Qiao Nian recalled where she heard the name from and declined. “No need, I just want to study Chinese Medicine.”
Nie Mi couldn’t figure out what was so good about Chinese Medicine and why she was attracted to it. Knowing that he wouldn’t be able to convince her, Nie Mi sighed. “Suit yourself, then. Chinese Medicine is an aspect of our traditional culture as well, but it’s faced its downfall...”
It was just like the konghou. Everyone knew that he specialized in playing the konghou, but they often came to him with piano and violin pieces.
Well, it had faced its downfall too!
Nie Mi couldn’t help but feel a wave of sadness wash over him. He was almost 70 years old with one foot in the grave already. After a brief moment of desolation, he recalled something. “Oh right, what are your plans after your examinations? Are you rushing back to Rao City? If you aren’t, could you free up one day? I have something to ask of you.”