Shu Lanzhou instinctively took a step back. She was too nervous—so nervous that she felt simply turning her head in the car might have offended Mu Side!
She backed away too quickly, lost her balance, and stumbled.
Mu Side reacted swiftly, reaching out to wrap an arm around her waist. "Why are you dodging?"
"I wasn't…" Shu Lanzhou crashed straight into his chest, her senses instantly overwhelmed by his scent.
Mu Side raised a hand—one arm firmly around her waist, the other cradling the back of her head—pressing her completely into his embrace. "Really? You weren't avoiding me?"
"Mhm!" Shu Lanzhou's forehead rested against his chest, her entire face buried in his arms. Her petite frame was completely enveloped by him.
The feeling was… strange. Warm. Incredibly reassuring.
No one had ever hugged her like this before. She'd always been unwanted since childhood. Apart from that one time when reporters startled her and Mu Side comforted her, this was the first time someone had held her so completely.
So this was what it felt like to be hugged by someone.
It was so warm that she didn't want to move away. So warm that a sense of longing quietly blossomed in her heart—how wonderful would it be if he could hold her like this forever?
Mu Side's hand gently caressed her back. He lowered his head slightly and whispered beside her ear, "Promise me… from now on, don't ever try to avoid me again."
His voice was so enchanting, as if casting a spell.
Shu Lanzhou couldn't resist. She nodded instinctively, "Mhm. I won't avoid you!"
Mu Side was overjoyed. He knew then that she didn't feel nothing for him.
He gave her back a gentle pat, then released her and took a step back. Leaning in, he placed a soft kiss on her cheek. "Go back to your room and rest. I'll take care of things here."
Shu Lanzhou froze, utterly flustered.
She raised a hand to cover her face, her heart pounding uncontrollably. She wanted to glance at Mu Side but didn't dare. She wanted to say something but didn't know what to say.
She was a mess—panicked and overwhelmed.
"The soup… I…" She suddenly remembered the soup on the stove and turned back in a hurry.
But Mu Side caught her wrist. "Upstairs. Now."
He was afraid if she stayed any longer, he'd lose control and do something even he wouldn't be able to take back. A well-behaved Shu Lanzhou was dangerously irresistible.
He wanted to kiss her, to hold her tighter, to have more.
But she was too timid. He'd scare her off. He couldn't rush things—he had to give her time to process it all.
Mu Side was a little forceful—he clearly didn't want her staying there.
Shu Lanzhou didn't know why, but she didn't dare ask. She panicked and fled the kitchen in a flurry.
Back in her room, she still hadn't calmed down.
Her heart was pounding even harder!
In both her lives, she had never fallen in love. No one had ever treated her so gently. She had never been this utterly at a loss because of someone.
She touched her face, then buried herself under the covers and let out a soft laugh—Mu Side must like her too!
Holding hands, hugging—those things could be explained away as brotherly affection. But he kissed her just now!
Shu Lanzhou was bursting with joy.
But from that day onward, Mu Side suddenly became very busy. He spent most of his time at Mu Corporation, and the two of them barely saw each other, let alone had time alone together.
Shu Lanzhou, on the other hand, was also quite busy. Aside from her research, she had coursework and lectures to prepare.
Qin Dongming worked at a public hospital in Shen City, and their scheduled lecture was three days later in the afternoon.
The lecture was held in a large conference room normally used for physician training sessions.
When Shu Lanzhou and the others arrived, they ran into a few doctors downstairs who were returning to their clinics after lunch.
All wore the same white coats, so it was hard to tell their departments.
As they walked, they chatted:
"Did you hear? There's some kind of traditional Chinese medicine lecture this afternoon. Something about acupuncture emergency techniques? Who's going?"
"All our appointments are full, the waiting room's packed. Where's the time? Emergency care is basic training—what doctor hasn't learned that? Acupuncture emergency care? What, are we supposed to carry needles in our pockets now?"
"You've got it wrong. It's not acupuncture—it's about acupressure emergency response. I heard Dr. Qin suggested it to the hospital director. Supposedly, it's related to Elder Long being saved the other day."
"I really don't get this Qin Dongming. He's a perfectly good surgeon—why mess around with acupuncture? He was Elder Long's attending physician. Now that Elder Long is safe and sound, his year-end evaluation was practically guaranteed."
"He might even be up for a promotion—maybe even vice president. But no, he decides to go partner with some research team on traditional medicine?"
"With that move, I doubt he's getting any promotion, let alone the year-end bonus."
"Speaking of which, I heard a bit of gossip. That Professor He from the research institute? Word is, he's famous for spoiling his wife. Uses public resources for private gain. Hasn't achieved anything in years—just follows her around!"
"I don't get it either. How is someone like that still part of a medical team? Why hasn't he been dismissed?"
"Shows what you know. It's not about spoiling his wife—he's just a puppet. Everyone knows the Mu family's influence in Shen City."
"Exactly. If it hadn't been for that medical malpractice scandal years ago, the Mu family could probably control the entire medical field!"
"…"
The chatter grew more and more out of line, eventually veering into gossip about Mu Side's second uncle—completely off-topic from the lecture.
Shu Lanzhou looked anxiously at Mu Yaning. "Professor?"
"You heard it all, didn't you?" Mu Yaning gave a bitter smile. "The Mu family's reputation in Shen City's medical field is terrible. Many medical professionals look down on Mu's traditional medicine."
"If you continue on this path, you need to be prepared. Whether it's at a hospital or a research institute, you're very likely to face exclusion. Shu Lanzhou, I want you to be mentally prepared for that."
Shu Lanzhou's chest tightened. Just hearing a few harsh words made her feel awful. Yet the Mu family had endured this for over twenty years.
All because of one medical mishap, the entire family's legacy was dismissed by the field—not because their methods were ineffective, but because the one who had the accident wielded enormous power.
It was unjust to the Mu family.
She bit her lip and said firmly:
"I've already said—this is my choice. No matter the outcome, I won't regret it. And besides, the more I study, the more I like it. The deeper I delve into Mu-style medicine, the more fascinated I become."
"Professor, I won't give up. No matter how many people doubt us, I'll keep going down this path!"
Mu Yaning couldn't tell if she was convinced or just moved. She simply gave her a light pat on the shoulder.
"Let's hope your luck is better than mine. Reporter Nan should be arriving soon—go meet her."
"Okay!" Shu Lanzhou turned to greet Nan Xi.
Nan Xi was a reporter for a medical journal. Through a twist of fate, she became acquainted with Mu Side's second uncle and had done a few feature stories on the Mu family in the past.
As Shu Lanzhou got to know her, she discovered that Nan Xi had a genuine curiosity about Mu-style medicine. That gave Shu Lanzhou an idea…
Most people who knew about the upcoming lecture assumed they would use it to heavily promote Mu-style medicine and acupuncture—riding the wave of publicity from saving Elder Long to bring Mu-style acupuncture back into the public spotlight.
But in reality, after discussing it with Nan Xi, Shu Lanzhou chose not to go that route.
Nan Xi looked at the finished article and asked, "You really want to start by introducing Mu-style acupuncture to the public gradually—one step at a time—and tell the full story of your family's medical legacy through the magazine?"
Shu Lanzhou smiled softly. "I asked my professor's opinion. She said the decision was mine. After careful thought, I decided to take it slow."
"You can't eat a fat man in one bite. Mu-style acupuncture has been out of the public eye for over twenty years. We can't just expect one successful case to suddenly make everyone embrace it."
"Even if people flock to it now, it's just temporary hype. They might just be chasing a trend. That's not what I want, and it's not the goal of Mu-style medicine either."
"The goal of medicine is to heal. Whether it's TCM or acupuncture, it should be used to treat illness and improve overall health."
"I want to start from that angle—gradually help the public gain a comprehensive understanding of Mu-style medicine. As for everything else, we'll take it one step at a time."
"You've got a good mindset," Nan Xi said admiringly. "You're not like most girls in their early twenties—not in a rush for results, not impatient, just quietly doing things the right way. That's impressive."