Village Doctor's Women-Chapter 270 - 264 Xu Changqing’s Background

After parting with Cai Qiong, Wang Jian felt a pang of guilt. He did not go looking for Xu Qian and was extremely careful when he left, feeling as if he were sneaking away from a secret affair.

Having hurried away from the hospital, Wang Jian first inquired about his master’s whereabouts before heading straight there. As it happened, his master was in a location not far away.

When he arrived, he discovered it was a restricted area. Before he could enter the residential complex, he was stopped by soldiers. He had to state his name and wait for someone from inside to come and escort him in.

It was clear that this was no ordinary place. Normally, he would have given this area a wide berth. To walk in as he did today was completely unexpected.

When he had first become an apprentice, he’d thought Xu Changqing was just an ordinary old man, perhaps a retired practitioner of Chinese medicine. But along the way, his master had managed to surprise him time and time again. Including this time, he had lost count of the surprises. However, he had a premonition that this time, the truth might finally be revealed. This was his first time accompanying his master to such a heavily guarded place, and he was determined to figure out exactly how many connections his master had.

After entering the special residential complex, he found the security inside was just as strict. Personnel patrolled every few buildings. When they saw Wang Jian, the guards would fix their gazes on him, closely observing his every move, clearly intending to memorize his face and behavior. It was not just one or two of them; all the guards were like this. Wang Jian had never seen security so well-trained.

He followed the path to a standalone courtyard villa, where the security finally seemed a little less intense. Even so, Wang Jian did not dare to act carelessly. He could vaguely sense several lines of sight on him, a perception sharpened by the mutation from the previous night. He was certain it was not just his imagination.

Upon entering the courtyard, Wang Jian saw his master sitting and drinking tea with another elderly man of about the same age. Other than the two of them, the courtyard was empty. The person who had escorted Wang Jian saluted and then tactfully departed.

"Come, sit down!" Xu Changqing smiled and waved, beckoning Wang Jian over.

They were sitting in a shaded part of the courtyard. Next to the tea table were three stools: one for Xu Changqing, one for the other man, and one empty seat right beside his master, as if it had been waiting for him.

Xu Changqing gestured for him to sit, but Wang Jian was not one to be so casual, especially with an outsider present. This particular outsider was a senior official from Capital City whom he had only ever seen on television, a man who had retired from a very high position.

"Hello, Master!" Seeing such a person made Wang Jian quite nervous. His heart was anything but calm. After greeting Xu Changqing, he stood before the two men, at a complete loss for how to address the stranger.

The two elders saw his predicament clearly. The other man laughed. "It’s our first time meeting, no need to be so formal. You can call me Uncle Chen."

Wang Jian was stunned. Xu Changqing took the lead and said, "He said it himself. As a junior, you should just listen. If he were still in office, your politeness would be appropriate, but that was a long time ago. There’s no need for that now."

Does it really have to do with whether he’s still in office? Wang Jian complained inwardly, but he went along with their wishes and called out, "Uncle Chen," before taking the empty seat.

Even so, Wang Jian felt as awkward as he possibly could in this situation, only beginning to relax when the conversation turned to his area of expertise.

"Give your Uncle Chen a checkup." Xu Changqing did not ask about the previous night, simply adding, "It so happens he’s been having some minor problems lately. Let him see what you’re capable of now."

The task came suddenly. Wang Jian glanced at his master, who gave him a reassuring look, but he could not shake the feeling that Xu Changqing was planning something.

It was not just Xu Changqing who was acting strangely. Uncle Chen was also watching him with an appraising look, as if waiting for him to do something.

Seeing Wang Jian’s expression, Xu Changqing prompted him, "Start by taking his pulse."

He knew Wang Jian could diagnose by observing a person’s qi, but in front of this man, direct contact was more prudent. That was why he told him to take the pulse.

Take his pulse? He’d seen clean through whatever illness this Uncle Chen had the moment he walked in. With his current level of skill, the difference between taking a pulse and sensing qi was negligible.

Wang Jian spoke directly, "Overall, Uncle Chen’s health is still very good."

At these words, the corner of Uncle Chen’s mouth lifted in a smirk. He shot Xu Changqing a provocative look, as if he had just won a bet between them, making no effort to hide his satisfaction.

Xu Changqing was also a little puzzled, as Wang Jian was not normally so rash. Sure enough, before Xu Changqing or Uncle Chen could debate it, Wang Jian added, "However... your lungs and liver are severely damaged. If you don’t take proper care, you could face major health problems. You must stop smoking and drinking, and you’ll need to take a prescription to nourish the lungs and clear out toxins."

Hearing this, Xu Changqing finally broke into a smile, while Uncle Chen looked completely astonished.

Xu Changqing laughed and said, "How about that, Lao Chen? I didn’t lie to you, did I? My apprentice is even more skilled than I am. This isn’t just me boasting—facts speak louder than words. Now you won’t keep putting that matter off, will you?"

Uncle Chen laughed along with him and took a sip of tea. "Right, right, you’re correct. I concede."

Then he turned back to Wang Jian, his face filled with curiosity. "Your master was going on before about how ’the student surpasses the teacher,’ and frankly, I didn’t believe him. You’ve only been studying with him for a few years, while this old fellow has been at it his whole life. How could you possibly compare? I never thought I’d be taught a lesson by the two of you. But I’m very curious, how did you do it? You diagnosed my health problems without even taking my pulse. I’m certain your master never mentioned you to me, so today is our first real meeting... If I’m not mistaken, you figured it out the moment you stepped into the courtyard, didn’t you?"

Uncle Chen had, of course, noticed the change in Wang Jian’s expression earlier. He was familiar with that kind of look. At first, he assumed Wang Jian was simply surprised to see him, but now he thought otherwise.

Wang Jian nodded, confirming Uncle Chen’s suspicion. Seeing the close relationship between the two men, he did not hold back. "I practice Qi Cultivation with my master. Once you reach a certain level, you develop this kind of diagnostic skill."

He then casually recited a prescription. Upon hearing it, both elders burst out laughing. Uncle Chen added, "You two truly are master and apprentice. The prescriptions you gave me are identical."

After the laughter died down, Uncle Chen suddenly looked at Xu Changqing and said, "I agree to that matter you mentioned. Let’s have Xiao Wang be in charge from now on. I’ll go speak to them."

As if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders, Xu Changqing picked up a cup of expertly brewed tea and said, "In that case, I won’t stand on ceremony. Drink up."

These two were being incredibly secretive. Wang Jian, the very subject of their discussion, was completely in the dark and could not begin to guess what they were talking about. Filled with curiosity, he finally asked, "What will I be in charge of?"

"It’s nothing major," Xu Changqing said after glancing at Uncle Chen for his nod of approval. He then explained, "From now on, you will lead the medical team for the leadership. I was in charge before, but now I’m handing it over to you."

The single sentence was a summary, but it sent colossal waves crashing through Wang Jian’s mind.