Luo Liansheng gestured for Luo Ziling to sit down and talk.
Obediently, Luo Ziling sat down in front of Luo Liansheng, waiting for his grandfather to answer him.
"Ling'er, you've followed me and learned medicine for so many years, and indeed, your medical skills are not bad, but," Luo Liansheng paused here, "due to many reasons, the development of traditional medicine has now come to a standstill. Most of the practitioners of traditional medicine rely on studying ancient books to find diagnostic and treatment methods, unwilling to innovate, unwilling to delve deeper, which is the sadness of traditional medicine. We all know, no matter the field, it develops through constant exploration and research, and only when many people are willing to delve into it can there be progress and development. What a pity!"
Having said this, Luo Liansheng let out a long sigh and continued, "Our practitioners of traditional medicine just lie on the achievements of their predecessors and reap the benefits without innovation and change, resulting in today's situation where traditional medicine is considered by many to be pseudoscience. Most people, when they fall ill, choose Western medicine first, and only when Western medicine can't cure them do they turn to Chinese medicine with a defeatist attitude, as a last resort. This is the sorrow of Huaxia's traditional medicine."
Hearing Luo Liansheng speak this way, Luo Ziling became even more confused, "Grandfather, then why are you asking me to study Western medicine?"
Could it be that Grandfather also thinks Chinese medicine is inadequate, thus wanting him to switch to studying Western medicine?
"To integrate the strengths and compensate for the weaknesses, to assimilate the essence of Chinese medicine, as long as you can do this, you can become a generation's Medical Honorific," Luo Liansheng said with a laugh that seemed laden with deeper meaning, "Many aspects of Chinese medicine have been proven wrong by the times, and Western medicine is the same. It's like this with every discipline, embracing the true elements while discarding the false is what allows us to not treat the findings of our predecessors as infallible, and to keep improving and advancing. In fact, there's no need to see Chinese medicine and Western medicine as opposing each other, as they both have their strengths. By learning their essence and taking the best of both, don't you think you can tremendously improve your medical skills?"
"You're right, Grandfather, it's definitely like that," Luo Ziling nodded in agreement with Luo Liansheng's words.
In fact, Grandfather has always been doing this, otherwise Luo Ziling wouldn't have been able to learn the skillful surgical techniques nor some other diagnostic methods outside the scope of Chinese medicine. Taking the essence and discarding the dross is the attitude every field must have to avoid being outpaced by time and to develop significantly.
"If I asked you to go to the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, what do you think you would learn?" Luo Liansheng said with a proud smile, "None of the teachers there could teach you anything more, you could teach any of their professors. Therefore, Grandfather wants you to study Western clinical medicine, hoping you can learn the essence of Western medicine, especially pharmacology, and after absorbing what's beneficial, use the advantages of Chinese medicine to rejuvenate Huaxia's traditional medicine further."
Luo Ziling was a bit shaken by Luo Liansheng's words and suddenly didn't know what to say.
"Of course, that's not the most important reason for you to go to Yanjing to study," Luo Liansheng's smile faded, and he spoke almost word for word, "You're already twenty years old, you can't continue to live in this remote little mountain village, you need to go out and see the world, to reintegrate into modern life. This is Grandfather's wish, and also… her demand."
In the end, Luo Liansheng decided it was better to tell Luo Ziling this.
At these words, Luo Ziling was momentarily stunned; he knew who "she" was, whom his grandfather was referring to.
For all these years, Grandfather had never brought up this person voluntarily—it was the first time today.
The thought of this woman filled Luo Ziling's heart with a flood of emotions.
"Sigh!" Luo Liansheng let out another sigh without saying anything.
He went inside the room, took out a photo, and handed it to Luo Ziling, "Take this photo with you!"
Luo Ziling stood up and silently took the photo from his grandfather's hand.
He had secretly looked at this photo many times before.
In the photo, that almost ineffably beautiful woman was looking at him with her expressive, large eyes.
Luo Ziling avoided his gaze, but he could still feel the woman's eager eyes in the photo.
A trace of faint sorrow crossed Luo Liansheng's face as he looked at his grandson and hesitated for a moment before saying, "Ling'er, don't resent her, she had no other choice, she has already done very well. After you go to Yanjing for school, I believe you'll soon meet her."
"Grandfather, I've never thought about this matter. After all, I've never seen her, and it doesn't matter whether I see her in the future." Luo Ziling lowered his head and said softly, "Grandfather, in my heart, you are my only family."
"You're still holding a grudge against her for abandoning you when you were little," Luo Liansheng sighed heavily again, "But it's understandable, anyone who has gone through such a thing would complain. However, Grandfather still hopes you won't hold any resentment against her; she has had a harder life than anyone, it hasn't been easy for her. Sigh!"
Luo Ziling opened his mouth, wanting to ask something but not knowing how, and in the end, he said nothing.
"She is the woman who loves you most in this world, there's no other."
Luo Liansheng's words struck Luo Ziling's heart, almost making him unable to hold back his tears.
Seeing Luo Ziling's sad face, Luo Liansheng also felt somewhat wistful and suddenly didn't know what to say.
After a moment of silence between grandfather and grandson, Luo Liansheng remembered another very important matter.
"There is another very important task that I need you to do," Luo Liansheng, taking Luo Ziling's hand, gestured for him to sit down.
Luo Ziling obediently sat down.
"Do you remember when you were five years old, a lovely little girl came to our house?" Luo Liansheng asked Luo Ziling, "There was also an old man who came with her, a very tall old man. That little girl came to seek medical treatment."
"I remember," Luo Ziling nodded, the little girl was the playmate he had always remembered. That proud little princess, after so many years, he still remembered how pretty she looked back then.
"Back then, Grandfather and her grandfather arranged a marriage for you two through a child betrothal!" Luo Liansheng said, a bitter smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.
"What?!" Luo Ziling was once again surprised, feeling a bit slow to grasp it all.
That beautiful little girl, she was his bride-to-be? In an instant, Luo Ziling's heart rate quickened.
Could it be that Grandfather wanted him to study in Yanjing and also to take the opportunity to welcome that girl to their home?
"You take this letter from me, find that old man, and call off the marriage," Luo Liansheng handed Luo Ziling a letter.
Luo Ziling was stunned yet again, feeling as if his mental capacity was insufficient.
Luo Liansheng explained with a smile, "She's older than you, and you two aren't suitable. Also, there are people who disagree with the arrangement. So, when you go there to study, Grandfather wants you to call off the engagement as well."
"Alright!" The considerable ups and downs of life came too fast, and Luo Ziling struggled to keep up, managing only a mechanical agreement,