Chapter 1

Over the past ten years, the layout of the pharmacy has not changed much. The furnishings are the same as before, with a long row of medicine cabinets inside, emitting a faint medicinal fragrance. On the high counter, there are scales for weighing medicine and brown paper for wrapping it.

On either side of the main hall, one area is a bedroom for resting, and the other is a consultation room for treating patients. Further inside are the herbal medicine warehouse and the room for processing herbs.

He slowly walked to the bedroom, placed the brazier, and took out over a dozen tattered ancient books from the old medical box. Kneeling on one knee before the portrait of an elderly man, he whispered, "Grandfather, I have found the complete set of the ancestral imperial medical texts. I will burn them for you now."

The match struck the phosphorus on the side of the box, and a red flame rose, licking the pages, quickly turning them into soft ash.

He left at the age of ten and has now returned.

...

The woman sitting opposite Su Tao is the young daughter of Mr. Cai, the owner of the antique shop next door.

She is twenty-six years old, as beautiful as a flower, and has no boyfriend. In a city where early marriage and early childbearing are common, she is a rare sight.

Cai Yan, with her fully developed, luscious figure, stared at Su Tao with her almond-shaped eyes, her gaze like a flowing wave, as if speaking. She pursed her lips, smiling faintly, and who could remain calm in front of such a beauty?

"Doctor Su, what joke do you have for me today?" Cai Yan gazed at Su Tao, withdrew her delicate hand after he took her pulse, and asked with a hint of anticipation.

"Let me tell you about a character from the Three Kingdoms, named Lü Bu. He is known as the 'Three-Surname Servant,' and the story is about the 'Arrow through the Chicken at the Gate.' " Su Tao said casually. After getting to know Cai Yan for some time, they had become familiar, so he told her a mix of clean and risqué jokes to avoid her being too offended.

"Ha ha!" Cai Yan couldn't help but laugh, her ample chest trembling. "You're really stretching it. Lü Bu is known as the 'Three-Surname Servant,' and the story is about the 'Arrow through the Halberd at the Gate,' pronounced in the third tone, not 'Arrow through the Chicken.'"

Su Tao saw Cai Yan's relaxed expression and smiled faintly. "Slip of the tongue. Let's try a brain teaser. In a military competition, the last event is holding one's breath. The first person is eliminated after five minutes, the second after eight minutes, and the third is still holding his breath in the basin after half an hour. Why do you think he is so good?"

Cai Yan frowned, pondering for a long time, and said, "Half an hour? Did he secretly cheat and take a breath, or did he suffocate to death?"

Su Tao shook his head and sighed, "The referee went over and said, 'Damn.' It turns out the guy had drunk all the water in the basin."

Cai Yan laughed again, her finger wiping away the tears of laughter from the corner of her eye. "You should go to a TV station and host a talk show. You're definitely a master of jokes!"

"A smile a day keeps the doctor away. Have your symptoms of chest tightness, irritability, and frequent urination improved recently?" Different patients require different strategies. Cai Yan's condition requires a cheerful mood, so Su Tao tells her two or three jokes every day.

However, this might make Cai Yan misunderstand, thinking he is deliberately flirting with her—after all, a good joke-teller is also a good flirt.

"Doctor Su, your medical skills surpass those of your predecessors. Doctor Su used to prescribe me medicine continuously, but now, with daily acupuncture and no medicine, I am getting better. I hate the smell of Chinese medicine." Cai Yan also admires Su Tao.

Su Tao's gaze fell on Cai Yan's long, delicate fingers, which looked like fine art. He thought that if Cai Yan were willing, she could be an excellent hand model. He smiled faintly, "I need you to help promote my business. As you can see, since I took over Sanwei Hall, business has declined significantly."

Cai Yan noticed her hair was disheveled, and she smoothed it with her hand, changing her posture to reveal a line of tender, white skin at her waist. She leaned forward slightly as she spoke.

She wore a thin, low-cut undershirt, the neckline dipping low. Pressing her arm on the table, her full, white breasts were squeezed, creating a deep cleavage. She rested her chin on her hand, her lips curved in a seductive smile, her posture slightly wild, making one want to touch her.

Su Tao couldn't help but glance at her snow-white, jade-like neck, suppressing his inner restlessness, and said, "Miss, be a bit more reserved, unless you want to tempt someone to commit a crime?"

Cai Yan spat, her face blushing, and said, "Dream on! I just changed my posture because I've been sitting for too long."

Cai Yan's alluring and beautiful face made Su Tao imagine more. He felt that Cai Yan often came to see him not just for medical treatment but because of his appearance.

Tall and slender, he wore a white coat, exuding a refined and elegant demeanor. His face was fair, his eyes bright, and he often smiled kindly. His black hair was slightly long and curly, giving him a somewhat feminine charm—exactly the type women tend to like.

Since his grandfather's death and his becoming the resident doctor at Sanwei Hall, business has become much quieter. As a doctor, he relies more on his looks than his skills. Is this a blessing or a curse?

"Here's today's consultation fee." Cai Yan placed a hundred yuan on the table.

Su Tao glanced at it and reminded her, "The consultation fee is fifty. You've given too much."

Cai Yan said nonchalantly, "Consider it for next time."

Cai Yan stood up, wearing a pair of denim shorts, with ninety percent of her long, white legs exposed. Her legs were smooth and white, like segments of a freshly washed lotus root, narrowing slightly at the buttocks, revealing a faint, curved crease.

Su Tao glanced at her casually. Men turn from perverts to devils because women wear less and less. He said helplessly, "A word of advice, your condition can worsen if you get cold. Try to wear long pants next time."

Cai Yan's cheeks turned red, her chest bouncing slightly. She glared at Su Tao, waving her fist, and threatened, "No staring!"

Su Tao looked at Cai Yan's white, tender face, tinged with a hint of pink, finding her particularly cute. He sighed, "You girls wear so little, isn't it for men to see?"

Cai Yan huffed, turned around, and laughed, "Wrong. Women dress for other women. Do you men even know what's fashionable or trendy?"

Su Tao was speechless. Cai Yan leaned in, deliberately blowing a breath in his ear, and whispered, "I have to go. My dad is out looking for antiques, and the door is still open."

The scent of her perfume wafted over, and Su Tao couldn't resist inhaling. The soft, pink lips with her lipstick, and the fine hairs around her mouth, almost made him lose control, wanting to grasp her slender, soft waist.

Cai Yan seemed to realize her bold behavior was too improper, stepping back and fanning her blushing face, changing the subject, "I don't know how long we'll be neighbors!"

"This old street is in the city center. A few years ago, the government wanted to demolish it. A powerful developer wanted to build a large commercial center here. Doctor Su was well-respected in the area and opposed the demolition, so everyone ignored the developer. Now that Doctor Su is gone, the developer will likely come back to negotiate the demolition soon."

Su Tao frowned and said, "This old street has cultural significance. Why didn't the government think about protecting it?"

Cai Yan shrugged helplessly, turned her slender figure, and said, "Cultural heritage is too fragile compared to commercial interests."

With that, Cai Yan swayed her graceful figure and went to the neighboring shop.

This old alley in Hanzhou, though only thirty meters long, is quite famous and is privately known as the Treasure Hunting Street. The antique shops here do good business, and many knowledgeable people come to find bargains.

Summer rain can come suddenly, with lightning and thunder, and strong winds. Cai Yan had just left when the rain started pouring down heavily. It rained for half an hour, showing no signs of stopping. A black Toyota sedan suddenly braked and stopped steadily at the door.

Su Tao was studying a green pill with a magnifying glass. Hearing the braking sound, he looked outside, surprised that someone would visit in such bad weather, which must be for an urgent matter.

"Is Doctor Su here?" A young man with a long face, wearing a white shirt, black trousers, and brown shoes, asked politely.

Su Tao shook his head and sighed, "He's not here." He is surnamed Su and is a doctor, but the young man was clearly looking for his grandfather.

"Not here? Did he go on a trip or...?" The young man asked anxiously.

"He's dead." Su Tao said helplessly.

"Dead?" The young man's mouth opened wide, his long face stretched, standing there in shock for a moment, and asked for confirmation, "You're not joking, right?"

Su Tao put down the magnifying glass and said unhappily, "Why would I joke about my grandfather's death?"

"What do we do now?" The young man, at a loss, said, "Dean Di sent us to invite someone to treat a patient and gave us a strict order. But the person is dead. How do we report back?"

Thinking of Dean Di's temper, the young man shivered. He mustered the courage to call Di Shiyuan, "Dean, the person you wanted to invite is dead!"

"Nonsense, how could he be dead? Did you even go there? Even if he's dead, bring the body back." Di Shiyuan hung up the phone.

Suddenly, the young man slapped his forehead and sighed, "Sigh, there's no other way." He then asked Su Tao, "Can you come with us to Jianghuai Hospital to explain Doctor Su's passing to our dean?"

The dean who invited his grandfather was likely an old acquaintance. Seeing the young man's troubled expression, which didn't seem fake, Su Tao thought about the bad weather and the lack of business at the pharmacy. He decided to go with him and said, "Alright, I'll go with you."

The young man breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that even though the person he was supposed to invite was dead, bringing a living person back would at least be a partial solution.

...

"The situation is urgent. We must do everything possible to maintain the dignity of the medical community in Hanzhou."

Dean Di Shiyuan of Jianghuai Hospital tapped the conference table several times, his gaze sweeping over everyone. Everyone lowered their heads, avoiding eye contact.

Dean Di was different from other hospital directors, with a fiery temper and a decisive manner. Through decades of effort, he transformed the unremarkable Jianghuai Hospital into a top-tier hospital.

At this moment, the second-in-command and party secretary, Qiao Dehao, received a call, his eyes flashing with surprise. He lowered his voice and said, "Don't worry, I've contacted Professor Tang Ming."

Jianghuai Hospital is a public institution. Dean Di is responsible for daily operations, while Qiao Dehao handles administrative and party affairs.

Dean Di glanced at Qiao Dehao, knowing he was trying to outdo him. If Qiao Dehao could successfully invite an expert to solve the problem, he would have more reasons to interfere with the hospital's operations.

Dean Di, though outwardly calm, was more concerned about whether Zhao Ming, whom he sent, could invite Su Guangsheng.

Everyone waited at the door for Tang Ming. A car stopped first, and a person got out from the passenger side. Dean Di recognized him as the person he sent and went over, asking, "Zhao, did you invite the person?"

Zhao Ming's expression was uncertain, and he sighed, "I couldn't invite him, but I brought his grandson."

Dean Di was momentarily confused. After Zhao Ming repeated his answer, he saw a young man get out from the back seat.

Su Tao introduced himself calmly, "Dean Di, hello. I am Su Tao. My grandfather, Su Guangsheng, passed away not long ago."

"Ah..." Dean Di sighed sadly, his emotions complex, "Doctor Su, though a civilian, was a highly skilled physician, a rare master in my lifetime."

If Su Guangsheng had been invited, today's problem would have been easily solved. It was a great loss. Another car drove into the hospital in the heavy rain.

Dean Di thought it must be Tang Ming and smiled bitterly, "Little Su, I have some matters to attend to. We'll talk later."

With that, he turned and led a group to the newly arrived car.

Feeling a bit cold-shouldered, Su Tao was not bothered. He was curious about the problem Jianghuai Hospital was facing.

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