Just then, another tall young man in the car leaned over.
"Yingying, don't worry, I'll protect you. No one can do anything to you!"
As the man spoke, he flexed his thick arms.
This man was named Li Dakang, from Jiaodong. His family was, in a way, a traditional Chinese medicine lineage, specializing in treating bruises, sprains, and bone setting.
In many parts of Jiaodong, martial arts were highly revered, and the region had produced many heroes throughout history. The skills for treating bruises and sprains were also renowned there.
Li Dakang's ancestors had been practitioners of this art. However, in his generation, he was somewhat rebellious. His father had pressured him and his elder brothers to inherit the family trade, but he refused, determined to forge his own path.
Therefore, when filling out his college applications, he directly chose Jiangzhou Medical University, nearly causing his father to die of anger.
But now, he had some regrets. He discovered that even though Jiangzhou Medical University was one of the top medical institutions in the country, the knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine he acquired there was still very limited.
After five years of study, he felt lost. He realized his current skill level was only enough to muddle through in an ordinary Chinese medicine clinic.
It was only then that he truly understood how remarkable his family's inherited medical techniques were.
However, returning home in disgrace would surely lead to him being ridiculed by his father and brothers. So, he gritted his teeth and decided to try his luck elsewhere.
Fortunately, there was Che Yingying in the school, a beautiful and academically gifted woman.
But Li Dakang was a straightforward man, not a player. He was very awkward around girls, often trying to curry favor with Che Yingying, unaware that this was having the opposite effect.
Che Yingying glared at him, "Li Dakang, please have some self-respect. You're not anyone to me! Besides, what era are we in? Is it still about forced buying and selling!"
"Exactly, Dakang, stop being so presumptuous," Qu Yanan chimed in from the side.
Li Dakang dejectedly sat down to the side. He looked up and saw Ling Tian video calling Xing Jiajia on his phone.
Even without Ling Tian present, the young girl was eagerly studying traditional Chinese medicine, immediately seeking Ling Tian's guidance when she encountered something she didn't understand.
What teacher wouldn't like such an eager student?
Li Dakang plopped down next to Ling Tian, listening to him lecture Xing Jiajia.
After a while, Ling Tian ended the call.
"Oh, such a young girl, and you're teaching her traditional Chinese medicine? Can she even understand it? Is that your sister?"
Li Dakang, being quite gregarious, struck up a conversation with Ling Tian.
"No, not my sister, she's my disciple!"
"Disciple? Brother, you're kidding me. From your appearance, you haven't even graduated from university yet. What kind of disciple are you? How can you teach others when you haven't even mastered it yourself?"
"How do you know I haven't mastered it?" Ling Tian was amused by this brash fellow.
"Brother, you're so young, you look like you haven't even graduated from university. Let me tell you, traditional Chinese medicine requires time for accumulation and refinement. At your age, mastering even the superficial aspects would be good."
"Heh heh..." Ling Tian remained noncommittal.
"By the way, brother, you're not old, yet you're sent out by the hospital to participate in recruitment. Your status must be unusual. I suspect you're the child of some hospital leader..."
"So what if I am, and so what if I'm not!"
"Your acknowledgment or denial doesn't matter. Let me tell you, I see this clearly. Buddy, if you could do me a favor, arrange for me and Che Yingying to be in the same group once we officially join the hospital..."
"And what's in it for me?" Ling Tian asked with a playful smile.
"Brother, our family's inherited medical skills for treating bone injuries, bruises, and sprains are particularly famous in the Jiaodong region! I, though untalented, have received rigorous training in this area since childhood. I believe this is why you accepted me."
Ling Tian nodded, "Continue!"
"If you can help me, I'll find a way to secretly pass on our family's art to you. Don't worry, mastering our family's orthopedic techniques will be enough to make you rich for the rest of your life."
Unexpectedly, Ling Tian smiled and shook his head.
"You want to be in the same group as her, that's not difficult, but there's a prerequisite: she has to be willing to be in the same group as you. If she's not willing, putting you two together would create conflict!"
"Young man, there's a saying called 'fulfilling others' wishes,' you should know that. If one day Che Yingying becomes my wife, this matter would be a beautiful story for you..."
"Heh, how do you know she's willing to marry you! If the young lady isn't willing, and I force it, wouldn't that be pushing her into a fire pit? That's too unethical."
"Hey, you! You're really pushing my buttons!" Li Dakang glared, his large eyes like light bulbs, truly intimidating.
Failing to persuade Ling Tian, Li Dakang could only dejectedly sit aside, a look of displeasure on his face.
Ling Tian said nothing more, picking up a medical journal and reading it with great interest.
"Hmph, what a pretentious young man!" Li Dakang grumbled.
Ling Tian paid him no mind. He wasn't being pretentious at all. While Ling Tian hadn't encountered much Western medicine, he was well aware that the West had advanced significantly in medical fields.
Although some of the content in these medical journals was merely conceptual, and some didn't reveal core details, it was still very valuable to Ling Tian. For instance, with a new treatment method, Ling Tian could use his own medical expertise to deduce whether it would be successful. Or, if there were new cases of difficult and complicated diseases, Ling Tian would consider the causes and whether his own methods could treat them.
In short, learning was a very important part of Ling Tian's life, and he enjoyed it immensely.
Suddenly, a harsh braking sound startled everyone in the car. Li Dakang, who had been fidgeting, hit his head hard on the seat in front of him.
"Oh my god, this is so bumpy! How is this driver even driving..."
"What happened? Is there a traffic accident?"
Amidst the clamor, Ling Tian stood up, walked directly to the car door, and opened it.
"This matter doesn't concern you. Stay away, lest you get blood on yourselves!"