Lin Muyao followed the convoy to the hospital, her face brimming with excitement.
Aside from the doctors who had attended the event, many reporters had also gathered. Soon, the steady stream of arriving vehicles completely filled the hospital's parking lot.
But inside, Shu Lanzhou and the others were unaware of the commotion outside. They had rushed Old Master Long straight into the emergency room!
While waiting for him to be stabilized, Mu Yanning turned to Shu Lanzhou. "You did well today," she said. "Good thing you had those acupuncture needles on you."
Shu Lanzhou let out a quiet sigh of relief, thankful Mu Yanning hadn't pressed her with further questions.
But Mu Yanning's gaze lingered. "Why did you have needles on you?"
"Because opportunity favors the prepared. And besides, these are the tools I'll need to save lives in the future. I need to carry them with me." Shu Lanzhou's answer was impeccable.
Mu Yanning smiled approvingly, believing Shu Lanzhou's heart was genuinely invested in acupuncture. She gently patted Shu Lanzhou's shoulder. "Teacher can't compare to you!"
Shu Lanzhou felt a flicker of guilt, but quickly reminded herself that saving Old Master Long was the real priority right now.
Mu Yanning didn't question her further.
It wasn't until two hours later that Old Master Long was wheeled out of the emergency room and transferred to a hospital room.
One of Old Master Long's family members approached. "Professor Mu, if you don't mind… could you take a look at the CT scans for us?"
"Of course," Mu Yanning replied graciously.
Inside, the attending physician was also waiting.
"Given the location of the clot, it was an extremely dangerous situation," explained Dr. Qin Dongming, adjusting his glasses. "Moving the patient's head and laying him flat at the scene were both critical in preventing the clot from worsening."
"And from the imaging, we can see the clot actually shifted slightly—likely due to the intervention—which bought us precious time to perform treatment and kept the stroke from progressing."
He turned to Mu Yanning, his tone curious yet cautious. "Professor Mu, I'm no expert in acupuncture, but I understand it's supposed to promote circulation and unblock meridians. Yet from what we've observed in clinical practice, its effects are usually… slow."
"That's why acupuncture has gradually been sidelined in modern medicine."
He pushed his glasses up again. "But today… you used acupuncture to mobilize a clot? That's… extraordinary."
"It's not as miraculous as you think," Mu Yanning waved off his praise lightly. To her, it was simply a standard application of a known technique.
"When a cerebral infarction occurs…" she began, explaining the medical principles behind her acupuncture approach, using precise clinical terminology.
By the time she finished, both Dr. Qin and Old Master Long's family member were silent for a long moment.
"Who said acupuncture is obsolete?" Dr. Qin finally exclaimed. "At the right moment, it's incredibly powerful! If integrated into surgical or interventional procedures, the results could be groundbreaking."
He grew visibly excited. "Professor Mu, would you be willing to give a couple of lectures at our hospital on acupuncture? And if possible, I'd love to explore research collaboration with you."
Long Xingyue, Old Master Long's relative, gave a wry smile. "Dr. Qin, maybe focus on my father's treatment plan first? Collaboration can wait."
"Ah—of course!" Dr. Qin slapped his forehead. "You're right. So, here's the situation: Old Master Long is awake. He's showing no signs of paralysis or motor dysfunction, which is a great outcome."
"But… the location of the clot remains precarious. The ideal solution would still be surgical removal. However, given his age and frailty, Professor Mu—" he hesitated, then asked carefully—"since your acupuncture was able to dislodge and shift the clot, could it also… completely resolve it?"
Mu Yanning pressed her temples, sighing. "Not impossible. But the risk is enormous. I worry that if something goes wrong, I'll be the first one you come after."
"That won't happen!" Long Xingyue quickly waved his hands. "I've had the honor of discussing acupuncture with your late master, Professor Mu. I trust your skill…"
…
When Mu Yanning finally emerged from the consultation room, another half hour had passed.
Shu Lanzhou and Mu Side rushed to meet her. "Everything alright?" they asked anxiously.
"All's well," Mu Yanning assured them. "Old Master Long is awake. Would you like to see him?"
Shu Lanzhou shook her head. "Better not. He's only just stabilized; I don't want to disturb him. Maybe another time."
Mu Yanning smiled, pleased by her thoughtfulness.
A brave, level-headed, humble young woman who didn't seek to take credit—what an ideal heir to the Mu family's acupuncture legacy!
A new resolve formed in Mu Yanning's mind.
"It's late," she said, glancing at her watch. It was already 2 p.m.—they hadn't even had lunch. "Let's grab a meal."
As they stepped into the elevator, heading downstairs to leave the hospital, the journalists and medical experts waiting below grew restless.
"They've been inside so long—why haven't they come out yet?" a young medical PhD asked an older colleague.
"Now's not the time to go up there," the older man warned. "Everyone inside knows each other. We don't know Old Master Long's status yet. If he didn't make it…"
He frowned darkly. "The Long family won't forget that none of us stepped up to stop that reckless girl."
The younger man shifted uncomfortably. "But we only arrived when she was already treating him. Given Old Master Long's stature… we couldn't exactly intervene…"
The older doctor took out his phone. "Let me make a call."
The younger man couldn't hear the conversation, but as his mentor's expression gradually relaxed, he ventured a guess. "Teacher… is he…"
The elder sighed. "Don't ask. Let's go. And when we're back, find out everything you can about that girl."
…
As their car pulled away, others followed suit, engines starting up across the parking lot.
"Long time and no news—I'm betting he didn't make it. Even Elder Xiang's car has left. There's no point waiting here."
"If Elder Xiang left, it likely means he's next in line for that position. And with Long gone, no one's stopping him anymore."
"Let's go. Even if the Long family tries to suppress the news, the truth will come out. If he's gone, he's gone. Nothing they do can change that."
…
As the crowd of departing cars thinned, the waiting reporters buzzed with speculation.
"Could Old Master Long really be dead?"
"Don't panic. Qiangzi's undercover upstairs as a hospital orderly. Let's wait for his update."
…
Meanwhile, watching the parking lot gradually empty, Lin Muyao curled her lips into a gleeful smile.
"Mom, Professor—I just went and checked. Everyone's saying Old Master Long didn't make it. Even Elder Xiang and his students left. Most of the others are gone too!"
"Are you sure?" Lin Jiayi frowned. "Don't joke about something like this."
Lin Muyao shook her head. "I'm sure. Why else would Elder Xiang leave now? He wouldn't risk offending the Long family—unless Old Master Long really is gone, and the position's already his."
After all, Xiang Hua had no powerful family backing him. He'd clawed his way up, an outsider who'd earned a deputy director's seat at the National Hospital in Shanghai.
At a moment like this, he wouldn't gamble his hard-won career—unless the path ahead was finally clear.