Mu Lin had already left Washington, the epicenter of the storm, early on with Xiao Laipi. He was now traveling in Bonn, the capital of West Germany, invited here to discuss the possibility of opening a clinic.
The historic city of Bonn, located on both banks of the middle reaches of the Rhine River, lies about 21 kilometers north of Cologne. It controls the strategic passageway between the mountainous upper reaches and the flat lower reaches of the Rhine, making it a historically significant military location. Bonn is an ancient cultural city with a history of over 2,000 years. Throughout its long history, Bonn has experienced numerous trials and tribulations. Many of its ancient buildings were repeatedly destroyed by war, only to be rebuilt each time. The grand cathedral situated in the city center was built around 1050 and features a 96-meter-high square tower at its summit, regarded as the symbol of Bonn.
In the residential areas of Bonn, every household plants trees and flowers in front and behind their homes, with balconies and windows filled with potted flowers. Most eye-catching are the residential complexes with rooftop gardens. These buildings are aesthetically designed and finely crafted, and combined with the ever-blooming rare flowers and plants, they form a series of aerial gardens.
In fact, Mu Lin’s first official medical case in the Western world was treating a German senator at the request of Professor Chris Landeng. That treatment was what established Mu Lin’s reputation. Since he wanted to expand his clinic, his first stop naturally was Germany.
At a bright and sunny noon, Mu Lin was leisurely strolling through the city of Bonn with Xiao Laipi. He had already purchased a villa here to serve as the clinic. In the afternoon, he only needed to negotiate with the German authorities regarding the qualifications and practice conditions for physicians, and then the clinic could officially open.
The city extends along the Rhine Valley. The rolling hills on both sides of the Rhine River are covered with vast forests. The areas adjacent to the residential zones are also filled with trees and lawns, making the air especially fresh. To provide more tranquil surroundings for the citizens, the forested areas are crisscrossed with winding paths lined with benches where people can leisurely walk and rest. These pedestrian zones, nestled against hills and beside the river, are picturesque and attract a steady stream of visitors during holidays. Besides walking and resting, people can also board yachts at nearby piers to enjoy the beautiful scenery along the Rhine.
Mu Lin had already grown accustomed to the commotion caused by Xiao Laipi. After all, at worst, he would just leave, and in the end, Xiao Laipi always had a way to escape and eventually return to Mu Lin. Every time Mu Lin abandoned him and Xiao Laipi returned angry, he would throw a tantrum and scold Mu Lin for being an unscrupulous master. Yet, whenever Mu Lin asked about his escape methods, Xiao Laipi would always stammer and evade the question, making Mu Lin increasingly curious. He thought to himself that one day he would definitely uncover this mystery.
That day might not have been a Sunday, but the forest area had fewer people. Seeing that no one was behind them, Xiao Laipi spoke up, “Master! Why didn’t you bring Sara and Stephanie with you? If they had come too, they could have helped with many things, and it would have been much more lively.”
“Fine! If you think following me is too dull, then next time I’ll have you stay home with Mei and the others!” Upon hearing this, Xiao Laipi shivered and immediately shut his mouth tight.
“Yeah right! Let me babysit those little girls? Not a chance!” Xiao Laipi muttered to himself. He was now extremely afraid of the clinginess of those young girls.
Mu Lin had his own reasons for not bringing Sara and Stephanie. In the previous incident with the Black Dragon Gang, they had not properly fulfilled their duties as members of the clinic, still leaning toward the police department in their hearts. Therefore, Mu Lin naturally became wary of them. This time, as he came to Germany to establish a clinic, he wanted complete control over certain matters. Especially now, as he planned to use the clinic for profit, he could not afford any mistakes.
As noon approached, the number of pedestrians in the forest area gradually increased. A small group of young women began following behind Mu Lin and Xiao Laipi, and their numbers seemed to be growing. Sensing trouble, Mu Lin and Xiao Laipi wanted to slip away. Unfortunately, this was a pedestrian zone, and gradually a crowd of young women gathered behind the two.
The girls here possessed a unique beauty. Their proud Germanic demeanor gave them graceful and beautiful appearances, further enhanced by their strong physiques, endowing them with the perfect charm of sun-kissed girls. Moreover, these girls were not shy at all, and one after another, they surrounded Xiao Laipi. Seeing the situation worsen, Mu Lin seized the opportunity before the girls noticed him and unceremoniously slipped away alone.
Although he had physically left the girls’ sight, Mu Lin kept his telepathic senses on Xiao Laipi. After a while, Xiao Laipi realized he had been abandoned again. Somehow, soon after, all the girls began covering their noses and fleeing in panic. Finally, Mu Lin understood why Xiao Laipi always managed to escape on his own. Immediately afterward, Xiao Laipi started sniffing along the trail, following Mu Lin’s scent toward him.
Mu Lin was nearly laughing his guts out—he finally understood Xiao Laipi’s escape method. But he also knew that if Xiao Laipi discovered that Mu Lin had found out his secret, he would be furious, and Mu Lin’s ears would suffer for days. Thinking this, he quickly clutched his stomach and fled.
In the afternoon, in the hotel’s meeting room, Mu Lin met with a group of prominent figures led by the senator he had once healed. He needed to reach agreements with them on several issues.
“Mr. Daniel, I think using the acupuncturist license from your country might conflict with our local laws here. Could you consider another approach?” said one of the officials.
The central point of contention was the lack of a certification system for Chinese acupuncture practitioners in Germany. Although U.S. medical licenses for Western medicine could be used here, they required that acupuncturists at Mu Lin’s clinic must also obtain the relevant Western medical licenses.
They had been arguing about this issue for quite some time. Since Mu Lin’s clinic was now for-profit rather than originally charitable, these people made what Mu Lin considered to be an unreasonable demand.
Mu Lin had always heard and seen that Germans were known for their rigorous and meticulous work ethic. Yet here, his impression was that they were rigid and stubborn, fixating on the issue of medical licenses. They wanted good service but were unwilling to provide convenient conditions—how could such a perfect situation exist?
“Since you gentlemen insist on this, I’m afraid we won’t be able to reach a mutual agreement. I’m very sorry, but our clinic will not be able to establish a branch here. I apologize for wasting your valuable time. I would like to thank you all for your generous hospitality over the past few days. I hope that in the future, when you visit the U.S., I will have the opportunity to host you!” Mu Lin decisively ended the negotiations.
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