Chapter 37: The Asking Price

Mu Lin saw the professor pacing around with a furrowed brow and decided not to disturb him. After a while, the professor regained his composure and, upon seeing Mu Lin, warmly called out, “Oh my God, my boy, Daniel, you’ve finally arrived! It’s so good to see you! I heard you’re completing credits for three majors this semester, and I’m so proud of you, my boy!” He walked over and gave Mu Lin a big bear hug.

Since Mu Lin had been raised by his great-uncle since childhood, he held a deep respect for the elderly and would often greet them warmly. He genuinely respected Professor Chris Landeng as well. The old man had not only secured a full scholarship for him but had also meticulously arranged for the care of his two younger sisters, treating Mu Lin like his own grandson. Additionally, he had assigned several senior female students to assist him. If Mu Lin had been an ordinary person, these arrangements would have been life-changing. However, Mu Lin had come to this mundane world for cultivation purposes and had the confidence to be proud of his abilities. Still, he was genuinely grateful for the professor’s arrangements.

He assumed the professor had been preoccupied with his matters and felt somewhat touched, as no one had unconditionally cared for him since he came down the mountain. But then the professor’s next words made him feel as if he had swallowed a dead fly: “Daniel, I’ve asked you here because there’s something I need your help with. Please don’t refuse me.”

“Oh! May I know what it is?” Mu Lin thought to himself, realizing he had been mistaken—thinking he was the center of attention—and asked slowly.

“Daniel, you must promise to keep this a secret before I can tell you,” the professor said solemnly.

Seeing the professor pacing around with a furrowed brow, Mu Lin decided not to disturb him.

After a while, the professor finally composed himself and, upon spotting Mu Lin, immediately called out warmly:

“Oh, my God, my child, Daniel, you’re finally here! I’m so happy to see you! I heard you’re going to complete credits for three majors this semester—I’m so proud of you, my boy!” He strode forward and gave Mu Lin a bear hug.

Since Mu Lin had been raised by his great-uncle, he had a deep, innate respect for elders and would always greet them proactively.

Professor Chris Landon was someone Mu Lin genuinely admired. Not only had the old man secured him a full scholarship, but he had also meticulously arranged matters for his two younger sisters and treated him like his own grandson. He had even assigned several senior female students to assist him. For an ordinary person, such arrangements could change their entire life. But Mu Lin had come to this mundane world for cultivation, and he had the confidence to be proud. Still, he was sincerely grateful for the professor’s efforts.

Thinking the professor was worrying about his affairs, Mu Lin felt somewhat moved. Since leaving the mountain, no one had unconditionally cared for him like this. However, the professor’s next words made him feel as if he had swallowed a fly—disgusted and uncomfortable:

“Daniel, I’ve called you here because I need your help with something. Please don’t refuse.”

“Oh? May I know what it is?” Mu Lin thought to himself, *So I was just being narcissistic?* He asked slowly, feigning indifference.

“Daniel, you must swear to keep this confidential before I can tell you,” the professor said solemnly.

“Then let’s just forget it, Professor! You know I’m still a minor—my words don’t carry legal weight. Besides, I really don’t like trouble.” Mu Lin replied flippantly, pretending to walk away.

In truth, Mu Lin had already made up his mind. This old man had toyed with him before, and now that he had such a perfect opportunity, why not take advantage of it?

Sure enough, Professor Chris Landon grabbed Mu Lin before he could leave, saying, “Daniel, no matter what, I’m your teacher Jack Zhang’s mentor, and now I’m also your professor. Don’t you Chinese have a saying—something about a disciple helping their teacher?”

Mu Lin couldn’t help but laugh. This foreign old man actually knew a Chinese saying, though he butchered it.

He corrected him: “Professor, the phrase is, *When the teacher has a task, the disciple serves the labor.*”

“Yes! Exactly! You said it perfectly. See, I’m old—Jack Zhang used to say that to me all the time. He often helped me.”

*Great,* Mu Lin thought. *Now he’s playing the emotional card.* Regardless, he wasn’t about to do anything without benefits. These foreigners were all smiles when they needed something, but when interests clashed, they’d turn on you in a heartbeat. Better see what this was about first.

Mu Lin sat back down, and Professor Landon also returned to his seat, speaking slowly:

“Daniel, you might not know this, but I’m from D-country. Here’s the situation—your healing abilities have become widely known among the upper echelons in Massachusetts and New Jersey. Many have tried to come to the university seeking your help, but I’ve turned them all away.

This time, however, it’s a senator from my home country, introduced by our state’s senator. You know my country has always shown great sincerity toward yours, and this senator is a key figure pushing for stronger bilateral relations. His condition is similar to mine—if left untreated, he might not make it through the year. If that happens, relations between our countries could deteriorate. I doubt that’s something you’d want.”

As the professor spoke, Mu Lin silently calculated his own interests. Maybe the old man was so eager to serve his homeland that he was willing to sell Mu Lin out. Or perhaps he had another trick up his sleeve. Best to wait and see.

It wasn’t that Mu Lin refused to treat these people—it was just that Westerners held deep prejudices against traditional Chinese medicine, often dismissing it as quackery. Moreover, Chinese medicine was so vast and profound that no one had ever systematically organized or standardized it. Some wandering healers relied on ancestral prescriptions or random remedies, tarnishing its reputation.

In Chinatown here, any dispute involving Chinese medicine was sensationalized, sometimes even politicized, fueling anti-Chinese sentiment.

Now that these high-ranking politicians knew someone could cure their ailments, they shamelessly came knocking. Mu Lin wasn’t about to make it easy for them. Friendship was one thing, business was another—he wouldn’t mix the two.

Seeing Mu Lin deep in thought, the professor pressed on: “Daniel, for my sake, help me just this once. What do you say?”

Mu Lin could almost hear the old man echoing the line from the movies he watched as a kid: *”General Zhang, for the sake of the Party, lend me a hand!”* He had followed the film crew for over a dozen screenings just for that scene.

Now, hearing the professor utter something so similar, Mu Lin chuckled and said, “Professor, it’s not that I don’t want to help. But you know I’m still a minor, and I’m in university just to get my medical license. Without five years, I can’t legally practice. If I treat someone now and get reported, it’ll cause me endless trouble. You know the last incident still hasn’t been resolved.

If I proceed with treatment under U.S. law, I could end up in jail. My two little sisters are still young—I might have to trouble you to bring me prison meals.” This was Mu Lin’s version of *setting an exorbitant price first.*

Professor Landon found Mu Lin’s bargaining both amusing and frustrating. He adored the boy’s talent, which was why he had personally intervened to secure him a full scholarship. Considering Mu Lin’s youth and lack of self-sufficiency, he had even arranged for three outstanding female students to assist with his daily life.

But recently, complaints had flooded the university administration—students accused Mu Lin of monopolizing the three top female students and demanded the “little brother” be evicted from the women’s dorm.

When the university sought the girls’ opinions, they demanded the names of the complainants, threatening lawsuits. The matter was eventually dropped.

*After all I’ve done for you, is it easy for me?* the professor thought. But now, he had to offer something substantial—otherwise, this kid wouldn’t budge.

Mu Lin was on track to complete three majors in a year, having already finished over half last semester. Academically, there was little more the professor could offer. But perhaps there was another way.

The conditions the politicians had proposed earlier likely wouldn’t satisfy Mu Lin. It seemed the professor would have to bend the rules a little. So much for Westerners being principled—even the esteemed Professor Chris Landon was ready to compromise.

“Daniel, how about this? You mentioned your age as an obstacle to practicing medicine. I can gather a few medical professors to petition the Medical Association, requesting an examination to certify your qualifications.

I know you already have at least five years of experience, so this might feel unfair, but we must respect the law. Additionally, we’ll have senators and representatives submit a joint letter to the juvenile court, documenting your exceptional circumstances. That way, future accusations of illegal practice won’t hold.

And once you graduate this semester, I’ll make an exception to accept you as my Ph.D. student. Does that address your concerns?” The professor asked cautiously, afraid of angering this little prodigy.

Mu Lin remained silent, still deliberating.

The professor grew anxious. “Daniel, do you have any other issues?”

In reality, Mu Lin had already made plans. The old man had always teased him, and now that there was such a great opportunity, he couldn’t let it go without a little payback. Sure enough, Professor Chris Landeng grabbed Mu Lin, who was about to leave, and said, “Daniel, after all, I am the teacher of your teacher, Jack Zhang, and now I am also your teacher. Don’t you Chinese have a saying that a teacher’s disciples must help the teacher?”

Mu Lin laughed. This foreign old man actually knew that Chinese saying, though he didn’t say it very well. Mu Lin corrected him, “Professor, the saying is, ‘When the teacher has matters, the disciples should shoulder the burden.’”

“Exactly! Exactly! You said it so well. You see, I’m getting old. Jack Zhang used to say this to me all the time, and he often helped me.”

Alright, Mu Lin thought, this old man is playing the emotional card. Anyway, he shouldn’t do anything without benefits. These foreigners, when they need you, will be all nice and sweet, but when it comes to their interests, they will turn their backs on you. He should first find out what the matter was.

Mu Lin sat back down on the chair, and Professor Chris Landeng also sat back down and slowly said, “Daniel, you might not know that I’m from country D. The thing is, the news of you curing my illness has spread among the upper class in our state and New Jersey, and they all wanted to come to the college to seek your treatment, but I turned them all down.

This time, it’s a senator from my home country introduced by our state senator. As you know, my home country has always had great sincerity towards your country. This senator is a key member pushing for the improvement of relations between our two countries. He has a disease somewhat similar to mine, and if he doesn’t get treatment soon, he might pass away this year. That would likely cause a downturn in relations between my home country and your country. I think this is not something you would want to happen.”

As Mu Lin listened to the professor, he was calculating in his mind. Perhaps the old man wanted to use him to do something for his home country, or maybe the old man still had other tricks up his sleeve. He would have to wait and see.

Mu Lin wasn’t against treating these people; however, these Westerners had deep prejudices against traditional Chinese medicine, often considering it witchcraft. Moreover, traditional Chinese medicine was profound and extensive, and no one had systematically organized and regulated it. Especially some itinerant doctors who relied on family recipes or a few prescriptions they had seen somewhere to practice medicine around the world, which ruined the reputation of traditional Chinese medicine. In the Chinatown here, whenever there were disputes involving traditional Chinese medicine, they would be blown out of proportion, sometimes even linked to politics, leading to the marginalization of Chinese people.

Now that these upper-class politicians knew there was someone who could cure their diseases, they had the audacity to come forward. Mu Lin didn’t want to make it so easy for them. Friendship was one thing, and official business was another; the two couldn’t be mixed together.

Seeing Mu Lin deep in thought without speaking, the old man continued, “Daniel, just do me this favor, okay? Think of it as a favor to me.”

Seeing that the old man had gone this far, it was almost like the line from a movie he had watched as a child, “Commander Zhang, won’t you pull your brother through one more time for the sake of the party and the country?” Mu Lin had followed the film crew to watch that scene over a dozen times. Now, seeing the old man say something similar, he smiled and said to him, “Professor, it’s not that I don’t want to help. You know I’m not of age yet, and I’m currently attending university to get my medical license. As you know, it will take me at least five years to get my license. If I practice medicine without a license now and someone reports me, it will cause me a lot of trouble. You know the last incident hasn’t been resolved yet.

If I continue treatment this time, according to the laws of this country, I might even go to jail. My two younger sisters are still young, and I’m afraid I might have to trouble you to bring me meals in prison.” At this moment, Mu Lin was clearly overestimating his worth.

Professor Chris Landeng looked at Mu Lin’s exaggerated demands with a mix of anger and amusement. Deep down, he greatly appreciated Mu Lin’s talents, so he personally approached the college to request a full scholarship for him. Considering Mu Lin’s young age and lack of self-care ability, he specifically asked the college to arrange for three excellent female students to take care of Mu Lin’s daily life. However, not long ago, there had been continuous complaints from students to the college leadership, claiming that Mu Lin had monopolized the college’s three excellent female students and suggesting that this student ‘junior’ should be moved out of the girls’ dormitory.

The college sought the opinions of the three female students, who requested the college to provide the list of students who had filed complaints, intending to sue them. Eventually, the matter was dropped.

The old man thought to himself, I’ve done so much for you, do you know how hard it is for me? But now he still had to give this kid a response, otherwise the kid definitely wouldn’t agree. Besides, this kid planned to complete the credits for three majors within a year, and last semester he had already completed most of them. This semester was estimated to be no problem either. So academically, he probably couldn’t offer the kid any additional conditions. However, there might still be another way. Thinking about the conditions those politicians had offered him on his way here, he realized they probably couldn’t meet the kid’s demands. It seemed like only he himself could make some adjustments. Who says Westerners are the most principled? Even the respected Professor Chris Landeng was preparing to make some adjustments.

“Daniel, what do you think about this? You mentioned that you’re not yet of age and can’t practice medicine. I think I’ll team up with several medical professors and send a letter to the Medical Association requesting an assessment of your qualifications to confirm your eligibility to practice medicine.

I also know that you already have at least five years of medical experience, so this might make you feel a bit undervalued, but we still have to abide by the laws of this country. Additionally, we plan to have some senators and representatives jointly write to the juvenile court to file a record explaining your special circumstances. This way, the issue of your illegal medical practice won’t exist in the future.

Also, once you complete your credits for this semester and graduate from university, I plan to admit you as my doctoral student ahead of schedule. What do you think about this? Do you have any other issues?” Professor Chris Landeng asked cautiously, fearing that his attitude might anger this little prince.

After listening to the professor, Mu Lin continued to ponder silently. The professor became anxious and asked, “Daniel, do you have any other issues?”