At the Hughes family's farm, a lavish banquet was underway. A massive, long table was laden with delicacies from around the world, all prepared by Michelin-starred chefs.
However, only four people were seated at the table: Ling Tian, Aurora, and the father and son duo, the Hughes.
Servants attended to them constantly. With just a glance from Ling Tian, a servant would promptly place new food on his plate just before he finished his current dish.
Ling Tian ate without restraint, devouring the feast, which was enough to feed over a dozen people, with the speed of a famished ghost.
Despite the elder Mr. Hughes and his son being experienced and having met all sorts of people, they were still shocked by Ling Tian's voracious appetite. This experience further solidified their resolve to cooperate with him.
After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Ling Tian and Aurora were invited to the elder Mr. Hughes' study.
"Mr. Ling Tian, Ms. Aurora, thank you for granting me a new lease on life. I express my sincerest gratitude.
Please rest assured, we have taken on Mr. Wang Qingtian's case comprehensively. Leonard will personally handle this lawsuit. You can be confident that the Hughes family will leverage all our connections and political resources to ensure a favorable verdict!"
The elder Mr. Hughes wore a brilliant smile, so radiant that an unfamiliar observer might think he was always like this. In reality, the elder Mr. Hughes usually presented a stern, poker face to outsiders.
"Thank you very much for your assurance. This fulfills the purpose of my visit. Saving your life was merely a small gesture on my part, as I am a doctor and cannot stand by idly while a patient suffers." Ling Tian said nonchalantly.
"Mr. Ling Tian, I have a proposal. I believe our Hughes family can engage in a more in-depth collaboration with you."
"I am eager to hear it."
"I believe you are aware that the illness I suffered from has a history within our family..."
Ling Tian, being the astute individual he was, immediately grasped the crux of the matter. The exact cause of Alzheimer's disease remains undetermined.
Some attribute it to head injuries sustained in youth, others to the long-term abuse of alcohol and other intoxicants, and some to genetic defects.
However, no definitive, universally accepted conclusion has been reached. Yet, there is a consensus in the medical community that Alzheimer's disease does indeed have a familial predisposition.
Ling Tian was well aware of what such a family history meant for the Hughes family. If a powerful member of their lineage were to develop dementia during their prime, how could the family continue to prosper?
"Mr. Ling Tian, I know your medical skills are exceptionally profound. I hope you can provide medical assurance for my family and help us break free from this curse!
We will certainly not treat you unfairly. You can name your price, and we will do our utmost to meet your needs!"
The elder Mr. Hughes spoke with utmost sincerity, leaving no room for doubt. He understood the immense importance of this matter to his family; this opportunity might never come again.
Initially, the elder Mr. Hughes expected Ling Tian to demand an exorbitant price. However, Ling Tian's response was somewhat unexpected.
"No problem. I believe our cooperation is mutually beneficial. We are both professionals; I excel in the medical field, and your Hughes family excels in the legal domain. We each have our strengths.
I can provide medical services to the Hughes family, and in return, I hope your Hughes family can provide corresponding legal services for me in developed Western countries!
I do not wish for incidents like Mr. Wang Qingtian's to recur. Furthermore, we pharmaceutical companies often face infringement issues, which also require legal protection..."
"No problem, rest assured, with our Hughes family backing you, no one will dare to harbor such ill intentions towards your Bing Tian Pharmaceuticals again. As for those who infringe upon your intellectual property rights, we will sue them until they are bankrupt!"
"Pleasure cooperating!" "Haha, pleasure cooperating!"
Ling Tian and the elder Mr. Hughes clasped hands.
They sat down again, their distance narrowing, and their conversation becoming more harmonious. Ling Tian harbored no concerns about insincerity; his mentor had always taught him that relationships forged through mutual interests were far more robust than superficial friendships.
Currently, the Hughes family and Ling Tian shared a strong mutual need, with the Hughes family being the more dependent party.
After all, while there were many influential families like the Hughes, there was only one Ling Tian.
Suddenly, Leonard interjected, "Mr. Ling Tian, if another member of our family falls ill, would you prefer us to send a plane to pick you up for treatment in the United States, or should we send the patient to China for treatment?
Whichever is more convenient for you, we will fully cooperate!"
Upon hearing this, Ling Tian smiled and shook his head. "Mr. Leonard, I do not favor either of those options!"
The father and son immediately focused their attention on Ling Tian.
"Leonard, Mr. Hughes, I am a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Our China has a millennia-long history and inherited formidable medical practices.
In our TCM theory, preventing illness is more important than treating it.
Take your family's Alzheimer's disease, for instance. There is no need to wait until the illness manifests to treat it; prevention can be carried out through daily oral intake of certain medications..."
The elder Mr. Hughes nodded in admiration. "The medical arts of Chinese TCM are indeed profound and extensive. Seemingly ordinary practices hold within them rich philosophies.
Mr. Ling Tian, could you elaborate further?"
"It's actually quite simple. Members of your family, after the age of 40, only need to take a month's course of medication I prepare every six months to guarantee they will never contract Alzheimer's disease.
In fact, many ancient Chinese prescriptions focus on nourishing the brain and calming the spirit, and these medications have the effect of preventing Alzheimer's disease.
I have also improved upon many related prescriptions and even considered producing and marketing these drugs through Bing Tian Pharmaceuticals.
However, I later realized I was somewhat naive; the medicinal herbs required to manufacture these drugs are exceedingly precious, making the finished products unaffordable for most people!"