"Quick, follow that car ahead—we need to see Elder Xiang!" Han Weicheng's face was lit up with excitement. "To tell you the truth, back when I was a student, I was lucky enough to receive Elder Xiang's personal guidance."
He grabbed Lin Jiayi's hand.
"Jiayi, this is our chance! Before, I submitted several research proposals to Elder Long, but he rejected them all. But Elder Xiang… he's different, he really is!"
"Alright, alright, he's different!" Lin Jiayi chuckled at him.
"I know you're devoted to medicine, determined to contribute to our country's medical research. Don't worry—whatever you want to do, I'll fully support you!"
Watching the two of them clasp hands, Lin Muyao couldn't help feeling something was off.
But she didn't dwell on it. She figured Han Weicheng was just momentarily overwhelmed with excitement. After all, she herself was in quite a good mood.
Just thinking that Elder Long was gone, that Shu Lanzhou would inevitably take the blame, made her want to burst out laughing.
Shu Lanzhou, just wait— she thought gleefully. The Long family won't let you off the hook, and neither will I. Once they're done with you, I've got my own gift waiting for you!
She could almost see it already: Shu Lanzhou kneeling pitifully at her feet, begging for mercy. The thought thrilled her to no end.
But just as their car pulled away from the hospital, Shu Lanzhou and the others walked out of the building.
Seeing the growing crowd of reporters, Mu Sidde quickly pulled everyone back a few steps. "Stay here, I'll go get the car."
Unfortunately, the reporters were swarming. Even though Mu Sidde brought the car around quickly, they were still blocked.
"Professor Mu, how is Elder Long's condition?"
"We heard it was your student who administered first aid—any comment on that?"
"Can acupuncture really be used in emergency medicine? Isn't that risky?"
…
Mu Yaning hurriedly pushed He Sixin and Shu Lanzhou into the car. "Ignore them, just get in."
"Teacher?" Shu Lanzhou held the door. "You first."
She pulled Mu Yaning into the car, then glanced back at the sea of cameras and microphones pointed their way.
"Acupuncture can save lives. Traditional Chinese medicine is no worse than Western medicine—just a different path, but the same goal."
With that, she slammed the car door shut.
Long after they'd driven off, Mu Yaning's face was still dark as she turned to Shu Lanzhou. "Why did you say that to the reporters? You have no idea what kind of headlines they'll twist that into."
"Teacher!" Shu Lanzhou knew she'd be angry, but she didn't regret it.
"For so long, the public has misunderstood traditional Chinese medicine. They think pulse diagnosis and acupuncture are just make-believe from wuxia novels, that they can't actually save people! Sure, there are charlatans, but the Mu family's acupuncture isn't like that. Why shouldn't we explain ourselves? Why shouldn't we let people understand what we do?"
"You don't understand!" Mu Yaning's face turned stern.
"You've only studied Chinese medicine for a few days. You've barely scratched the surface of acupuncture. And you think you can stand for us? You think you can enlighten the world about Mu's techniques?"
"Do you realize how dangerous public opinion is? These rumors and criticisms ruin lives. We Mu family doctors have always saved lives quietly, humbly. We don't need this kind of publicity."
"And we certainly don't need you doing things like this without permission. If you want to keep learning from me, you'd better never pull a stunt like that again."
"But…" Shu Lanzhou couldn't understand.
He Sixin tugged her sleeve. "Enough. Just listen to my mom. Don't you want to keep learning acupuncture?"
That silenced Shu Lanzhou.
The truth was, Mu Yaning's continual defeats against Han Weicheng weren't because he was academically superior. At least, not in Shu Lanzhou's past life's understanding. But he knew how to wield the power of publicity.
Every paper, every project Han published got major press coverage, spreading his name wider and wider. His department became the most popular at the university.
Meanwhile, acupuncture—already marginalized—had its achievements and research buried under Mu Yaning's quiet modesty, overlooked time and again.
Elder Long's case was a perfect opportunity to prove acupuncture's value, to show the world it worked.
It was the truth—why shouldn't they speak to the reporters?
A lump formed in Shu Lanzhou's throat at the injustice.
…
At the same time, outside the hospital's inpatient wing—
"What did that girl mean just now? Is she saying Elder Long survived?"
"Come on, a ninety-year-old having a stroke—even if he survived, he's gotta be paralyzed."
"Don't be so sure. If something had gone wrong, would the Long family have let those people walk away so easily?"
"Where's Qiangzi? Has anyone heard from him?"
"Bro! I got the scoop—Elder Long's out of the ER and in the ward. Nurse said he's awake, not paralyzed—he's doing fine!"
…
Instantly, every media outlet erupted into a frenzy. Live reports streamed out:
"Hello everyone, I'm reporting live from the inpatient wing of City Central Hospital. A few hours ago, medical titan Elder Long, director of the National Hospital, was rushed here for emergency treatment."
"Sources confirm that Elder Long is now out of danger and conscious. The person who administered first aid at the scene? A young girl who hasn't even graduated college yet!"
"Witnesses say when Elder Long collapsed, no one dared move him—until this brave young acupuncture student stepped forward."
"Later, with help from her teacher and senior classmates, they successfully stabilized Elder Long. We owe her our thanks. And it must be noted—her teacher's surname is Mu."
"Professor Mu Yaning, renowned acupuncture professor at the Medical University, has spent years tirelessly advancing acupuncture education and promoting traditional Chinese medicine. A remarkable scholar indeed."
…
Such is the fickle public. When you fall, they all trample you. When you rise, they scramble to praise you. In this era of clickbait and viral headlines, few ever bother to look deeper for the truth.
Shu Lanzhou had once been crushed by rumors and gossip. This time, reborn, she knew she had no choice but to use that same publicity. But she hadn't expected the aftershocks to be so strong—strong enough to make her a lightning rod for controversy in the medical world.
On the surface, they lauded her. Behind her back? "Who does she think she is? Acting like a hero? Guess the rest of us were just cowards, huh?"
Perhaps the Long family were the only ones truly grateful to her.
But that's a story for another time.
That day, Mu Sidde drove her back to the university hospital. He Sixin got out of the car with her.
Mu Yaning's anger hadn't faded. She didn't even glance their way as she got out and stormed into her temporary office.
Mu Sidde went to park the car. He Sixin pulled Shu Lanzhou toward the dorms.
"Don't take what my mom said to heart. She's just worried. Back in the day, it was public opinion that destroyed the Mu family. Otherwise, my grandpa wouldn't have been forced into early retirement."
Shu Lanzhou's heart clenched. "Professor Mu's low profile all these years… is that tied to what happened back then?"
"Yeah." He Sixin sighed. "Back then…"