Chinese Medicine: Starting with Daily Intelligence

Chapter 526: Chapter 526: Friend?

Night fell, and the city lights began to glow.

Ding Kaifang’s car pulled up to the entrance of a high-end teahouse called "Qingxin Pavilion".

"Doctor Li, I’m so sorry to trouble you today."

Ding Kaifang said with an apologetic smile as he got out of the car, "I shouldn’t have dragged you out so late. But this friend of mine is someone special, and he helped out a lot when the Ding Group was in trouble. I owe him this favor."

Li Xu nodded noncommittally. "Since he’s your friend, there’s no harm in seeing him. But you said he wants a health consultation. Why not go to the clinic?"

"Ahem, well, important people value their privacy," Ding Kaifang said, lowering his voice. "Besides, he also wants to get to know you, have some tea, and build a connection."

The two entered the teahouse, walked through a winding corridor, and arrived at a private room at the very back named "Tingyu Pavilion."

As soon as they pushed the door open, a peculiar fragrance wafted over them.

The scent was strange. At first, it smelled like sandalwood, but upon closer inspection, it held a faint, cloying sweetness and a burnt aroma, as if something had been scorched and then covered up with incense.

Li Xu wrinkled his nose slightly, a flash of doubt in his eyes.

The smell made him feel instinctively uncomfortable.

The private room was lavishly furnished with a rosewood tea table and famous calligraphy and paintings hanging on the walls.

A man who looked to be under thirty-five was sitting in the host’s seat, toying with a Zisha teapot in his hands.

The man was very stylish, tall and well-built. His deep-set eyes and high-bridged nose gave him a somewhat mixed, Euro-American look.

His beard was exquisitely trimmed, and his custom-tailored casual suit was oppressively refined.

"President Zhou, this is Doctor Li."

Ding Kaifang introduced them enthusiastically.

The man set down the teapot, stood up, and smiled. "Doctor Li, I’ve heard so much about you. Please, have a seat."

However, the moment he stood up, Li Xu’s gaze froze on his face.

More precisely, it froze on a small black spot just in front of his left ear, at his sideburn.

The spot looked like a scar, black as ink. Though only the size of a grain of rice, it was exceptionally jarring on his otherwise well-maintained face.

Li Xu’s pupils contracted slightly.

"Hello, I’m Zhou Junwei."

The man didn’t notice Li Xu’s strange reaction and extended his hand. "It is an honor to have the Divine Physician here today. You grace my humble abode."

Li Xu did not shake his hand, merely giving a faint nod.

Zhou Junwei wasn’t fazed. He retracted his hand and smiled. "I’ve prepared some excellent Lao Ban Zhang tea. I’ll go get it and brew it for you both myself."

With that, he turned and walked toward a small anteroom within the private suite.

Li Xu watched his retreating back.

Although the man was tall and appeared strong, his gait was somewhat floaty, his steps weak and unsteady.

Moreover, when he was closer just now, Li Xu could clearly see that his eyes were sunken, with an almost imperceptible dark, bluish tint beneath them.

Before long, Zhou Junwei returned with a canister of tea leaves and began to fluidly warm the cups, add the tea, and rinse the leaves.

Ding Kaifang was still trying hard to warm up the atmosphere. "Doctor Li, don’t be fooled by President Zhou’s youth; his skill in the tea ceremony is top-notch. I’ve freeloaded a few cups of tea here before, and the taste... after drinking it, you feel completely at ease, like an Immortal."

Zhou Junwei smiled, poured the brewed tea into a fairness pitcher, and then served the two of them. "Please."

The tea was a brilliant red, its aroma fragrant and enticing.

But Li Xu didn’t touch his cup.

He looked at Zhou Junwei, suddenly sighed, shook his head, and said:

"President Zhou, you want me to help with your health... I’m afraid I’m powerless to help."

"I may be a doctor, but to be honest... I don’t have that kind of ability."

"The depletion of your body’s vitality is so severe that it’s beyond my ability to treat."

The moment he said this, the air in the room instantly froze.

Ding Kaifang, who was in the middle of sipping his tea, choked and stared at Li Xu in disbelief. "Doctor Li... you... you must be joking, right?"

In his impression, Li Xu was a Divine Physician who could save even those on the brink of death.

’How could he declare the man incurable without even taking his pulse or asking any questions?’

’Besides, Zhou Junwei looked the picture of health, glowing and robust. How could he possibly be "severely depleted"?’

The smile on Zhou Junwei’s face froze as well. Then, sounding unconvinced, he said, "Doctor Li, are you sure you’re not mistaken? I’ve always been in excellent health."

As he spoke, he took off his jacket and even unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt, revealing the outline of his firm pectoral and abdominal muscles.

"I work out all the time. How could a body like this be depleted?"

Li Xu just shook his head, a hint of pity now in his eyes.

Ding Kaifang grew anxious. He kicked Li Xu’s foot under the table and whispered, "Doctor Li, you haven’t even taken his pulse, have you? Why don’t you... check his pulse first before saying anything?"

But Li Xu showed no intention of moving.

"I’m sorry, I truly don’t have that kind of ability. You should find someone more capable."

With that, he stood up directly. "President Ding, let’s go."

At this, Zhou Junwei’s face completely darkened.

He had kindly invited someone for tea, only to be cursed the moment they sat down and then have them storm out on him. No one would be able to stand that.

"Doctor Li, how have I offended you?" Zhou Junwei’s tone was icy. "Why must you curse me like this? We don’t have some deep-seated hatred between us, do we? Was I wrong to offer you my hospitality?"

Caught in the middle, Ding Kaifang was so embarrassed he could have dug a three-bedroom apartment with his toes.

He quickly grabbed Li Xu. "Doctor Li, this... this is too disrespectful, isn’t it? President Zhou was just being kind..."

Li Xu took a deep breath, turned to Ding Kaifang, his tone more serious than ever. "If you’re not leaving, I am."

Without another word, he pulled the door open and strode out without looking back.

Ding Kaifang stood frozen, glancing at Zhou Junwei’s ashen face, then at Li Xu’s receding figure. Finally, he gritted his teeth and chased after him.

"President Zhou, I’m so sorry! Doctor Li might be in a bad mood today. I’ll make it up to you another day."

...

It wasn’t until they were back in the car that a panting Ding Kaifang finally asked, "Doctor Li, what on earth was that about? You’re not usually like this! Even if you didn’t want to treat him, there was no need to be so blunt, was there?"

He didn’t believe Li Xu would target someone without a reason.

Li Xu sat in the passenger seat, watching the fleeting nightscape outside the window, and said calmly, "President Ding, let me give you a piece of advice."

"Stay away from that man."

Ding Kaifang was startled. "Why? Is there... something wrong with President Zhou?"

"President Zhou is not a good person," Li Xu stated bluntly.

Ding Kaifang was even more puzzled. "Doctor Li, this is the first time you’ve met, isn’t it? How do you know he’s not a good person? Can you read faces or something?"

Li Xu turned his head, looked at Ding Kaifang, and suddenly asked in return, "Do you want to drink his tea?"

"Of course!" Ding Kaifang blurted out. "It tastes really good. Every time I drink it, I feel so relaxed, like all my worries have vanished. It’s a euphoric feeling."

Li Xu shook his head, his gaze piercing. "If I told you that tea was poisoned, would you believe me?"

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