After making arrangements, Wan Yunting did not linger, as he was set to depart for the Wuliang Taoist Temple the next day. The trip would take anywhere from five or six days to half a month, so he naturally had to settle everything beforehand.
"You two go back on your own."
Wan Yunting drove back to the entrance of the villa complex on Saint Tang's peak mountain and let Xu Lingwei and Li Zihang go back first. He drove to Southern Hospital himself, chatted with Jiang Yichun in the Traditional Chinese Medicine department, and informed him of his upcoming trip.
Then, he went to the first-floor pharmacy and bought some tonics effective for wound recovery from Pharmacist He. After that, he went directly to the inpatient floors of the adjacent hospital. Upon inquiring about Lin Yanan's ward, Wan Yunting knocked on the door. The door was opened by a woman in her fifties, who was Lin Yanan's mother.
"Auntie, hello, I'm Yanan's classmate," Wan Yunting said politely with a smile.
"Oh, I recognize you, aren't you Wan Yunting?" Lin Yanan's mother pointed at him.
"Yes."
Wan Yunting nodded with a smile and said, "I've come to see Yanan and bought her some tonics."
"Ah, it's Old Wan, come in."
Hearing that Wan Yunting was at the door, Lin Yanan, who was leaning against the hospital bed eating an apple, called out. Her mother then moved aside, allowing Wan Yunting to enter. Lin Yanan glared at him and said, "You still have some conscience, knowing to come and see me."
"Thank you..."
Seeing Lin Yanan's mother pull up a stool, Wan Yunting quickly thanked her and sat down. He looked at Lin Yanan, who was leaning against the headboard and eating an apple, placed the tonics he had brought on the side table, and asked, "How is it, how's your wound recovering?"
"Well, the doctor said I won't die, but I still have to stay for about ten more days before I can be discharged. I'm so bored I could die."
As Lin Yanan spoke, she looked at Wan Yunting and said, "Yan Xi mentioned you were also injured. How did you recover so quickly?"
"I just got some superficial injuries, it wasn't a big deal. I'll be fine after a couple of days in the hospital," Wan Yunting said with a smile.
"Oh."
Lin Yanan nodded, then glared at him and said, "Tell me, how will you compensate me?"
"Sigh."
Wan Yunting scratched his head, feeling a bit awkward, and glanced back at Lin Yanan's mother sitting behind him. Then he turned back to her and smiled, "Tell me, how do you want me to compensate you?"
"This whole thing started because of you, and I got hurt for nothing."
Lin Yanan continued eating her apple, rolling her eyes. She then mischievously smiled at Wan Yunting, saying, "How about you pay me a million or so? Since money is the only way you can compensate me, you have nothing else."
"Fine."
Her words made Wan Yunting roll his eyes at her. However, Lin Yanan seemed to have a point. He nodded and smiled, "Okay, how much do you want? I'll give it to you later."
"Really?" Lin Yanan's eyes sparkled.
"Mhm."
Wan Yunting nodded and smiled, "If I don't compensate you with something, I won't feel right."
"You have a conscience after all."
Lin Yanan glanced at him with a smile, then waved her hand and chuckled, "I was just kidding. My family isn't short of money, so why would I really ask you to compensate me with a million? Just buy me two latest brand-name handbags later."
Wan Yunting smiled and nodded, saying, "Sure, forget two, I'll buy you ten."
"Generous."
Lin Yanan smiled and gave him a thumbs-up.
Wan Yunting chatted with her for a while. Seeing that it was noon, he told Lin Yanan to take good care of her injuries. He promised to treat her to a proper meal as compensation after she recovered and he returned from the Wuliang Taoist Temple.
Leaving the hospital, Wan Yunting returned to the Traditional Chinese Medicine department and immediately drove to Huadu City Chinese Medicine University. He planned to follow up with Xu Huiping, the wife of Vice Principal Deng Hongsheng, to see how she was recovering.
"Brother Yunting..."
Just as he was leaving the Traditional Chinese Medicine department to get his car, he bumped into Su Ke'er, who was entering. Wan Yunting's expression froze.
"Brother Yunting, you're really at the Traditional Chinese Medicine department."
Su Ke'er, running over, immediately linked her arm with Wan Yunting's, saying happily, "I just ran to your second brother's house to find you, but your second sister-in-law said you went out this morning. So I thought you might be working at the Traditional Chinese Medicine department. I didn't expect you to really be here, hehe..."
Seeing the girl clinging to his arm as if afraid he would break free, Wan Yunting raised an eyebrow and said, "Ke'er, didn't I tell you before? We're no longer in a relationship. I hope you can understand."
"No."
Su Ke'er held his arm tightly, her large eyes fixed on Wan Yunting. Her pouting little mouth said indignantly, "I never agreed to break up with you. I don't admit it. I want to be with you, and we won't separate..."
Facing the girl clinging to him, Wan Yunting gave a wry smile. Then, he tried to pry his left arm out of her firm grip. But as Su Ke'er tried to hug him again, Wan Yunting quickly retreated two steps to his car and said seriously, "Ke'er, please don't be like this. I know how you feel, but I have a girlfriend now, so there can't be anything between us, understand?"
"I don't understand."
Su Ke'er glared at him with her large, round eyes. Her cute, round face pouted with a wronged little mouth, saying, "I only know that you got together with her while I was away. But I believe you still like me in your heart, so I don't want to separate from you. I just want to be with you."
"Wait a moment..."
Seeing Su Ke'er approaching again, Wan Yunting retreated two more steps and waved his hand helplessly, saying, "How about this, Ke'er? I need to see a patient now. Let's find a time to talk about this properly later, okay?"
"I'll go with you..."
"No need."
Wan Yunting shook his head. He then opened the car door and smiled at Su Ke'er, saying, "Don't worry, I'll contact you later. That's all for now."
With that, he quickly got into the car, started it, and drove away, giving Su Ke'er no chance to react. This made Su Ke'er anxious. She chased a few steps and then shouted at the back of Wan Yunting's car, "Brother Yunting, I won't give up..."
Driving the car, Wan Yunting looked at Su Ke'er behind him in the rearview mirror. Seeing her instantly dejected and lost expression, he felt a pang of guilt.
Wan Yunting actually liked Su Ke'er and couldn't bear to hurt her feelings.
However, sometimes, people were left with no other choice.
Sighing, Wan Yunting put the matter out of his mind and drove straight to Huadu City Chinese Medicine University, then directly to Deng Hongsheng's house.
He had been performing the Thirteen Needles of Ghost Gate acupuncture treatment on Xu Huiping for the past two days. Although her mental state had not completely recovered, she could occasionally recognize her husband Deng Hongsheng.
At the same time, Deng Hongsheng had contacted a classmate who was a psychology professor. The professor had come that morning to try and counsel Xu Huiping, but the effect was not very significant.
Xu Huiping's mental state had not yet fully returned to normal. Today, Wan Yunting was here to perform another acupuncture treatment using the Thirteen Needles of Ghost Gate and advised Deng Hongsheng to invite more psychological experts to counsel Xu Huiping on her mental issues in the future.
After having lunch with Deng Hongsheng in the school cafeteria, Wan Yunting happened to run into Gu Yuanbai at the school as well. Wan Yunting went to his office and informed him about his upcoming trip.
"There's nothing urgent, you can go ahead with your business," Gu Yuanbai said with a smile.
Wan Yunting nodded, but still felt guilty, thinking he had been too busy lately and hadn't dedicated enough time to the Lingnan Traditional Chinese Medicine Association, feeling he was an irresponsible vice-chairman.
"By the way, I have something to tell you."
Gu Yuanbai smiled and said, "Your paper on treating palmoplantar keratoderma has been published on our Huaxia Traditional Chinese Medicine Forum website. It has received a very good response. At the same time, doctors from various regions who have patients with this condition want to bring them to our Huadu City for you to treat."
"Heh heh, the reason they're doing this is that they still don't believe you truly have a method to cure palmoplantar keratoderma!"
"That's fine."
Wan Yunting said nonchalantly with a smile, "Let them bring the patients, I'll treat them personally."
Gu Yuanbai nodded and smiled, "Then after you return from your trip, we'll contact those patients and invite them to Huadu City. We'll then specifically organize a discussion forum on palmoplantar keratoderma to spread the word about this. This will be beneficial for our association."
"Mm, I understand."
Wan Yunting nodded and chatted with Gu Yuanbai until two o'clock in the afternoon before taking his leave. He then called Pang Yuan to ask where he was and drove over.
In the police chief's office, Pang Yuan looked at Wan Yunting as he entered and smiled, "Yunting, why do you have time to come see me today? Is there something you need?"
"Actually, there is something I need your help with. I'm not sure if it's possible."
Wan Yunting took out a cigarette and offered one to him. Pang Yuan gestured for him to sit down, "Tell me."
Wan Yunting sat down, they both lit their cigarettes and took a puff. He then said to Pang Yuan, "Do you remember the two assassins we met in Singapore before?"
"Assassins?"
Pang Yuan's expression stiffened, "You mean the two assassins from the Manluosha assassin organization who were chasing you, then assisted you in the Golden Triangle and Vietnam, and later helped us in Singapore?"