Medical Sage

”No, no, I was wrong. I misspoke, and I apologize. Sir, please don’t say anything more. If this really blows up into a huge mess, how will we resolve it? If these South Koreans actually pull out of an international seminar like that, the consequences could be severe. The government would be furious! Please, just stop talking.” The flight attendant’s face paled as she spoke, apologizing again to the Koreans while urgently pulling Chen Fei aside.

She was genuinely terrified that things would escalate. If those Koreans really withdrew from the international seminar on traditional medicine, it would be a massive disaster! How could Chen Fei possibly bear that responsibility?

”Bro…” Even Liu Chudong’s expression shifted slightly. While his status meant he didn’t particularly care about these damn Koreans, if the situation escalated to the point of damaging the international reputation and image of their country’s traditional medicine, he knew it would become a thorny issue.

”In my opinion, respect is something you earn for yourself, not something you beg from others,” Chen Fei said coolly, unconcerned. ”So-called Korean Medicine is, at best, practiced by a bunch of ungrateful descendants who only have a superficial understanding of our traditional medicine. Since they look down on our Traditional Medicine Seminar of Huaxia, they can get the hell out. We, the practitioners of Huaxia’s traditional medicine, have no respect for them!”

”You’re a practitioner of traditional medicine?” Huang Kaisheng’s expression changed.

”I am,” Chen Fei nodded.

”You claim to be a practitioner of traditional medicine?”

The Korean woman with glasses looked at Chen Fei as if she’d just heard the biggest joke in the world. A mocking sneer spread across her face. ”A young man like you, who probably can’t even recite the basics of pharmacology, the five elements, and yin-yang theory, dares to call himself a practitioner of traditional medicine? Do you have any idea how long Doctor Song has been studying Korean Medicine? It has been over fifty years, starting from when he was a child! What qualifications do you have to discuss medical skills in front of Doctor Song? How arrogant and ignorant!”

”That’s right! I, Huang Kaisheng, have studied traditional medicine for over thirty years since childhood, and I’m still not even a fraction of what Doctor Song is. What are you, some greenhorn? You dare to discuss medical skills? You’re a disgrace!” Huang Kaisheng added with a scornful laugh.

In his mind, a young man like Chen Fei, barely in his twenties, probably hadn’t even memorized the *Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases*. To boast about his medical skills and call himself a practitioner of traditional medicine was utterly pathetic and an embarrassment.

Just then, the woman in glasses babbled something to the sixty-something-year-old Song Jinhu, whose face immediately filled with disdain.

”Do you understand English?” he asked, walking up to Chen Fei. He looked down on him from a position of extreme superiority, his tone dripping with arrogant mockery. ”You’re a practitioner of traditional medicine? In South Korea, young men your age are usually very humble. I do not believe medical skill is something that can be achieved overnight; it requires constant, diligent accumulation over many years! Stop making such empty boasts. Are you even worthy?”

”Excellent! Doctor Song is absolutely right!” Huang Kaisheng, who apparently understood some English, immediately began to clap fawningly. He declared with an air of righteousness, ”Exactly! Whether it’s traditional Chinese medicine or Korean Medicine, it is a profession that demands daily accumulation and persistent effort! It’s not for people who only know how to make grand statements. Discuss medical skills? Is a naive whelp like you even qualified to discuss medicine with Doctor Song?”

”Can you shut your damn mouth?”

Even with his usually calm temperament, Chen Fei couldn’t stop himself from cursing.

Excellent? Excellent, my ass! This guy is kissing up to these damn Koreans as if they were his own parents.

”You…” Huang Kaisheng was so enraged at being publicly humiliated that he could only point a trembling finger at Chen Fei, his face ashen and speechless.

”You what? Moron, get the hell out of the way. You’re an utter disgrace to the people of Huaxia.” A sharp slap cut him off as Liu Chudong, seething with anger, struck him across the face.

The slap was not light; everyone who witnessed it couldn’t help but flinch.

”You say I don’t understand medical skills?”

At that moment, Chen Fei’s eyes, black as lacquer and clear as glass, fixed coldly on Song Jinhu. Fluent English rolled off his tongue effortlessly. ”It’s true that I have only touched the surface of traditional medicine. But as for people like you, and your Korean Medicine? That all seems like something our ancestors grew tired of and threw away. I really don’t see what gives you the right to be so confident in front of me.”

With that, he took a step forward, looming over the older man. His dark eyes bored into him as he asked icily, ”Do you really think your medical skills are superior to mine?”

The sheer force of his domineering aura made Song Jinhu instinctively take a step back.

After retreating, however, his expression twisted with shame and anger. He surged forward again, poking a finger into Chen Fei’s chest. ”What an arrogant, ignorant whelp! Do you not know who I am? I am Song Jinhu, recipient of the highest medical achievement award in the Republic of Korea! I have treated representatives from the LG Group on more than one occasion! My fee for a single consultation is never less than one hundred thousand US dollars! Have you ever even seen that much money? What right does a wet-behind-the-ears brat like you have to discuss medical skills with me, Song Jinhu?” It was clear he was lashing out in a fit of rage.

His status was immense. He was currently the most formidable practitioner of Korean Medicine in the Republic of Korea, a winner of the highest medical achievement award. He had treated high-ranking figures from massive conglomerates like LG, SK, and Three Stars, commanding fees of at least one hundred thousand US dollars every time. When had he ever been berated so openly by a young man, let alone a practitioner of traditional medicine from Huaxia?

”Mr. Song, are you saying that Doctor Chen’s medical skills are inferior to yours?” Just as Song Jinhu’s furious words faded, a strained, elderly voice speaking unfamiliar English came from behind them.

Song Jinhu, the woman in glasses, and the other Korean doctors traveling with them all spun around, their expressions changing drastically. A white-haired old man, flanked by a group of people, was walking into the cabin, a displeased look on his face.

This white-haired elder was none other than Elder Du!

It was obvious Song Jinhu and his group had met Elder Du before. They knew he was one of the most respected traditional medicine doctors in the Jiangnan region of Huaxia. But they never expected to encounter him here. Worse, judging by Elder Du’s attitude, he seemed to be on the side of that detestable young man from Huaxia! The faces of the South Koreans instantly turned pale.

The same mocking question carried a completely different weight coming from Elder Du than it did from Chen Fei. In fact, that one simple sentence from the elder felt like a resounding slap across Song Jinhu’s face.

”Wow!”

”Isn’t that Elder Du from the Traditional Medicine Affiliated Hospital of Northern Mountain? I heard he’s the most formidable traditional medicine doctor in our Jiangnan region, even better than the experts in Capital City.”

”Of course! Didn’t you know Elder Du has treated national leaders? They say he holds a position in the Central Health Bureau. Many old cadres with health problems travel all the way to Jiangnan just to see him. Is Elder Du also going to Capital City for that traditional medicine seminar?”

A buzz of excitement went through the passengers. Clearly, many of them recognized Elder Du.

Witnessing this, both Flight Attendant Qinglan and Liu Chudong were dumbstruck. They never imagined Elder Du would actually side with Chen Fei. And that form of address, ”Doctor Chen?” That was a title reserved for equals! Could it be…

”Doctor Du, hello. Are you also taking this flight to Capital City for this year’s Traditional Medicine Seminar?” Song Jinhu asked, his face looking strained as he addressed Elder Du with forced politeness. No matter how arrogant he had been moments before, when faced with a titan of traditional medicine like Elder Du, he didn’t dare act out of line. After all…

However, Elder Du completely ignored him. He turned directly to Chen Fei and smiled. ”Doctor Chen, it’s been a long time. Has that wound of yours healed properly?”

”It’s completely healed, see?” Chen Fei smiled and pulled his collar open slightly, revealing a smooth, unblemished neck.

”It has recovered so perfectly!? As expected of Doctor Chen. Your medical skills are truly beyond my reach.”

Elder Du sighed in deep admiration. He had seen it with his own eyes—a gunshot wound, the bullet striking him in such a sensitive and critical area as the neck. It had been such a severe injury, yet in such a short time, it had healed completely, without a trace. He truly was worthy of the title Doctor Chen.

At Elder Du’s words, Song Jinhu’s face turned exceptionally ugly, as if he’d been viciously slapped again. He had just been belittling Chen Fei, claiming he knew nothing of medicine, but now…

”Mr. Chen, from what I saw… was there some sort of misunderstanding?” Elder Du asked, turning back to Chen Fei.

”A misunderstanding? I wouldn’t call it that,” Chen Fei said directly, seeing no reason to be indirect with an old acquaintance like Elder Du. ”These damn Koreans were causing a ruckus the moment they got on the plane, acting like they owned the place. This flight attendant kindly reminded them to be mindful of their conduct in a public space, but they bit back, accusing us of slander and disrespect. They even threatened to call the police and pull out of the 7th Traditional Medicine Seminar of Huaxia as leverage. On top of that, this Doctor Song here seems very confident in his own skills, and he seems to think I’m his inferior.”

He shook his head, a look of disdain and mockery on his face. ”You know I can’t usually be bothered with such trivial matters. But these people were just so disgusting that I felt compelled to indulge them a little.”

Who doesn’t know how to act all high and mighty? Especially when our very own Chen Fei, Young Master Chen, decides to put on an air of supreme confidence. He could do it in his sleep, casually, with a flick of his wrist, could he not?

His current attitude and tone made it seem as if Song Jinhu was nothing more than an insignificant speck in his eyes… which, in fact, was the truth.