Chapter 45: Why Do You Want to Learn Medicine?
Sure enough, Hong Hai stopped in his tracks and turned back to look at the two of them, puzzled. “So you’re asking about Doctor Jin’s preferences just for this?”
Wen Yao nodded like a pecking chicken. “Yes, exactly for this.”
Then she pulled Wen Jun forward and said to Hong Hai, “Brother Hong, to tell you the truth, we came today for my brother. He’s loved medicine since he was little, but he never found the right teacher, and some things happened at home that delayed everything. Last time we saw Doctor Jin treating a patient, we thought he was really incredible, and then we heard you say he used to be an imperial physician. So we gathered our courage to come ask if he takes apprentices and if there’s anything he likes—we wanted to bring him a small gift in hopes of becoming his disciples.”
Wen Jun gave Hong Hai a respectful bow and said, “It’s just as my sister said. If we’re bothering you, please forgive us. If it’s inconvenient to say, we understand. Those pastries were indeed brought by my sister especially for you. Even if we hadn’t come today, they were a thank-you for how you and the owner treated us last time.”
The siblings were sincere, and Hong Hai believed them.
“Doctor Jin, well—”
“Hong Hai, what pastries? Let me try some!” Before he could finish, a voice came from outside. Though aged, it was full of energy.
Hong Hai lit up with joy and quickly went to greet him. “Doctor Jin, you’re here. How come you’re so early today?”
Doctor Jin looked to be about the same age as Wen Xiuyi’s former self—half a head of white hair, a long beard, and a square face that didn’t look stern. His expression was kind and warm.
Wen Yao suddenly remembered something someone once said—when a person does a lot of good, it starts to show in their appearance.
Doctor Jin was exactly that kind of person. Wen Yao secretly studied him and couldn’t help picturing him in a modern white coat, pen tucked in the chest pocket, sitting in a clinic chair, completely embodying the phrase: “Put on a white coat, and suddenly you’re the doctor with an appointment you can’t get.”
She shook her head to clear the absurd image. She and her brother exchanged a glance—and both saw the same word in each other’s eyes: awkward.
They’d been gossiping behind someone’s back only to be caught by the very person.
But Wen Yao being Wen Yao, as long as she wasn’t embarrassed, it was others who had to be. She only needed three seconds to get back into gear—slower than usual because she’d woken up early and her brain wasn’t firing yet.
“Good morning, Doctor Jin.” Wen Yao grinned cheerfully.
Wen Jun immediately followed with a junior’s respectful bow.
Doctor Jin stroked his beard and gave Wen Jun a once-over, nodding slightly.
Wen Yao caught it.
There’s hope!
“I heard something about pastries just now—what pastries? Hong Hai, bring them here.” Doctor Jin ambled over to the table and sat down.
“Yes, sir.” Hong Hai quickly fetched the bundle from the counter.
Inside were neatly arranged osmanthus cakes. It wasn’t the season for osmanthus, so Wen Yao had bought them from her space stash.
Doctor Jin picked one up and examined it with interest. “Osmanthus cake? Didn’t expect to taste this in this season.”
He took a bite—fragrant, soft, and delicious. He nodded in approval. “Didn’t expect you to preserve autumn osmanthus this well. The fragrance is rich, and the cake melts in the mouth. Excellent.”
“It’s that good?” Hong Hai took a bite himself—and nearly swallowed his tongue. His praise was much more down-to-earth: “Delicious! I’ve never had osmanthus cake this good!”
No matter who it was, if they praised her food, they were good people in Wen Yao’s book.
“If you like it, eat more. I’ll make more for you next time.” As long as you take my brother as a disciple, everything is negotiable.
Doctor Jin glanced at her and chuckled. This little girl had said that for his benefit.
After eating two pieces, Doctor Jin stopped and patted Hong Hai’s hand just as he was about to grab a fourth. “Leave some for the boss.”
Hong Hai gave a sheepish laugh, quickly rewrapped the cakes, and slipped one more into his mouth before they were completely out of reach.
Doctor Jin just shook his head with indulgent amusement.
Once he’d finished smiling, he looked at Wen Jun again and asked, “You want to study medicine?”
Wen Jun stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and said, “Yes. I truly wish to study medicine. I hope Doctor Jin will give me a chance.”
Doctor Jin stroked his beard again. “Why do you want to learn medicine?”
Wen Jun replied, “To heal the sick and save lives.”
“Studying medicine is hard,” Doctor Jin said. As someone who had walked the path, he knew how rough it was.
“I’m not afraid of hardship,” Wen Jun answered firmly. “Medicine is a journey. Once chosen, it must be seen through. It’s a difficult path, yes, but it can ease the suffering of patients. No matter how bitter the process, I will persist.”
After all, he had already persisted for over a decade. Even if the road ahead was thorny, even if he was misunderstood, even if patients’ families were hard to deal with, even if superiors gave him trouble—he had never given up.
They said doctors were noble, but Wen Jun had never thought of himself as noble. He was just a regular person, doing what he loved—wanting only to see patients smile when they recovered.
Outside, the sun was shining, and in that moment, Doctor Jin saw another kind of light in Wen Jun. He couldn’t describe it, but something inside kept telling him: Take him in.
“I’ve never taken on a disciple,” Doctor Jin said slowly. It was the truth.
He had mentored many people in medicine, but never formally accepted an apprentice. Those he had helped had wanted to call him Master, but he always refused. He hadn’t taught them everything, so he didn’t deserve the title.
Wen Jun was momentarily stunned by this, but Wen Yao started frantically signaling at him with her eyes: What are you waiting for? Didn’t you hear the old man’s hint? Kneel! Call him Master already!
She was practically pulling a facial muscle from all the eye-gesturing.
Doctor Jin laughed at her expression. “Little girl, are your eyes bothering you?”
…Seriously, do doctors all have hawk vision?
“Doctor Jin, my brother is really sincere about learning from you. Won’t you at least consider it?” Wen Yao jumped in.
Doctor Jin neither agreed nor refused. He only said, “Starting to learn now might be a bit late.”
After all, medicine required immersion from a young age. Wen Jun really was a bit old.
Wen Yao didn’t see this as a problem. Her brother had over a decade of medical knowledge and clinical experience—even if it was in a different discipline, the foundation was there.
“Not a problem at all. My brother has talent—he’ll grasp everything you teach right away. He already has a strong foundation,” Wen Yao said, energetically selling—no, recommending—Wen Jun.
Doctor Jin was surprised. “Oh? You’ve studied before?”
Wen Jun respectfully answered, “Just the basics. I don’t understand the Four Diagnostics, but I’m well-versed in the fundamentals of medicinal theory and herbs.” Four years of undergrad, two years of grad school—his roommates hadn’t studied next to him for nothing.
