“He’s got a feeling of the internal force. Not bad.”
Apparently, Chen Cong had realized quite a bit after that about the other night.
“However, to properly enter the martial world takes a long time to probe. He’s still quite far from the final shot.”
After the silent remark, Fang Qiu turned around and left to train at the Central Lake.
In the morning.
When students were all in class.
Qi Kaiwen, the Director of School of Chinese Medicine, paid a personal visit to the library reading room.
“My younger fellow disciple!”
Qi Kaiwen called with a big smile as soon as he entered.
“Yes?”
Xu Miaolin obviously wasn’t expecting Qi Kaiwen.
He became quite a frequent visitor lately!
“I come to check on you. I care about you.”
Qi Kaiwen laughed.
“Unaccountably solicitous.”
Xu Miaolin glanced at Qi Kaiwen before continuing, “Be straightforward. What do you want from me?”
“Hehe…”
Qi Kaiwen got closer, locking his eyes on Xu Miaolin. He flattered with a grin, “Younger fellow disciple, you are as skillful as always if not greater. You’ve cured a stomach cancer very easily.”
Obviously he had heard of the good new Mo Yiqi’s recovery.
His compliment continued, “Most doctors can’t do that.” “Now it’s not news to our students that Mo Yiqi’s incurable disease has been cured. This is a real miracle for them. Congratulations, brother, for your vigorous progress!”
“That’s alright. However, elder fellow disciple, your medical skill seems to have not forged ahead for many years!”
Xu Miaolin looked up, his tone worth pondering.
Qi Kaiwen’s grin froze upon hearing the mockery.
Avoid the face when hitting, and refrain from the faults when scolding. What’s the point being so mean?
What’s the point?
“Hehe. My brother!”
He attempted to change the topic at once to avoid further embarrassment. “As they say, great men have the great responsibility. I’m not as skillful as you but I’m doing my share for the Chinese Medicine circle. What a waste for a man great as you to be staying here!”
“Hmm? What do you mean?”
Asked Xu Miaolin.
“I mean you should stop hiding since you’ve already revealed your talent.”
Qi Kaiwen carried on to convince him, “Now the school is doing this Apprentice Plan program. Take on a few disciples. From all the students we have, pick whoever you like. Just let me know if anyone interests you.”
“Hehe. I knew you were not here to show solicitude for me. I was really touched for a moment.”
Xu Miaolin ridiculed, “Elder fellow disciple, your motives are rather impure.”
Who wanted to touch you!
Qi Kaiwen almost spat at his younger fellow disciple.
Can’t you tell pleasantries!
He had to keep his smile on.
“Pure. Very pure! What do you say, brother? What’s your opinion on my suggestion?”
“You are too late. Apprentices I don’t want any but registered students I’ve got one.”
Answered Xu Miaolin.
Ah?
Qi Kaiwen was completely lost.
He couldn’t respond for a while, gazing at Xu Miaolin blankly as if questioning what he had just said or simply unable to believe what he had heard.
He had cudgelled his brains for convincing arguments before coming down.
Nothing was used in the end!
He thought his younger fellow disciple would be extremely hard to persuade but, to his surprise, he’d already accepted a student!
“Who’s it?”
Asked Qi Kaiwen hastily.
This was a really big deal!
Someone in his school was good enough for his younger fellow disciple’s discerning eyes!
He knew how proud his younger fellow disciple was and how confident he was when it came to Chinese Medicine. Completely devoted to Chinese Medicine, he was interested to pretty much nothing but Chinese Medicine and treating illnesses.
A Chinese Medicine doctor himself, he was very familiar with his younger fellow disciple Xu Miaolin’s temperament and persistence in Chinese Medicine, which resulted in his very high sense of judgment.
How high?
We could put it this way.
Xu Miaolin was almost perfect in terms of conducting himself in society and revering the master and his teaching. On the other side, Xu Miaolin was extremely strict when it came to comprehension and natural endowments in Chinese Medicine.
Xu Miaolin turned up his nose at him, the well respected head of the Chinese Medicine college. Let alone others.
But such a proud and strict man had accepted a student!
Qi Kaiwen dared not think how much this person must have moved and impressed Xu Miaolin to earn himself an apprenticeship.
Did my younger fellow disciple chance upon a genius?
No way!
How could I miss a genius in my school?
But if he was not a genius, why would my younger fellow disciple accept him as his student?
My younger fellow disciple has been spending his time in the library doing nothing for a really long time. He wouldn’t take a second look at ordinary men. Not to mention convincing him to make a comeback.
It must be it. It must be.
I must have missed something. Something.
Thought Qi Kaiwen.
“A freshman or a senior? Do I know him?”
Asked Qi Kaiwen at once.
“Your lucky man!”
Xu Miaolin blinked.
Qi Kaiwen was lost again.
What?
Lucky man?
What lucky man?
How do I have a lucky man in my school?
Xu Miaolin’s answer sent Qi Kaiwen to total confusion.
“Who the heck is it?”
Very much puzzled, Qi Kaiwen asked again.
“Take a guess!”
Replied Xu Miaolin with a grin.
“I take a damn guess!”
Qi Kaiwen felt much oppressed.
Can I ever win over my younger fellow disciple once?
He knew he couldn’t get an answer out of him upon the “take a guess” response.
“Keep it to yourself then.”
Said Qi Kaiwen, much annoyed.
Then he turned around to leave.
His goal had been reached.
It was enough for him that his younger fellow disciple had made a comeback by accepting an apprentice. Even just one registered student.
The most importantly thing for him is to see Xu Miaolin buck up.
He could feel how heavy the blow was to Xu Miaolin back then.
For many years, he rarely mentioned to Xu Miaolin about staging a comeback. Instead, he waited for Xu Miaolin time to calm down and then made oblique references to sound him out. Gradually he pulled Xu Miaolin out of the heavy blow and helped him buck up, ready to go back to the Chinese Medicine circle.
Finally he succeeded.
Before.
He had thought about asking Xu Miaolin to help save Mo Yiqi.
However, he couldn’t make up his mind in the end because he knew Xu Miaolin wouldn’t agree. To his surprise, Xu Miaolin came around on the very afternoon.
A few days after curing Mo Yiqi, he had accepted an apprentice back in the library.
Putting these two matters together.
It was quite obvious that someone had stimulated Xu Miaolin, either positively or negatively. No matter what, Xu Miaolin had been pulled back from that heavy blow.
Qi Kaiwen didn’t know who had done him such a huge favor but he felt grateful.
On the way.
Qi Kaiwen felt happy and free from inhibition, carrying a big smile.
“My lucky man?”
“Who could that be?”
Figures flashed across his mind one after another.
Qi Kaiwen pondered for a long time but couldn’t figure out the answer was Fang Qiu.
In Qi Kaiwen’s opinion.
Considering his younger fellow disciple’s temperament, his apprentice must at least have some Chinese Medicine background and a good knowledge of Chinese Medicine.
There were not many in his school.
After all, people with a decent training in Chinese Medicine wouldn’t come to study in the college. They would rather seek apprenticeship with a reputed doctor and learn from their master.
Let alone those from a prominent Chinese Medicine family.
Born into a well established Chinese Medicine family, they would pick up knowledge throughout their childhood, which would already be beyond many university students’ level. Coming to study in the college would be a waste of their time.
“He’s my lucky man, with outstanding qualities and some decent training…”
Qi Kaiwen muttered to himself as he walked, “To be good enough for my younger fellow disciple, he must at least have good moral conduct of a true Chinese Medicine doctor?”
“Do we have such a student in school meeting all these requirements?”
Qi Kaiwen was baffled by his own question.
He knew the answer was no.
But Xu Miaolin had accepted a student!
“That’s enough… My younger fellow disciple has already returned. What’s the point thinking all these?”
Qi Kaiwen chuckled, shaking his head as he strode towards his office.
Over here.
In the reading room.
A faint smile blossomed on Xu Miaolin’s face as he watched Qi Kaiwen walking away. He understood his elder fellow disciple’s good intention and care and he was grateful.
“He probably can’t get the answer considering his limited IQ.”
Xu Miaolin murmured with a beam before going back to his books.
At night.
The train tickets Sun Hao had booked would depart at 10 pm. The trio began packing after dinner. They planned to travel overnight and arrive at Mount Taishan in the following morning.
At 8:40, Fang Qiu left for the train station to see off his three roommates.
At first.
Fang Qiu thought only Zhou Xiaotian, Sun Hao, and Zhu Benzheng were going on this trip. Surprisingly at the school gate, he saw a large group of his school mates.
A group trip!
“Are they all going with you?”
Asked Fang Qiu, glancing across the group.
“You didn’t listen to our conversation these days at all!”
Zhou Xiaotian sounded dissatisfied. He began to instigate, “What do you think? We have the power to rally followers, don’t we? It might not be too late to change your mind. You could probably get a ticket for the same train service!”
“Are you paying?”
Fang Qiu asked.
“I take it back.”
Zhou Xiaotian jumped away from Fang Qiu decisively.
Looking around.
Fang Qiu realized almost half of Class Three and the four girls from Jiang Miaoyu’s room and their classmates were all going with the trio.
All together there were over 30 people.
Looking at this bustling group.
Fang Qiu smiled.
There would be a ton of fun things on their trip.
Jiang Miaoyu took a glance at Fang Qiu and the two simply nodded at each other from afar.
A handsome man standing next to Jiang Miaoyu gazed at Fang Qiu, alerted.
Fang Qiu didn’t move his eyes to him at all.
He continued chatting with his roommates.
Soon.
All the people were there. They boarded several pre-booked minivans with their bags, heading towards the train station.
After half an hour.
The minivans parked at the square outside the train station.
“The youngest.”
Zhou Xiaotian got off first. Looking at Fang Qiu getting off the van, he was still unwilling to give up. “This is your last chance. Are you sure you are not going with us?”
“I have to work in the hospital this Sunday. I really can’t go.”
Fang Qiu declined with a grin.
“Don’t worry.”
Sun Hao approached, laughing. “I’ll send many photos to you when we get there just to make you cry out of jealousy.”
“I’m already close to a cry. Get lost now!”
Answered Fang Qiu.
He would go to Mount Taishan the day after tomorrow, alone.
He wouldn’t tell them that.
They were going to the tourism scenic area and he would head deep into the mountain.
Speaking of scenery, the real beautiful scenery was visited by few.
“That’s unfortunate. You can’t make it this time but you must come with us next time. We’ve got lots of time!”
Sun Hao laughed. He moved closer to Fang Qiu and pointed at Jiang Miaoyu as he whispered, “Are you not going to say hi?”