Seeing the confused look on Ling Feng's face, Doctor Li couldn't help but laugh even harder. After a moment, he explained.
Only then did Ling Feng understand that Doctor Li had learned quite a bit from the conversation between him and Qin Ji'an, despite being just an observer. On top of that, he had witnessed Ling Feng's extraordinary abilities, which gave him a new perspective and made him realize he had been somewhat narrow-minded in the past.
"This favor of mine doesn't compare to the lesson you just gave," Doctor Li said with another hearty laugh. "I've studied traditional Chinese medicine my entire life, and only today do I truly understand its essence. Chinese medicine isn't just about healing the body—it's about balance, staying centered."
After a few more words of appreciation, Doctor Li left, his steps noticeably lighter, as if years had been lifted off his shoulders. Ling Feng, watching him walk away, was slightly surprised.
When he got home, Zheng Miaoyi was still awake.
"How did it go?" she asked immediately, though Ling Feng hadn't said much about what he was up to when he left. However, she had a pretty good guess—he must have been out dealing with something important for her.
"It's all sorted. Tomorrow you can go straight to the conference. Your name is back on the list," Ling Feng replied with a casual smile.
"Really?" Zheng Miaoyi looked at him, disbelief in her eyes.
Just then, her phone rang. It was the hospital director.
"Go ahead, answer it. It's good news," Ling Feng chuckled.
Half-skeptical, she answered the call. Sure enough, the director confirmed that her spot had been reinstated.
Before the call even ended, Zheng Miaoyi threw her arms around Ling Feng, excitement bubbling over.
"That's amazing! How did you manage it?" she asked after a moment, her face flushed as she loosened her embrace.
"Oh, it was nothing. Your husband is just that capable," Ling Feng replied with a cocky grin.
Zheng Miaoyi, knowing he wasn't giving her the full story, playfully punched him in the arm.
"Hmph, tell me who helped you."
"Alright, alright. Doctor Li lent a hand," Ling Feng finally admitted, using Doctor Li as a convenient excuse. He certainly wasn't about to mention that he had met with Qin Ji'an and even scolded him. He had seen firsthand over the past few days just how much Zheng Miaoyi admired Qin Ji'an—she was practically a superfan.
After all the excitement, Zheng Miaoyi quickly fell asleep, exhausted. Ling Feng, meanwhile, flipped through the materials she had prepared for the conference and found that there were quite a few areas that could use improvement. After all, it was something she had thrown together in a hurry, and winning any awards with it seemed unlikely.
So, Ling Feng made a few subtle changes, especially to the sections where Qin Ji'an's mistaken theories had influenced the content.
The next day, Ling Feng drove Zheng Miaoyi to the conference venue. After parking, he got out of the car and walked with her toward the entrance.
"Why are you coming too?" she asked, surprised when she noticed he wasn't heading back to the car.
"Doctor Li managed to get you a spot. It was only natural he'd also get me in," Ling Feng replied with a grin, not mentioning that Qin Ji'an had personally invited him earlier that morning.
"Really?" Zheng Miaoyi gave him a doubtful look but didn't press further.
As they entered the building, they didn't walk far before they spotted Li Zheng chatting with a group of middle-aged men, all dressed sharply.
"Let's just avoid him," Zheng Miaoyi muttered, clearly uncomfortable at the sight of Li Zheng. She just wanted to steer clear.
"Why should we? Now that you're back on the list, it's time to disappoint him a little," Ling Feng said with a smirk, walking straight toward Li Zheng.
Of course, he wasn't just looking to show off—he had overheard Li Zheng spouting the same nonsense to those men that he had once used to trick Zheng Miaoyi's parents.
"Well, well, if it isn't our own Master Conman, Li Zheng," Ling Feng called out, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "So, how's that online loan going? Paid it off yet?"
The middle-aged men exchanged glances, their expressions shifting as they started to view Li Zheng with suspicion.
"You!" Li Zheng turned, furious, and his face darkened further when he realized it was Ling Feng. "You dare show your face here?"
"Of course, it's me," Ling Feng replied casually. "What's the matter? Still haven't paid off that loan, so now you're looking for new people to scam?"
"Nonsense! I don't know what you're talking about," Li Zheng spat, glaring at him.
Turning back to the men, Li Zheng tried to salvage the situation. "Gentlemen, don't listen to him. My aunt is one of the judges for this conference. I think we could have a very promising partnership."
But the men were no longer convinced. Ling Feng pulled out his phone and opened a screenshot of the information he had dug up on Li Zheng.
"Hmm, maybe I was mistaken. I thought this guy looked just like you," Ling Feng said, showing the men the evidence. "Doesn't he look familiar?"
One by one, the men glanced at the screenshot, their suspicions confirmed. They quickly made their excuses and left.
"You little punk! You're gonna regret messing with me!" Li Zheng shouted, his anger boiling over as he watched his potential partners walk away. But then he spotted Zheng Miaoyi in the distance, and a realization hit him.
"Wait a minute... How did you two get in here?" Li Zheng demanded, suddenly remembering that he had had Zheng Miaoyi's name removed from the list.
"We're here fair and square," Ling Feng answered, still smiling. "But what about you? You're not even a doctor. How did you get in?"
"None of your business! Just wait, you won't be so smug for long!" Li Zheng sneered, pulling out his phone and calling security.
Soon, the head of security arrived with two guards.
"How did these two people get in? They're not on the list," Li Zheng said coldly, pointing at Ling Feng and Zheng Miaoyi.
"That's impossible," the security head responded immediately. "We've been checking thoroughly all morning. There's no way anyone could slip in without being on the list."
"Oh really?" Li Zheng sneered. "My aunt is one of the lead judges, and I personally saw the list yesterday. Neither of them was on it."
The security head hesitated, glancing at Ling Feng and Zheng Miaoyi.
Li Zheng pressed on. "Do you think I'm wrong?"
Under pressure, the security chief's face grew tense, and he began to doubt. Could these two have really snuck in?
"You better kick them out now, and I'll pretend nothing happened. Otherwise, my aunt will hear about this," Li Zheng threatened smugly.
"Yes, yes, of course," the security head stammered, quickly ordering the guards. "Get them out, now!"