In Shu Lanzhou's opinion, Qin Dongming was still being far too polite. There was really no need to be so courteous to a dog who couldn't even understand human language!
Lin Jiayi looked embarrassed and was about to shout back when Han Weicheng pulled her aside.
"Let them in. They'll be kicked out soon enough. There's no need to protect their pride."
He couldn't possibly still be trying to be considerate toward them at this point, could he?
Shu Lanzhou cast a mocking glance at the two of them and followed Qin Dongming into the hospital room.
"What kind of look was that, that little tramp gave me?" As soon as the door closed behind them, Lin Jiayi couldn't hold back her anger.
Han Weicheng dragged her a few steps away. "Keep your voice down! What if the Long family hears you?"
"So what if they do? It's not like I said anything bad about them!" Lin Jiayi huffed, thinking back to the past. Her father had lost to Old Master Long and withdrawn from the National Hospital to join a research institute.
Since then, the Lin family's status in Shen City had clearly declined. It hadn't even been that many years, yet now her father was retired due to illness while that old man still clung stubbornly to his position as director.
And now, when comparing the status of both families, the gap had only grown wider. How could Lin Jiayi possibly be content with that?
But this dissatisfaction—she only dared show it in front of Han Weicheng. She wouldn't dare show the slightest disrespect toward the Long family around anyone else.
Han Weicheng looked clearly displeased.
"That's enough, stop talking. Think about it: why would Qin Dongming bring Mu Yaning and her student inside? Even if it were to apologize, this isn't the right time!"
"What other reason could there be besides apologizing?" Lin Jiayi's face was twisted with resentment.
"I really underestimated that bitch Mu Yaning. I didn't think she'd go so far as to seduce that Qin doctor!"
"Han Weicheng, didn't you see the way that Qin doctor was practically fawning over Mu Yaning? He looked like he'd been thoroughly satisfied. Is he blind to actually fall for someone as ugly as her?!"
Truth be told, even though Mu Yaning was already in her forties, she wasn't ugly at all. In fact, she was well-maintained and looked no older than someone in her early thirties.
But with her cold demeanor and unpleasant way of speaking, she had very few friends, let alone any scandalous entanglements with men—especially when she had a husband and daughter at home.
Han Weicheng didn't believe there was anything inappropriate between Qin Dongming and Mu Yaning. Not only did he not believe it, he instinctively found Lin Jiayi's words crude and unbecoming—beneath her status.
"Lin Jiayi, you're from a respectable family. How can you say such baseless things? If Doctor Qin brought Mu Yaning inside, there must be a valid reason."
Han Weicheng reprimanded her coldly.
"Don't forget—given the Mu family's status in Shen City, it wouldn't be unusual for them to have connections in every hospital. Judging by Doctor Qin's age, he might even be a former student of the elder Mu couple."
"Han Weicheng, are you actually defending Mu Yaning now?" Lin Jiayi was clearly displeased.
"Don't tell me you're still thinking about going back to the Mu family? If it weren't for Mu Yaning back then, you wouldn't be in your current situation…"
Han Weicheng had always thought of Lin Jiayi as a cultured, educated woman with some cunning. But now it seemed he might've been wrong.
"That's enough. Just stop talking. You're becoming more outrageous with every word."
He gave her a disappointed look and walked back to the hospital room door.
Still… this didn't make sense. Why had they been inside for so long and not come out yet?
Old Master Long had clearly said no visitors were allowed. He should treat everyone equally. So why were Mu Yaning and her student being kept inside?
Could it be that the old man truly believed Shu Lanzhou was the one who saved him?
The thought of Shu Lanzhou possibly gaining Old Master Long's favor—and by extension, Mu Yaning benefiting as well—made Han Weicheng's face turn even darker.
Lin Jiayi hurried after him, and when she saw Han Weicheng's expression, her heart skipped a beat. She couldn't afford to offend him—her future in the medical field still depended on his support.
"Han Weicheng, don't be mad. I was just angry and said some things I shouldn't have. I was only trying to stand up for you. When it comes to status and talent, you're no less than Mu Yaning."
"But why was she let in while we're kept out? It couldn't really be because the old man wants to thank that little Shu Lanzhou, could it?"
Han Weicheng had already been troubled by the situation. Hearing her say this only made his heart sink further.
If that was really the case, then how could his newly launched research project possibly compete with Mu Yaning's?
Her Mu-style acupuncture…
No. Absolutely not.
Han Weicheng pulled Lin Jiayi toward the elevator.
"Lin Jiayi, it looks like Old Master Long isn't going to see us. There's no point in staying here. We should focus our energy on our research. As long as we make breakthroughs, we won't be ignored."
No sooner had he finished speaking than the elevator door opened. Seeing the people inside, both Han Weicheng and Lin Jiayi froze.
"Mr. Xiang? Assistant Xiao?" Han Weicheng stepped aside slightly, startled.
"You're also here to visit Old Master Long?"
It had only been a few days since their last unpleasant encounter, but Han Weicheng seemed to have conveniently forgotten how humiliating it had been when Xiao Anning embarrassed him. He greeted them naturally.
Xiao Anning's lips curled into a frosty smile. "Old Master Long has already said—no visitors during his hospitalization. So tell me, Professor Han, did you not get the message, or are you just unwilling to give up?"
"Anning!" Mr. Xiang scolded under his breath. "Enough talk. Let's go. Old Master Long is waiting."
Mr. Xiang gave the pair a slight nod before striding toward the hospital room.
"I thought visitors weren't allowed! Mu Yaning and her student were bad enough, but now these two get in too?" Lin Jiayi was practically fuming.
"Weicheng, could Old Master Long be deliberately targeting you? Otherwise, why would he reject your research applications twice and now refuse to see you at all?"
Han Weicheng was already feeling humiliated by Xiao Anning's remark. Lin Jiayi's probing only made things worse—he just wanted to disappear.
It had been a long time since he'd felt this ashamed.
"How should I know?" Han Weicheng snapped, shaking off her hand and stepping into the elevator with a stony face.
Lin Jiayi choked on her words and nearly lost her breath. What do you mean you don't know? It seemed this Han Weicheng wasn't as impressive as everyone claimed.
All that talk of him being the top professor in elite medical schools, the leader of the strongest medical research team in the country… it was all just hype!
In front of people like Old Master Long and Mr. Xiang, he was nothing!
Lin Jiayi followed him into the elevator, her expression equally sour.
Once they'd left, Mr. Xiang and Xiao Anning stepped into the hospital room.
Long Xingyue greeted them politely. "Please have a seat. My father is currently undergoing acupuncture treatment from Dr. Mu. It'll be another ten minutes or so."
"No rush—we're the ones who arrived early," Mr. Xiang said, waving a hand as he sat by the tea table outside the inner room.
Xiao Anning glanced at Long Xingyue. "You just said Old Master Long is receiving acupuncture from Dr. Mu. Does that mean acupuncture can treat cerebral infarction?"
"Yes. It was actually Dr. Qin's insistence," Long Xingyue said, visibly worried. "At first, we wanted to go with surgery, but my father is too old to withstand the risks."
"It was Dr. Qin who convinced Dr. Mu to try acupuncture to clear the meridians and activate the thrombosis. The process is slower, but it's the best option for my father's health."
Xiao Anning looked stunned. "Convinced her?"
"Yes!" Long Xingyue smiled faintly. "You know that after that incident years ago, the Mu family stopped treating the powerful and wealthy—unless the person fully trusts Mu-style acupuncture."
"This time, if I hadn't promised not to question her methods no matter the outcome—and signed a guarantee—Professor Mu probably wouldn't have agreed to treat him."
"So that means… Old Master Long was brought back from the brink by Mu-style acupuncture?" Mr. Xiang blurted out, clearly taken aback by the implications.