Medical Sage

”That’s a real pity,” Doctor George said, shaking his head with a touch of regret.

Although he had previously harbored some bias against traditional Chinese medicine, they were, after all, colleagues in the same professional circle. It was inevitable they would cross paths at various medical conferences. He had therefore heard that the so-called art of compounding medicines in traditional Chinese medicine was a difficult skill, one that required a great deal of time and experience to master. If an ordinary practitioner were so well-prepared and skilled, traditional Chinese medicine wouldn’t have become so marginalized on the international stage.

”Indeed, it is a pity, but this is certainly one of the weaker aspects of traditional Chinese medicine. Normally, without ten or so years of formal study and research into its theories, it would be extremely difficult to even get a foot in the door, let alone achieve some minor proficiency,” Chen Fei agreed, shaking his head. He then added, ”Well, since there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave now.”

”Oh, dear Chen, you’re leaving? No, no, I haven’t even offered you my sincerest thanks yet! Why not stay for dinner tonight? I’m sure we have many topics I’d like to discuss with you,” Earl Pierce interjected, unwilling to let Chen Fei go so easily.

”Oh, dear Chen, are you leaving already? I haven’t even had the chance to play the part of a gracious host. Why not do as Earl Pierce suggests? Don’t be in such a hurry to leave. Let’s all have dinner together tonight,” Old Tucci chimed in.

After all, he was the one who personally phoned Chen Fei, asking him to travel all this way to treat Miss Rosa. Now that the consultation was over, Chen Fei was about to leave immediately? That simply wouldn’t do. Wouldn’t that reflect poorly on their Italian gentlemanly manners? Unacceptable… Old Tucci thought to himself.

”There’s no need for dinner. We’ll have plenty of opportunities when you visit Huaxia. I haven’t been feeling well these past few days and I’ve also been quite busy, so there’s no need for all the courtesy and trouble. After all, Mr. Tucci is a friend of mine, isn’t he?” Chen Fei replied, still shaking his head.

Dinner? No, thanks. For one, he wasn’t accustomed to Italian cuisine. Besides, he had only come over today to see the patient. He had been dealing with too much trouble and too many headaches recently, and he just wanted some peace and quiet. For him, healing the sick was a form of relaxation, a release for his soul.

”...Well, alright then. Rest assured, dear Chen, I will surely visit you in Huaxia,” Old Tucci said after a moment of silence, finally ceasing his attempts to persuade him. He realized Chen Fei was a man of strong opinions, and further attempts would be pointless.

Seeing this, Earl Pierce hesitated for a moment before also giving up. He then took a slip of paper, jotted down an exorbitant figure, and handed it to Chen Fei with a sincere smile. ”Dear Chen, I know you’re not a man who is short of money. However, I hope this can serve as a small token of my sincerity, so please, I must insist you accept it.”

Chen Fei glanced at the number on the check, his eyebrows twitching slightly. Goodness, one million Euros? How generous.

”Alright, in that case, I’ll accept it.”

However, Chen Fei was long past the stage of being unworldly. To someone of his current net worth, one million Euros was not an earth-shattering sum, so he accepted it without any psychological burden and prepared to leave.

”Oh, dear Chen, thank God for letting me meet a miraculous practitioner of Chinese medicine like you! When I have the time, I will visit that mysterious and ancient country of yours. I hope I will have the honor of having dinner with you then,” Earl Pierce called out suddenly as Chen Fei slowly turned to depart.

”I look forward to that day, respected Earl Pierce. When it comes, I would be happy to be your guide,” Chen Fei replied, his steps pausing. With his back still to them, he raised a hand and waved.

After that, Chen Fei finally strode away, gradually disappearing down the far end of the hospital corridor.

Watching him go, a peculiar look flickered in Earl Pierce’s eyes, followed by a faint shade of crimson. He mused aloud to himself, ”Chen, huh? What a remarkable fellow. And... he doesn’t seem as simple as we initially thought. What do you think, Tucci?”

”I agree. To think he knows someone from the Brad Family, and that even the Earl of Szekendov is so wary of him. Could the person he called on the phone be a Marquis of the Brad Family?” Old Tucci couldn’t help but exclaim, his eyes narrowing.

If that were true, Chen Fei’s standing in his eyes would instantly skyrocket more than tenfold. A great and noble Marquis of the Brad Family was a figure that not even the highest echelons of their own Saint Laurent Family could afford to ignore.

”That’s not what I was referring to, but never mind...” Earl Pierce shook his head, murmuring mysteriously.

By then, Chen Fei had already left Saint George Ruarg Hospital.

「...」

Florence, the ”Cold Jadeite” from the poems of Xu Zhimo, is also the cradle of world culture and art. Countless world-renowned masters like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo have left their dazzling marks on its history. After leaving the hospital, Chen Fei wasn’t in a rush to depart and decided to wander around for a bit.

His injuries would require at least five or six more days to heal. Whether he was keeping his promise to accompany that innocent, ethereal girl with the aura of Immortal Qi to Cyprus—the place her heart desired—or traveling to the United Kingdom, he needed time.

A few hours later, however, as he was walking through the streets of Florence, surrounded by buildings steeped in fashion and art, his brow suddenly furrowed.

He had a feeling that someone was following him.

It’s probably not someone from the Brad or Saint Laurent families, right? If it were, why would they be directing killing intent at me? Chen Fei murmured to himself, before turning unexpectedly into a quieter, less-crowded alley.

Clearly, he was curious to see who was tailing him. And by the feel of it, they were quite strong.

”He discovered me?” At a street corner not far away, a one-eyed, middle-aged man watched Chen Fei’s sudden change of direction. He froze for a second, then his face darkened as he followed Chen Fei into the quiet alley.

For someone of his status and strength to be discovered by a young man in his twenties... what a disgrace.

Seeing his pursuer now emerging so brazenly, a glint of coldness flashed in Chen Fei’s eyes. To be honest, he didn’t appreciate this person’s attitude.

After walking for another ten minutes or so, Chen Fei and the one-eyed man arrived at the banks of Florence’s world-famous Arno River.

Chen Fei glanced at the dwindling number of pedestrians and the slowly darkening sky, finally stopping in an inconspicuous spot. He turned around and stared impassively at the one-eyed man. ”You’ve been following me. What is it that you want?”

Hearing Chen Fei’s words, the one-eyed man swept a cold gaze over the young, callow face of the Eastern Lad before him and stated flatly, ”I’ve come for something of yours. And you needn’t deny it, because I am certain it’s on your person right now.” His eye was locked fiercely onto Chen Fei.

He hadn’t expected to find the great Holy Artifact of their Nuo Deng Family—a sacred object of such importance—on a mere Eastern Lad. The discovery was both a pleasant surprise and a source of rage! The holy relic of their Nuo Deng Family, the Glory Page, was a divine and sacred entity. To think it had now been ’defiled’ by such an Easterner, falling into the hands of a mere mortal like him... how could he possibly accept that?

”Something? What something?” Chen Fei’s expression grew even colder.

”The Glory Page!” the one-eyed man enunciated, his voice frigid.

Evidently, this one-eyed middle-aged man was none other than the current Clan Leader of the Nuo Deng Family, one of the Vatican’s three great Divine Holy Families—Dagondo Norden.

”The Glory Page? You’re from the Nuo Deng Family?” Chen Fei murmured, his gaze turning icy as he stared at the man. He hadn’t expected them to find him all the way out here.

”That’s right. Since you know my identity and my purpose, hand over our Nuo Deng Family’s sacred relic immediately! I don’t have time to waste with you,” Dagondo said. Hearing Chen Fei’s murmur, a look of cold impatience appeared on his face as he spoke with arrogance.

He was clearly accustomed to a position of authority and used to giving people orders. But he hadn’t stopped to consider if Chen Fei was someone who could be so casually bossed around. As it happened, our Chen Fei, Young Master Chen, despised nothing more than people like him who acted tough and thought they were hot stuff.

”You’re right, I don’t have time to waste with you either,” Chen Fei said, his jet-black eyes, as clear as obsidian, sweeping coldly over the man. ”The Glory Page is indeed with me. But on what grounds should I give it to you? You’re not worthy. Go back to where you belong.”

”I’m not worthy?”

Upon hearing this, Dagondo looked at Chen Fei as if seeing him for the first time. He never expected this Eastern Lad would dare to speak to him with such an arrogant tone. He stared at Chen Fei with a sinister glint in his eye and said slowly, ”The honor of the great Nuo Deng Family will not be insulted or offended. You can insult me, but I will say this one last time: hand over my family’s Holy Artifact! Otherwise, you will die here on the banks of the Arno River.”

”Perhaps if some old geezer from your Nuo Deng Family came, he might have the right to say that. But you?” Chen Fei tilted his head up slightly, his gaze placid as he looked at the man. ”As I said before, you’re not worthy.”