"Old Gu, everyone, good day. I was a bit delayed by traffic..."
Jiang Yichun arrived with Wan Yunting, cupping his hands in greeting to Gu Yuanbai and the others with a smile, but pointedly avoiding looking at Weng Dehai.
"Hmph, as if everyone was waiting for you."
Weng Dehai cast him a displeased glance and said sarcastically.
"You old fossil, if you can't speak properly, just shut up." Jiang Yichun retorted unceremoniously...
"Alright, the timing is perfect. Let's all go inside."
Gu Yuanbai waved his hand, not wanting these two old men, Jiang Yichun and Weng Dehai, to cause public embarrassment by arguing.
Everyone then followed Gu Yuanbai and the others into the association's office building. Inside was a conference room that could accommodate many people. Wan Yunting stayed by Jiang Yichun's side. Seeing Gu Luotang and Qi Miaomiao with Gu Yuanbai, he smiled and gave them a polite nod.
Upon receiving the man's smile, Gu Luotang's pretty face flushed, and she returned a smile and a slight nod, acknowledging him.
"If there aren't enough chairs, go get some from outside. The conference room is a bit small, so squeeze in."
Entering the conference room, Jiang Yichun saw that many people still didn't have chairs and told them to go fetch some from outside.
Of course, those seated at the main table were naturally Gu Yuanbai at the head, with Jiang Yichun and Weng Dehai on his left and right. Following them were other elder members of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Association, all renowned old TCM practitioners in Huadu.
"Dean Jiang, I'll sit behind you."
Since everyone was seated around the rectangular table in the center of the conference room, the younger physicians like Wan Yunting naturally moved chairs to sit on the periphery.
However, Jiang Yichun had initially intended to have him sit beside him. Seeing Wan Yunting voluntarily sit in the second row behind him, he understood that he didn't want to steal the spotlight and agreed.
"Senior Sister, shall we sit over there too?"
Qi Miaomiao then pulled a chair over. Seeing them approach, Wan Yunting smiled, "Dr. Gu, Dr. Qi, are you sitting here too? I'll get the chairs; they're quite heavy..."
"Yes, thank you, Doctor Wan..."
Gu Luotang smiled slightly. Although she appeared serene and charming, her heart would inexplicably race whenever she saw this man, as if she had been electrocuted...
"Doctor Wan, you're here too."
Immediately, Xu Yuanhang and Dong Yuanlang, along with several other teachers from the TCM university, also moved chairs to sit down. Upon seeing Xu Yuanhang, Wan Yunting nodded and smiled, "Hello, Teacher Xu..."
Gu Luotang and Qi Miaomiao sat to Wan Yunting's right, and Xu Yuanhang moved a chair to sit to his left. "Doctor Wan, do you mind if I sit here?"
"Of course not," Wan Yunting replied with a smile.
"Good."
Xu Yuanhang then sat down and, through Wan Yunting, waved a greeting to Gu Luotang. Gu Luotang simply nodded faintly, acknowledging him.
"This guy, why is he so annoying."
Seeing Xu Yuanhang and Dong Yuanlang sitting over there, Qi Miaomiao pouted in annoyance. They had wanted to chat more with Wan Yunting, but now they felt too awkward to do so.
"Oh, Dr. Gu, how is your aunt's illness?" Wan Yunting remembered her aunt's condition and inquired.
Gu Luotang immediately looked up and turned, showing a charming smile. "Yes, her illness has been cured. Thank you for your concern, Doctor Wan."
"That's good. It was a psychosomatic illness after all; once the problem was resolved, the illness naturally subsided," Wan Yunting nodded and smiled.
However, Xu Yuanhang raised an eyebrow. He naturally didn't know that Gu Luotang had previously asked Wan Yunting to treat her aunt. This implied they had private interactions!
"Alright, everyone, please be quiet."
Once everyone was seated, Gu Yuanbai gestured for them to quiet down, and the room fell silent.
"Then this meeting shall now begin. But let's do a roll call first to see who is still absent," Gu Yuanbai said to Weng Dehai.
"Alright, Yuanlang, read the list."
"Understood."
Dong Yuanlang, sitting next to Xu Yuanhang, stood up. He held a list and began to read, "Wei Renxin!"
"Present."
Immediately, a man of short stature, slightly overweight, stood up. He had a simple, honest appearance and looked quite jovial.
"This must be from the Wei family of Damae, the renowned descendants, right?"
"Probably..."
Seeing Wei Renxin, others thought of the Wei family members within the Lingnan medical school.
"Song Sinan!"
"Present."
Immediately, a tall woman with an excellent figure stood up. Her long hair was simply tied back, revealing her outstanding features. Her pair of bright, large eyes were full of spirit, and she was very beautiful.
"The Song family from Yuanshi..."
"Ye Zhaohui!"
"I'm here."
Following that, a man of medium build, dressed in branded casual wear, stood up. His stylish hairstyle and outstanding appearance made him look extraordinary. However, a deep-seated arrogance emanated from his brow, especially in his dismissive gaze. His eyes lingered on Gu Luotang, who was sitting beside Wan Yunting, and a mocking, slightly frivolous smile touched his lips.
"Who is this guy, so annoying."
Qi Miaomiao, seeing Ye Zhaohui's lecherous gaze, couldn't help but feel indignant. Wan Yunting also glanced at him, naturally not recognizing him.
"He must be from the Ye family of Zhongshi!"
Xu Yuanhang immediately said with raised eyebrows.
"The Ye family, sounds very impressive," Qi Miaomiao said dismissively.
Xu Yuanhang explained, "Indeed, within our Lingnan medical school, the five major families—the Gu family, the Ye family, the Wei family, the Song family, and the Huang family—control the lifeline and heritage of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Each family has its own unique secret formulas, which is why they have been passed down to this day and are so renowned."
"As for the Ye family, apart from your Gu family, Gu Luotang, they are a very influential family in the Lingnan medical school. Their medical clinics are spread across the country, and they also have pharmaceutical companies and businesses dealing in Chinese medicinal materials. Thus, the Ye family possesses immense financial and operational strength."
"That impressive."
Qi Miaomiao exclaimed, looking at Ye Zhaohui who was sitting with another group of young men and women. She sneered, "No wonder he's so arrogant, like a total idiot. I wonder what his medical skills are like!"
"Alright Miaomiao, don't speak carelessly."
Gu Luotang stopped her junior sister. Wan Yunting also smiled, not paying much attention to these matters.
Dong Yuanlang continued to read the list. Gu Yuanbai had recruited a total of thirty-eight young TCM teachers this time, with most being male, but there were also over ten female teachers.
"Wan Yunting!"
Dong Yuanlang then turned his head to glance at Wan Yunting, who was sitting beside Gu Luotang. Upon hearing his name, he raised his hand and said with a smile, "Present."
Dong Yuanlang rolled his eyes and continued reading. He had deliberately placed Wan Yunting's name in the middle, an inconspicuous spot, and was reading it until the very last name, which was naturally Gu Luotang.
"Present."
Gu Luotang also raised her hand slightly and spoke softly.
However, this scene drew fervent gazes from the young TCM teachers present. Among the many young female teachers present, Gu Luotang was undoubtedly the most outstanding and attractive.
"Tch, dressed up so gaudily, putting on airs. Does she really think she's a fairy descended to earth?"
Sitting beside Song Sinan, a female teacher named Zhang Xiaoyu looked at Gu Luotang with eyes full of jealousy, believing that her attire was simply meant to attract attention from men.
"Xiaoyu, if you don't understand someone, don't make hasty judgments," Song Sinan said calmly. Although she admitted she wasn't Gu Luotang's equal in beauty, she had never lost to anyone in medical skills.
However, the man sitting beside her piqued Song Sinan's interest. She had been in Huadu for some time and had naturally heard many rumors about Wan Yunting in the TCM circles.
He had cured a person with a Grade 1 disability in both legs using the Yin-Yang Harmony Needling technique, treated the mother of the wealthiest man for intestinal issues, and handled the strange illness of Fan Xingfa's daughter, which had stumped the entire TCM community in Huadu.
Although Wan Yunting had treated few patients, each case had been astounding. Therefore, he had gained some fame in the Huadu TCM circles.