A Valiant Life

The pretty counter staff sighed as she realized that the handsome lad that had been talking to her had run off. This handsome lad had something wrong with his mind. If he had been normal, she would totally have asked for his number to keep in contact, and if something happened, it would have been a perfect ending.

What a pity... He has something wrong in his mind.

Outside the toilet.

Lin Fan looked at the old man inside. He was still brimming with life, his bald head reflecting the ceiling lights. He looked like a kind man who had saved quite a few lives.

Lin Fan adjusted himself a little, sharpening his image. The heavens had let him encounter this old man, and it was definitely fate that had brought them together.

With this opportunity in front of him, he couldn’t just sit there and wait. It would be a great blessing if he could get the old man to consider his request.

The director of the finest Chinese medicine institution in Shanghai. That position was good enough.

"Old man," Lin Fan approached him, his voice not too loud yet not too soft, just gentle enough to be heard.

Director Zhao stopped in his footsteps, his face beaming as he recalled his youth. To be called an old man, how time has passed for him.

Zhao Ming Qing turned around. Who exactly was this young lad? He certainly didn’t recall meeting him before. "Young lad, what do you want?"

"I heard that your medical skills are good," Lin Fan went up to Director Zhao, scrutinizing him.

"Not really worth mentioning. I don’t think we’ve met." Director Zhao humbly waved him away.

"Who I am is not important, but I see a light shimmering from your scalp, signifying good fortune and luck. To be more precise, we have an affinity as master and disciple," Lin Fan said.

Zhao Ming Qing immediately laughed. "Haha. Young lad, you’re a lively fellow, aren’t you? However, I don’t accept disciples anymore. If you’re looking for a master, I’d suggest that you look elsewhere."

"You’ve got it all wrong. I’m not looking for a master, but it is you who is looking for one. I can see that you have a good brain despite your age, and you are someone with a solid foundation and knowledge, which are valuable assets. How about it? Do you want to be my disciple and learn real and proper Chinese medicine techniques?"

Zhao Ming Qing stood frozen and stunned after hearing what Lin Fan had said. He was catching on with age and his eyesight was not getting any better. "Young lad, please don’t brag before you can even do anything well. I’m already seventy years old and I’ve been learning Chinese medicine for more than sixty years. You want me to be your disciple? Am I mishearing you?"

Lin Fan was running out of things to say. He couldn’t find the right words to capture the attention of the old man and he feared that he might even have been looked down upon by him for giving such a ridiculous request.

At this moment, Zhao Ming Qing yawned before waving him goodbye. "Young Lad, I have something to tend to now. If you really have an interest in Chinese medicine, you can pop by my institution to experience the culture and knowledge of Chinese medicine.

"Your lung section looks like it has some kind problem," Lin Fan said, calm and composed. Lin Fan thought that by telling some of his ailments, he might be able to convince the old man.

Zhao Ming Qing chuckled. "Not bad, you have a good eye, young lad. It is from an incompletely cured illness from my youth. Now, I just drink some medicine and exercise a little to maintain my health. Alright, I’ve got to go."

D*mn, I totally did not expect him to react like that. I thought he would be more impressed. This is completely illogical. Lin Fan thought to himself.

This can’t be...

Just at this moment, Lin Fan looked at the box that the old man was holding. It looked like a good set of acupuncture needles. "Old man, could you pass me the set of acupuncture needles that you’re holding? I’m going to completely cure you of your disease. Do you believe me?"

Zhao Ming Qing’s face suddenly turned from courteous to serious. "Young man, you shouldn’t just speak off the cuff like this. The art of Chinese medicine requires patience. With all your casual big talk, you might end up in trouble with patients. My lung condition cannot be cured and can only be maintained. The only option now is to maintain my condition and use Chinese herbs to stabilize my body. You say that you can use the acupuncture to cure a condition. This isn’t curing, this is scamming people, don’t you know?"

Lin Fan hadn’t expected the old man to suddenly become so stern. He stood there frozen for a second before finally talking, "Alright, alright. I won’t joke around with you. How about this? Let us do a trade. I cure your ailment and you certify me with a Chinese medicine practitioner’s license. How does that sound?"

"Hmph," Zhao Ming Qing was getting angrier by the second. "You’re young and only out to cheat people. Chinese medicine requires skill and long hours of study. You look like an upright, handsome and proper lad, but I never expected you to be this unrealistic. I won’t deal with you anymore since you’re just wasting my time."

After saying all that, Zhao Ming Qing yanked his sleeve away from Lin Fan and left, a smooth and graceful movement befitting of someone with influence.

Lin Fan stood where he was, reflecting deeply on what Zhao Ming Qing har just told him, but not on the part about being unrealistic and lazy.

Upright, handsome and proper.

He ran his hands across his face. Could it be that I am that handsome?

He hadn’t had much confidence in his looks before, but after his encounter with the old man, things were starting to change. But first, he had to cure him.

Lin Fan hurriedly followed behind the old man, once he reached the open grass field, he realized that there was a rope lying around. He immediately picked it up. He didn’t know how things were going to transpire, but getting prepared was important.

Zhao Ming Qing’s mood had originally been good, but it had been soured after his encounter with Lin Fan. He had always thought that, by interacting and hanging out with lively and young people, he would be happier and more youthful.

He had never thought that that handsome young lad would disappoint him that much. Chinese medicine was the treasure and culture of the nation, which required much patience and hard work to master. The words of the young lad had made him absolutely furious.

He had always been using Chinese medicine to control and maintain his lung condition because there was no cure for it. It was because his yin and yang, as well as the five elements within him, were in discord. Furthermore, age was catching up with him, so curing this ailment was already almost an impossibility. Yet, this young man had just come up to him and started talking without thinking. How infuriating!

Zhao Ming Qing furrowed his brows, realizing that the young lad was following him behind his back. He stopped in his steps, getting ready to berate him about setting realistic expectations and being humble about one’s abilities.

"You..." Zhao Ming Qing started opening his mouth, but in that instant, everything started to change.

Lin Fan bent over and lifted Zhao Ming Qing on his shoulders, thereafter running towards the small forest which was nearby. If this were to be done in broad daylight, he would be caught immediately. But since it was in a small forest, it wasn’t a problem at all.

"Let me down..." Zhao Ming Qing was old and with a young man’s hands carrying him on his shoulders, he didn’t have the power to resist at all.

"Don’t worry, this will be quick."

...