The car pulled up in front of Xuehai Bookstore. Unexpectedly, they had passed by Songshan First High School on the way.
Calculating the distance, the bookstore was only about one stop away from the school, so Lin Yi could walk back after finishing his shopping.
Lin Yi paid the fare and walked into Xuehai Bookstore. After inquiring with the salesperson at the entrance, he headed straight for the medical books section.
At this hour, there weren't many people in the bookstore, and even fewer in the medicine and pharmacy section. Only one elderly man, who looked like a scholar, was standing before a bookshelf, flipping through something.
Following the labels on the shelves, Lin Yi found the books he needed and began browsing.
There were the medicinal properties of a few uncommon Chinese herbs that Lin Yi needed to double-check.
The injuries within Yang Huaijun's body were complex; his bodily functions had completely fallen into chaos under the suppression of painkillers.
However, for some unknown reason, he hadn't died. There was likely an expert tending to Yang Huaijun's condition; after all, the influence of the Yang family behind him was not to be underestimated.
"Young man, do you like Traditional Chinese Medicine?"
At some unknown point, the scholar-like elderly man had walked up to Lin Yi's side. Looking at the book in Lin Yi's hands, he suddenly spoke up.
"I have a bit of research into it."
Lin Yi smiled and nodded to the elderly man.
"Are you a student from the nearby medical university?"
The old man showed no intention of stopping and continued to ask.
"No, I am a student from Songshan First High School," Lin Yi answered casually. He didn't feel any aversion toward the man; he could tell the elder was the type of person who studied academics. If he were the type to use small talk to achieve some ulterior motive, Lin Yi wouldn't have bothered to say a word.
"Oh? A high schooler?"
The old man was somewhat surprised by Lin Yi's words. Nowadays, very few young people were interested in Traditional Chinese Medicine!
While there were medical university students who came to the bookstore to look up information to prepare for exams, they didn't truly have an interest in TCM.
Guan Xuemin had been searching for a final disciple to inherit his legacy for years, but had found nothing.
He hadn't expected to encounter a high school student interested in TCM here in the bookstore.
There were quite a few students at the medical university who studied TCM extensively, but most leaned toward Western medicine. They only studied TCM to broaden their knowledge base and never intended to make it their future career or research direction, which left Guan Xuemin deeply disappointed.
To inherit his legacy, one first had to be genuinely interested in TCM. If one already believed Western medicine was superior to TCM, how could they talk of inheriting a legacy?
"Young man, do you think our Traditional Chinese Medicine is more powerful, or is Western medicine more powerful?"
Guan Xuemin couldn't help but ask.
"They each have their strengths, but I lean more toward TCM."
Lin Yi closed the book in his hands and picked up another nearby to look up the information he wanted. "Western medicine treats the symptoms, while TCM treats the root. In some cases, one must treat the symptoms before they can treat the root, but simply treating the symptoms without addressing the root is not a good thing."
Although Lin Yi's words were somewhat ambiguous, they struck directly at Guan Xuemin's heart!
Guan was not a die-hard TCM fanatic himself; on the contrary, he had profound research into Western medicine as well. Only by taking the strengths of both and compensating for their weaknesses could one truly serve and save the world.
"Young man, are you interested in applying to a medical university?"
Guan Xuemin felt a surge of appreciation for talent; the more he looked at Lin Yi, the more he liked him.
"That... I haven't considered it yet... I'll have to see what my family thinks."
Lin Yi indeed hadn't considered it. Which university he applied to wasn't up to him; it was up to the old man and Chu Pengzhan.
If he were to get fired during this period, let alone university matters, he would be sent straight back to the mountains.
"I see..."
Guan Xuemin felt a bit disappointed upon hearing Lin Yi's response, but still unwilling to give up, he pulled a business card from his pocket and handed it to Lin Yi. "Young man, this is my business card. You can discuss it with your parents when you go back. If you are interested in studying medicine, I can handle the procedures for your direct admission. I do have that much authority."
Lin Yi took the card with a look of surprise.
*Guan Xuemin, Dean of the School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Songshan Medical and Pharmaceutical University.*
Seeing Guan Xuemin's identity, Lin Yi no longer doubted his words. Forget being a dean of a college; even a department head in a university held significant power.
"Thank you."
Although Lin Yi had no intention of studying medicine, he still tucked the card away very politely.
"Of course, if you have any questions regarding TCM, you can call me," Guan Xuemin said. Although he hadn't achieved his goal, he still hoped Lin Yi would stay in touch.
"Alright, Dean Guan," Lin Yi nodded.
Guan Xuemin likely had other business, so he picked up a few books he had selected and left, leaving Lin Yi alone to continue his research.
Lin Yi didn't take this little interlude to heart. When it came to medical skills, who could compare to his old man?
He had heard that when the old man was young, he had given a few casual pointers to a minor TCM practitioner, and that practitioner had later become a famous doctor of a generation.
Of course, this was just something Lin Yi had heard from the old man once while he was drunk; whether it was true or not was unknown.
However, Lin Yi had indeed learned a great deal from the old man over the years.
Having found what he wanted, Lin Yi put the books back. There was no immediate need to buy them; carrying these books back to school would likely attract too much attention. So far, Lin Yi preferred to keep a low profile.
However, it seemed Lin Yi wouldn't be able to keep a low profile now, because his name had spread throughout the entire campus since the morning assembly.
On his way back to school, Lin Yi casually bought a jianbing guozi from a roadside stall to fill his stomach. Returning to school at this hour, the cafeteria would likely be out of food.
Lin Yi went straight to the classroom and saw that both Chu Mengyao and Chen Yushu were in their seats, still watching cartoons.
When he entered, Chen Yushu glanced at Lin Yi and nudged Chu Mengyao with her finger.
Chu Mengyao lifted her eyelids slightly but then returned her attention to the tablet in her hands.
Lin Yi ignored them and walked straight to his seat.
"Hey, Sister Yao, Brother Arrow is back! Looks like he didn't suffer any inhuman torture!"
Having read too many novels, Chen Yushu thought that anyone coming out of a police station would come out looking like they had been skinned alive.
"Hmph, would that girl Song Lingshan really be willing to do anything to him? He came out so quickly; she must have released him."
Chu Mengyao curled her lip, seemingly dissatisfied with how quickly Lin Yi had returned from the police station.
"Hehe... Sister Yao, do you think the two of them might have done *that* in the police station too?"
Chen Yushu fantasized wickedly.
"Xiao Shu, you are too wicked."
Chu Mengyao frowned. "Don't gross me out. I don't want to throw up what I ate for lunch."
Hearing Chu Mengyao mention "throwing up," Chen Yushu wickedly remembered the time Chu Mengyao had swallowed Lin Yi's saliva, and she couldn't help but giggle...
(End of Chapter)