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 child, Daniel, you’ve finally arrived! I’m so glad to see you! I heard you’re completing credits for three majors this semester—I’m so proud of you, my boy!” He then rushed forward and gave Mu Lin a big bear hug.
Since Mu Lin had been raised by his great-uncle since childhood, he held deep respect for elders and would always greet them enthusiastically.
Professor Chris Landen was no exception; Mu Lin genuinely respected him. The old man had not only secured a full scholarship for Mu Lin but also meticulously arranged everything concerning his two younger sisters, treating Mu Lin like his own grandson. Additionally, he had assigned several senior female students to assist Mu Lin. If Mu Lin had been an ordinary person, such arrangements could have changed his life forever. However, Mu Lin had come into this mundane world for cultivation purposes, and he had the capital to be proud. Still, he was genuinely grateful for the professor’s arrangements.
He assumed the professor had been preoccupied with his affairs and felt somewhat touched. Ever since coming down from the mountains, no one had unconditionally cared for him. But then the professor’s next words left Mu Lin feeling nauseated, 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 presumptuous—like a peacock thinking everyone admires it—while casually asking.
“Daniel, you must swear to keep this a secret before I can tell you,” the professor said solemnly.
“Well then, forget it, professor! You know, I’m still a minor and my words don’t hold legal weight. Besides, I’m not really fond of getting involved in trouble,” Mu Lin replied flippantly while pretending to walk away.
In truth, Mu Lin had already made plans. The old man had been playing him all along, and now that he had such a good opportunity, how could he not take advantage of it?
Sure enough, Professor Chris Landen grabbed the departing Mu Lin and said, “Daniel, after all, I’m not only your teacher Jack Zhang’s teacher, but also your current teacher. Isn’t there a saying in China that when a teacher has something to do, the disciple must help?”
Mu Lin couldn’t help but laugh. This foreign old man actually knew this Chinese saying, although he didn’t say it quite correctly.
Mu Lin corrected him, “Professor, the saying is, ‘When a teacher has a task, the disciple must shoulder the burden.'”
“Exactly! Exactly! You’re absolutely right! You see, I’m getting old. Back then, Jack Zhang often said this to me, and he always helped me.”
Great! Mu Lin thought. This old man was pulling the emotional card. Anyway, he wasn’t going to do anything without benefits. These foreigners, when they needed something from you, would be all smiles, but when interests conflicted, they would turn their backs on you. He had better find out what the matter was first.
Mu Lin sat back down on the chair. Professor Chris Landen also sat down and slowly said, “Daniel, you might not know that I’m from country D. The thing is, the news about you curing my illness has spread throughout the upper circles in Massachusetts and New Jersey, and many 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 shown great sincerity towards your homeland. This senator is a key member pushing for improved bilateral relations. His illness is somewhat similar to mine. If he doesn’t receive treatment soon, he might pass away this year, which could lead to a downturn in relations between my country and yours. I think this is something you wouldn’t want to see either.”
As Mu Lin listened to the professor, he was secretly calculating. Perhaps the old man wanted to use him to do something for his homeland, or maybe the old man still had more tricks up his sleeve. He’d see.
Mu Lin wasn’t against treating these people; it’s just that Westerners often held deep prejudices against traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), frequently dismissing it as witchcraft. Moreover, TCM was profound and intricate, and no one had systematically organized or regulated it. Especially some itinerant physicians who relied on ancestral recipes or formulas they had picked up somewhere, traveling the world treating patients and tarnishing TCM’s reputation. In the Chinatown here, any disputes involving TCM practitioners were sensationalized, sometimes even linked to politics, leading to anti-Chinese sentiment.
Now that these upper-class politicians had learned of someone capable of curing their illnesses, they had the audacity to come forward. Mu Lin wasn’t about to let them off easily. Friendship was one thing, and serious matters were another; the two couldn’t be mixed together.
Seeing Mu Lin lost in thought, the old professor continued, “Daniel, just do me this favor, for old time’s sake. What do you say?”
Mu Lin noticed the old man had gone this far, almost echoing the line from an old movie he used to watch as a child: “Commander Zhang, for the sake of the party and the country, pull your brother through one more time!” Mu Lin had watched that movie over a dozen times just for that scene.
Seeing the old man speak in such a similar manner, Mu Lin smiled and replied, “Professor, it’s not that I don’t want to help. You know I’m still a minor, and I’m currently attending university to obtain my medical license. You know it will take at least five years before I can get that license. If I practice medicine without a license now and someone reports me, it could cause me a lot of trouble. You know the previous incident hasn’t even been resolved yet.
If I continue treating people this time, according to U.S. law, I might end up in jail. My two younger sisters are still young, and I’m afraid I might have to trouble you to bring me meals in prison then.” This was Mu Lin’s classic case of asking for an exorbitant price.
Professor Chris Landen looked at Mu Lin’s exaggerated demand and felt both amused and annoyed. Deep down, he greatly appreciated Mu Lin’s talent, which was why he personally approached the college to secure a full scholarship for him. Considering Mu Lin’s young age and lack of independent living skills, he specially requested the college to assign three excellent female students to take care of Mu Lin’s daily life.
However, not long ago, many students had complained to the college leadership that Mu Lin was monopolizing three excellent female students, demanding that the “junior brother” be moved out of the female dormitory.
The college sought the opinions of the three female students, who insisted the college hand over the names of the complaining students so they could sue them. Eventually, the matter fizzled out.
The old professor thought to himself, I’ve done so much for you—do you know how hard it’s been for me? But now he still had to give this kid a satisfactory answer, or the kid would definitely refuse. Besides, the kid planned to complete credits for three majors within a year. He had already completed most of them last semester, and this semester was expected to be no problem either. Therefore, the professor couldn’t offer the kid any further academic incentives. However, there was still another way.
Thinking back to the conditions those politicians had offered him earlier, he realized they probably wouldn’t satisfy the kid’s demands. Looks like he had no choice but to improvise. Who says Westerners are always the most principled? Even the esteemed Professor Chris Landen was preparing to bend the rules.
“Daniel, how about this? Regarding your current underage status preventing you from practicing medicine, I’ll team up with several medical professors to send a letter to the Medical Association requesting they evaluate and confirm your qualifications as a physician.
I know you already have at least five years of medical experience, so this might seem a bit beneath you, but we still need to abide by the laws of this country. Additionally, we’ll have some senators and congressmen jointly write to the juvenile court to document your special circumstances. This way, future issues regarding your unauthorized medical practice won’t exist.
Also, once you complete your credits this semester and graduate from university, I plan to admit you as my doctoral student, breaking the usual rules. Does this resolve your concerns?” Professor Chris Landen asked cautiously, fearing that his tone might upset this little treasure.
After the professor finished speaking, Mu Lin continued to ponder silently. The professor grew anxious, “Daniel, do you still have any concerns?”
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