Linxi County.

  It was located at the northeastern part of Huizhou and was a renowned ecological district in China that was also known for its advancements in sports.

  This was Fang Qiu’s hometown.

  30 minutes later.

  Fang Qiu carried his luggage off the bus after he reached his stop. It was only a short walk before he arrived in front of a lush green gate.

  It was an ancient stone gate but it was not eye-catching.

  There were several stalks of bamboo and vines planted on both sides of the gate.

  The gate looked lush, green, and gave off a refreshing vibe.

  The space behind the gate wasn’t very big.

  It was a small square that was around 15 square meters.

  It was a classic courtyard house and with the exception of the door, and it was surrounded by three buildings that faced different directions.

  The building on the left was the kitchen, the building on the right had three guestrooms while the front-facing building was the main house and the reception area.

  The main building wasn’t very tall either, and it only had three floors.

  This was where Fang Qiu stayed.

  He looked at this familiar building and entered the house with his luggage in tow.

  However, he froze in surprise when he saw the scene inside the house.

  He saw that the living room was full of people, and they were all either his neighbors or distant relatives.

  “Hey, Fang Qiu has returned.”


  “Has he really?”


  “Wow, this kid has become more handsome than ever.”


  “He looked much taller than he did before.”


  “Young man, your aura has changed since you started going to college. You look like a kid who goes to college in a big city. From your dress sense and the way you look, I can tell that you’re no longer part of us county folk.”


  “Who says that isn’t true. Look at him, he looks much more fashionable than ever!”


  As they spoke, several relatives and aunties approached him.

  “Fang Qiu, I heard that you’ve been studying at the University of Chinese Medicine for six months. This means that your medicinal skills must be amazing, right?”


  “Yes, I heard that Chinese Medicine has risen in popularity and many people have failed to enter the University of Chinese Medicine!”


  “Do you have to attend classes at the University of Chinese Medicine, or do you have to be a nurse at the hospital?”


  “This is a good field to major in. You will become a highly-skilled doctor if you excel in your studies.”


  “Exactly, we’ve caught him early.”


  Everyone chimed in one after another.

  Fang Qiu was bewildered by the scene in front of him.

  What was going on?

  Although these relatives and neighbors would drop by to visit occasionally, this was the first time he saw so many of them visiting at the same time.

  Moreover, he didn’t know why they were heaping praises upon him the moment he entered.

  What was going on?

  He looked around and spotted a familiar figure emerging from the kitchen.

  This person looked like she was in her forties.

  Her dressing was rather conservative, and she sported fashionable curls. Her skin was fair and smooth, her facial features well-defined, so she looked younger than her age.

  This was his mother, Li Lian.

  “Mom,” Fang Qiu greeted her. Then, he said, “What is this……?”


  “Hey, you’re back.”


  Li Lian looked slightly surprised and immediately broke into a smile the moment she turned to see Fang Qiu. She walked up to him and said, ‘Why are you standing at the doorway? Have you forgotten how to navigate around your own house after being at college for six months?”


  “Of course not,” he said as he quickly shook his head.

  “Everyone heard that you’ve gone to the University of Chinese Medicine for the past six months, so they’ve come over to be treated by your once they heard that you were coming home today,” she said proudly.

  “Exactly.”


  “Fang Qiu is very talented, and he’s now a highly-skilled doctor.”


  “He’ll definitely be a highly-skilled doctor, but he’s only attended six months’ of classes, so it’s a little too early to call him that. Experience is crucial when it comes to practicing medicine.”


  “Does it matter that it has only been six months’ worth of classes? He has been studying Chinese Medicine for the past six months and knowing how smart he is, wouldn’t it be easy for him to pick it up?”


  “Exactly. I’m sure he has excelled in his studies and is now an accomplished doctor.”


  “Come over here and treat me first.”


  “Wait, take a look at me first.”
……

  Everyone stopped the discussion about Fang Qiu and suddenly clamored to be treated by him. They shouted excitedly to get his attention.

  However, Fang Qiu felt a headache coming on when he heard his relatives and neighbors shouting at him. They sounded like flies buzzing in his ear.

  He had been surrounded by noise since the morning at the hospital, then during the train ride in the afternoon. Now, he felt as though he was going to start hearing things.

  “Mom, I’ll move my luggage upstairs first,” he said before he quickly picked up his luggage and ran to his room.

  No one batted an eyelid as he made a run for it, and they continued their discussion.

  He entered his bedroom, put down his luggage and exhaled loudly. Then, his entire body relaxed and he flopped onto his bed.

  At the same time, the discussion continued to revolve around him in the living room.

  “Did you notice that Fang Qiu seemed more energetic than before? I only needed to take one look and I knew that he must be excelling at his studies.”


  “Exactly, I think he has become fairer than before.”


  “He has also grown some muscles.”


  “If he isn’t doing well in college, do you think he’d be coming home in such high spirits? Moreover, the University of Chinese Medicine is not like any ordinary university. They’d have to recognize herbs and stuff, and they wouldn’t even need to pore over textbooks. Students nowadays hate studying from textbooks. Chinese Medicine majors don’t even need to look at textbooks, so I’m sure Fang Qiu is doing well.”


  “Who told you that Chinese Medicine majors don’t need to look at textbooks? They’d definitely have to study from textbooks as well. However, they might have to study less than other students.”


  “Didn’t you notice that Fang Qiu’s luggage contained books? Since he even brought books home during his vacation, this shows that he must love studying. His results must be great as well.”


  His relatives couldn’t stop talking about him.

  They seemed to be psyching each other up and also seemed to be using this to tell themselves that Fang Qiu’s skills must be amazing and that it was the right move to get him to look at their illnesses.

  Fang Qiu, who could hear the loud chattering outside and had only relaxed for a brief moment, was left speechless.

  Then, the door suddenly opened.

  “Creak.”


  Fang Qiu’s mother entered and closed the door. Then, she grabbed his elbow and sat him up on the bed before she asked in a low voice, “Tell me honestly, how skillful are you after six months at college?”


  “Mom,” Fang Qiu said with a wry smile, “You don’t even know how skilled I am, but yet you’ve let these people into the house. Aren’t you afraid that I’d embarrass you?”


  Fang Qiu had already figured out that these guests were invited by his mother.

  Who else would gather a bunch of people to visit a student and get him to treat them?

  At least he didn’t see anyone who would do such a thing.

  “I wasn’t left with much of a choice,” Fang Qiu’s mother said with an awkward laugh. “They were constantly boasting about how their children had gone to a good college and obtained a scholarship, and so on.”


  “Since you managed to enter the University of Chinese Medicine, how could I pass up on this opportunity to brag about my son?”


  “Then, I couldn’t back away after I bragged about you, and this led to the situation outside.”


  Fang Qiu shook his head and smiled wryly when he heard that.

  “Kid, you’ve been studying for so long, so how skillful are you right now? You’ve got to let me know so that I can mentally prep myself,” Fang Qiu’s mother said.

  “I’ll tell you,” Fang Qiu thought for a moment before he said, “According to the curriculum designed by the University, I must say that I’ve learned some theoretical knowledge.”


  “Cut the crap,” his mother said.

  “This means that I don’t know anything,” Fang Qiu said as he splayed his hands open.

  “And if I’m not talking about your school’s curriculum?” his mother asked.

  “Then, I must say that your son is a gifted physician,” Fang Qiu said proudly.

  “Do you mean that you are able to treat patients?” his mother asked as her eyes lit up.

  “Of course,” Fang Qiu chuckled and said, “I’ll let you in on a secret, your son has already obtained his Physician’s Qualification Certificate.”


  Fang Qiu’s mother couldn’t hold back her smile at his words.

  Then, she ignored Fang Qiu and immediately strode out of his room.

  She went out to face the crowd gathered in the living room and said, “Don’t worry. My son’s medical skills are not like any other. I can guarantee that he’ll be able to treat all your minor ailments.”


  Fang Qiu was left speechless by her words.

  “Oh, is this a vacation or have I come home to hone my skills?” Fang Qiu said with a wry smile.

  It had been a hard-earned vacation, and he thought that he could take a few days off, but the moment he reached home, he was forced to treat patients. He felt a headache coming on.

  He wasn’t left with much of a choice.

  As his mother’s son, he would have to live up to the things she had bragged about him!

  Regardless, he couldn’t embarrass his mother!

  He didn’t dare to hide in his room any longer at that thought.

  He was afraid that these neighbors and distant relatives gathered outside would start to spread negative rumors about him if he refused to treat them. He was not afraid of these rumors, but he was afraid that his parents would not be able to bear the embarrassment.

  He emerged from his room, went to wash his hands, walked to the living room, and stood next to the tea table.

  “Alright, if you don’t mind me taking a look at your ailments, I’ll treat you,” he said politely.

  Then, his gaze swept over the room, and he asked, “Who would like to be first?”


  Everyone froze in shock at his words.

  They looked at each other, but no one dared to make the first move.

  They had been suspicious of his skills earlier, but they were even more doubtful after they heard his words.

  “Don’t mind?”


  “If he was truly a skilled physician, wouldn’t he omit the words ‘don’t mind’ from his statement earlier?”


  Just when no one dared to step up because they doubted his abilities, a woman in her forties who was his neighbor stepped up.

  “I’ll go first.”


  Then, she immediately stepped forward and sat opposite him.

  “Auntie Chen,” Fang Qiu greeted her with a smile and asked, “Tell me what’s bothering you?”


  “It doesn’t seem to be anything serious either,” Auntie Chen said with a frown. “I would often get dizzy spells, and I hear sounds in my ears when I eat. Furthermore, I get anxious easily, and my nose is extremely sensitive.”


  “Understood,” Fang Qiu said with a nod. “Let me take your pulse first.”


  Auntie Chen complied and stretched out her hand.

  Fang Qiu started taking her pulse and realized that her pulse was wiry and feeble.

  “Auntie Chen, do you sleep well and have occasional bouts of diarrhea or constipation? Is your urine yellow in color?” Fang Qiu asked.

  “I think so,” Auntie Chen said and nodded.

  “Do you have a good appetite but you often feel cold? And is your period regular?” Fang Qiu asked.

  “Yes, how’d you know that?” Auntie Chen thought for a moment, and she was surprised when she realized that Fang Qiu had pointed out all her symptoms.

  His neighbors and relatives were surprised when they heard that.

  Were Fang Qiu’s skills that great?

  Did he actually manage to identify his patient’s symptoms after just taking her pulse?

  Fang Qiu’s mother looked equally surprised.

  “Is my son a miraculous doctor?” She looked at Fang Qiu in astonishment.

  “I’m a physician, so of course I would know,” Fang Qiu said.

  “What’s wrong with me?”


  “Yes, Fang Qiu, tell us what’s wrong with Auntie Chen.”