Chapter 325: The Soul of Chinese Medicine!

At this moment, Lin Yuan was stunned.

Du Wanhe, this woman, would suddenly say these words.

Lin Yuan took a deep breath, his tone unwavering: "No, I said I wouldn't touch Chinese medicine, so I won't, whether it's teaching or anything else, it's not allowed."

Having said that, Lin Yuan was about to leave.

Du Wanhe watched his resolute back, took half a step forward, and her skirt fluttered in the wind with fine arcs:

"What you're clutching isn't a needle, isn't a case file, it's Professor Dong's unfinished wish, it's the hope of those waiting for Chinese medicine to save lives, and it's also the future hope of your Lin family's Chinese medicine."

"You're not breaking your promise to your grandfather; you're keeping the root of Chinese medicine for him and Professor Dong—keeping the warmth that makes patients' chests feel warm, keeping the brightest path you once dared not continue."

Du Wanhe's voice grew louder, her eyes full of pleading, even the black hair hanging on her shoulders trembled slightly.

Lin Yuan opened his mouth, but when the words reached his lips, seeing Du Wanhe's reddened eye corners, he swallowed them back hard, feeling his throat tighten.

Du Wanhe seemed to see through his unspoken hesitation, and quickly stepped forward:

"I can give you an exception: let you wear a mask to class, remain anonymous, not have to announce your past title as the college entrance exam 'Academic God,' just use the ordinary name 'Lin Yuan,' and teach basic courses as a Chinese medicine scholar."

"The school will help you with full confidentiality; besides me and my dad, no one will know your true background—wouldn't that work?" Du Wanhe's voice softened, her hands unconsciously gripping the hem of her clothes, afraid Lin Yuan would refuse again.

Lin Yuan helplessly said: "I'm just a college student; I have no qualifications to be a teacher at a prestigious school like Zhijiang University."

Du Wanhe heard the three words "college student," immediately shook her head, her tone full of disagreement:

"Don't use your education as an excuse! The Chinese medicine theory you've mastered, plus your clinical experience, already far surpasses all the practicing senior Chinese medicine professors at our school—who cares whether you're a college student?"

Lin Yuan lifted his eyes sharply, his gaze showing a hint of displeasure at being seen through: "My Lin family has a rule: Chinese medicine is not taught to outsiders; even teaching basic courses cannot break this rule."

Du Wanhe met his gaze, not retreating but speaking more firmly, explaining word by word, trying to dispel his concerns:

"I'm not asking you to pass on your Lin family's secret techniques, just to teach basic Chinese medicine theory; the deeper stuff naturally requires students to comprehend and practice themselves."

"Moreover, the students you teach will later rely on Chinese medicine to save lives and heal injuries; they are not your 'outsiders,' but fellow travelers who share your desire to pass on Chinese medicine." Du Wanhe's voice carried a hint of insight, lightly tapping Lin Yuan's tense heart.

"The rule that Lin family Chinese medicine is not taught to outsiders was set after your grandfather's accident, fearing revenge from enemies; but your inner ambition has never been limited to just guarding this rule, right?" Du Wanhe leaned in, her eyes sharp as if they could see Lin Yuan's thoughts: "I see it—you want revenge, you want to uncover the truth behind your grandfather's accident."

"You need more students, peach and plum filling the world, to gradually expand your influence and connections, to find those who harmed your grandfather years ago, to retrieve what was lost—isn't that so?" Du Wanhe's words were like a key, gently unlocking the secret Lin Yuan had buried in his heart for many years.

"As long as you're willing to come teach at Zhijiang University, then your Lin family's grudge will count as a share from Zhijiang University; I, on behalf of my father, declare my stance—no matter what happens, Zhijiang University will stand behind you, support you, and never let you bear it alone."

Du Wanhe's voice sank, carrying an undeniable promise, weightier than any empty guarantee.

Lin Yuan stood where he was, the manuscript in his hand crumpled into a ball. He opened his mouth but uttered no word; only the rise and fall of his chest grew larger, clearly showing how intense his inner struggle was.

After a while, Lin Yuan finally spoke, his voice hoarse:

"I want to be alone to calm down."

Seeing Lin Yuan say he wanted to calm down, Du Wanhe didn't press further, just gave a light nod, her tone tinged with tolerant tenderness:

"Alright, I won't push you; just let me know when you've decided."

She said this, taking a business card from her white handbag, pinching its corner with her fingertips, and handing it to Lin Yuan—

The business card is simple in design, with an off-white background, only printing the three characters 'Du Wanhe' and a phone number, no extra titles.

"This is my business card; it has my phone and WeChat. Whenever you've decided, call me anytime—day or night, I'll answer."

As Du Wanhe handed over the card, her fingertip accidentally touched Lin Yuan's palm, then she quickly pulled back, her ear tips quietly blushing.

After handing over the card, Du Wanhe suddenly lifted her eyes, blinking her lustrous beautiful eyes; sunlight fell on her long lashes, scattering fine specks of light, like sprinkling stars.

She softly said: "Besides, I want to tell you a secret I've kept for many years."

As her words fell, Du Wanhe lightly rose on the heels of her high heels, leaning her body forward.

The hem of her white dress swayed slightly with the motion, her nose almost touching Lin Yuan's cheek, the distance so close that one could see their own reflection in the depths of her eyes.

"'Back in school, I really did like you; I liked competing with you on grades, actually just wanting you to notice me more.'" Du Wanhe's voice was low, like a whisper, yet it clearly slipped into Lin Yuan's ears.

Before Lin Yuan could react, she added softly, her tone tinged with shyness yet also firm:

"'Now, I still like you; I don't like the former academic ace Lin Yuan, but the you who, even if you hide your sharpness, hasn't lost your original intention.'"

Upon hearing "I still like you now," Lin Yuan's whole person went blank.

The case manuscript he was clutching almost slipped to the ground, his pupils slightly dilated, his gaze dazed as he looked at Du Wanhe right before him, even forgetting to breathe.

After Du Wanhe finished speaking, she didn't immediately retreat; instead, she gently blew a breath onto Lin Yuan's earlobe, the warm breath sweeping over his ear, carrying a faint gardenia scent, the tingling sensation instantly traveling from his ear tip to his heart.

She softly said, "I know saying this now is a bit sudden, but I don't want to hide my fondness again in competition as I did back then."

After saying that, Du Wanhe slowly straightened up.

She stepped back two steps, gave Lin Yuan a shallow smile, her eyes curving into a lovely crescent, then without lingering, turned and walked toward the car by the roadside.

Her graceful figure swayed in the sunlight, her white dress lifted by the wind into a soft arc, the click-clack of her high heels on the ground fading away; when she reached the car, she still turned back to wave at Lin Yuan before opening the door and getting in.

Lin Yuan stood where he was, still pinching that off-white business card, his fingertips clearly feeling its texture, his ears still retaining Du Wanhe's gentle breath.

His heart was in turmoil like willow fluff scattered by the wind, even his fingertips feeling a bit panicked.

He lowered his head to look at what he held—

one side was Professor Dong's case manuscript, containing the responsibility of Chinese medicine and his grandfather's last wish;

the other side was Du Wanhe's business card, bearing the unspoken liking she'd kept for years; the two emotions churned together in his heart, making it impossible for him to calm down.

A breeze blew from the flowerbed, carrying a hint of rose fragrance; Lin Yuan suddenly raised his hand to touch his own earlobe, where Du Wanhe's breath warmth still lingered, scorching him and making his heart panic, even his previous firm refusal loosening a bit.

He watched Du Wanhe's car gradually drive away until it became a dot at the intersection, then slowly squatted down, placing the card and manuscript on his knees, his hands shoved into his hair—

He felt for the first time that making a decision was harder than scoring full marks on the college entrance exam.

……

Lin Yuan clutched Du Wanhe's business card and that stack of case manuscripts as he returned to the company office, his fingertips still tingling with lingering anxiety.

He had just sat down for less than two minutes when Su Monong sent a WeChat message, calling him to the office.

Lin Yuan got up and went to Director Su's office.

Su Monong was sitting behind a large desk, turning a steel pen; seeing him enter, she smiled and pointed to the opposite chair:

"Sit, did you just finish chatting with that female classmate downstairs? How did it go?"

Lin Yuan had just sat down when he heard the three words "female classmate" and instinctively clenched his pant seam.

He tried to keep his tone calm: "We didn't talk about anything, just ran into each other, said a few words."

Su Monong set down her steel pen, her eyes hinting at obvious probing, the corner of her mouth still curled in a smile.

"A chance encounter? I saw her waiting specially at the door for you—what exactly is your relationship? Don't tell me it's just ordinary classmates."

Hearing this, Lin Yuan quickly raised his hand.

Lin Yuan explained: "Really, nothing. She's just an old classmate; this time she came to ask me about some TCM-related matters, nothing else."

Su Monong raised an eyebrow, lifted the coffee on the table, took a sip, and the smile in her eyes grew richer.

"This girl is not bad—she's pretty, has a great demeanor, and her family background is impeccable—her father is President Du of Zhijiang University; if you're interested, you can definitely consider developing things."

When Lin Yuan heard the words "develop develop," he froze, and as he looked up, the pen in his hand slipped to the floor.

Lin Yuan could barely speak coherently: "Director Su? This… this isn't appropriate, I'm just casually acquainted with her, and I'm not even thinking about this now."

Su Monong watched him frantically pick up his pen, couldn't help laughing, and waved her hand.

"What's inappropriate about it? It's normal for young people to have mutual affection; you're not young anymore, it's time to think about personal matters—this girl, whether in family background or character, is a good match for you."

Lin Yuan opened his mouth, wanting to explain that his past with Du Wanhe had nothing to do with "having feelings," but the words died at his lips—

He couldn't tell Su Monong about the past scandal and rivalry, so he just endured it until she brought up work, then he finally relaxed.

……

After work in the evening, Lin Yuan returned to his apartment.

He walked to his desk, opened the bottom drawer, and pulled out an old, yellowed book—

It was that《Notes on TCM Pulse Diagnosis》, the cover still bearing Professor Dong's inscription from years ago: "To Xiao Yuan."

He sat in the chair, his fingertips lightly brushing the yellowed pages…

He recalled what Du Wanhe had said that day, the letter Professor Dong never sent, and the scene of his grandfather teaching him pulse diagnosis years ago.

Lin Yuan suddenly took a steel pen from the pen holder, and on the blank front page, he added a line stroke by stroke:

"Professor Dong, this time I've come to prove that the value of TCM will not be buried."

As the pen tip paused on the paper, Lin Yuan's eyes grew a little hot.

He stared at that line for a full half hour before taking a deep breath, then pulled out his phone contacts and found Dean Luo's number—the person who had previously contacted him, inviting him to the National TCM Competition.

As the call connected, Lin Yuan spoke slowly:

"Dean Luo, regarding the National TCM Competition you mentioned earlier, I'll be participating—please send me the schedule."