Chapter 533: You Don’t Want to Hit on Me?
"Competition? Competing at what?" Lin Tian looked at her with interest, seemingly guessing something.
"Ancient medicine! At this medical conference, we’ll see whose speech is better!"
Zhao Qingtang said confidently.
"You’ve also been invited to the medical conference? And you can give a speech?" Lin Tian was slightly surprised. He had heard from others that this conference had high standards for its members. Most of them were middle-aged or older doctors with rich diagnostic experience. Could it be... because she is Zhao Xuefeng’s granddaughter?
"Hmph! Why are you looking at me like that? I got into this conference based on my own merits!"
Seemingly seeing through Lin Tian’s thoughts, Zhao Qingtang emphasized seriously.
"I can vouch for that, Qingtang definitely earned her spot through her own skills." Zhao Xuefeng agreed and then turned to Zhao Qingtang, "You, you, still that stubborn personality. When you hear me praise Lin Tian, you’re not happy, huh?"
"Hmph! I’ve been excellent since I was little, and I’ve never seen you praise me like that. Just now, you almost praised him to the heavens. Of course I’m not happy. This conference, I will definitely win!" Zhao Qingtang quietly clenched her fist, throwing a challenging glance at Lin Tian.
She knew, too, that her grandfather wouldn’t say such things without reason; Lin Tian must be quite skilled. But in recent times, she had been preparing her speech for the conference, researching daily and revising until late at night, making ample preparations.
Her fist clenched tighter and tighter, secretly telling herself: I don’t believe I can’t win like this.
Lin Tian rubbed his nose with his fingers, thinking to himself: Your grandfather praises me and you can’t take it? Then if you knew he wanted to match us up, wouldn’t you go crazy?
"Not competing." Lin Tian promptly refused.
This was simply a losing proposition; losing would be embarrassing, and winning—would it look good?
So it’s better to outright refuse.
"Why!"
Zhao Xuefeng glanced at his granddaughter and sighed quietly. His beloved granddaughter was just like her grandmother, stubborn as a bull, unaffected by reasoning or bribes. If she doesn’t settle the score with Lin Tian, she might not let it go.
"Because I don’t do speeches." Lin Tian shrugged; this was precisely the most balanced option.
Zhao Qingtang felt a mix of emotions inside, what do you mean ’not doing speeches’? How do we compete then?
She suddenly felt like she was punching into cotton.
Indeed, the invited medical experts for the conference have the freedom to forgo their speeches; it’s their choice.
The medical conference brings together industry experts. Celestial Dragon Continent has more than ten billion people, and the medical team numbers are already in the millions.
Among the millions, those invited are industry elites, over a hundred.
If everyone were to give a speech, how would the conference proceed?
Yet those attending the conference will submit their speeches, from which the committee selects the ten most valuable speeches for the authors to present.
Those who present are nearly the top physicians in the nation; it’s a tremendous honor, elevating one’s status significantly, not to mention the financial incentives.
Just by having this title, the consultation fee could reach a million, and when the wealthy fall gravely ill, they first think of these experts.
The ten slots are fiercely contested, but the number remains fairly consistent each year.
If nothing unexpected happens, Zhao Xuefeng should be one of them. After all, he is acclaimed as the number one in traditional medicine, he certainly qualifies.
However, Zhao Xuefeng’s consultation counts have greatly diminished over the years, even if offered the highest price, he wouldn’t consult. The reason for refusal is: Are my medical skills inadequate?
"Medicine" and "writing" are interconnected; the people on Celestial Dragon Continent understand the saying ’there’s no first in literature, but only in martial art.’ Zhao Xuefeng being recognized as the number one in traditional medicine is all but acknowledged and shows the difficulty in earning such recognition.
He claimed his skills were lacking and refused to consult. Naturally, more people would consult, claiming superiority over Zhao Xuefeng if successful; if not, they would argue that even Zhao Xuefeng couldn’t guarantee success, so their failure is justified.
Everyone sees Zhao Xuefeng as a stepping stone.
In the eyes of Liu Mang and others, Zhao Xuefeng represents traditional medicine. Defeating him means defeating traditional medicine, along with a hefty consultation fee, naturally attracting them.
Zhao Xuefeng has shared these things with Lin Tian, showing the ugly faces of those Western medicine practitioners chasing money and status.
"Lin Tian! Didn’t you promise me to participate in the speech?"
Zhao Xuefeng was anxious, eyes widened as he glared at Lin Tian furiously.
"Teacher, I don’t like being in the spotlight; I can write the speech for you to present, can’t I?" Lin Tian replied.
"Let me go?" Zhao Xuefeng gestured at himself, "Why?"
"Because giving speeches involves too many troublesome matters, I leave it all to you, and I get to relax." Lin Tian smiled and said.
Zhao Xuefeng paused momentarily, unable to respond for a while, finally pointing at Lin Tian several times, "You, you, your aversion to trouble is just like me."
Hearing these words, Zhao Qingtang was displeased, "You write the speech for my grandpa to read? What makes you qualified?"
"Qingtang, I just mentioned, Lin Tian is on par with me; reading his speech means I gain an advantage." Zhao Xuefeng waved it off, smiling.
"Hmph! I don’t believe it!" Zhao Qingtang puffed her red lips, her stubborn nature surfacing again.
"The medical conference has ten speech slots, are you confident you can get one?" Lin Tian asked softly.
This girl is so young, yet she’s so capable? You must know all the top national medical experts will be there.
"Hmph! Of course, I can get one!"
Zhao Qingtang’s delicate nose was almost skewed in anger! This was the first time someone had underestimated her, does she have any reason not to be upset?
Xu Wan waved her hand, chuckling to mediate, "Lin Tian, you might not know this. Qingtang has been talented in this field since childhood, she works hard, and our old man has trained her since she was young; her level is definitely not low."
"Oh?" Lin Tian took another look at the girl with exquisite features in front of him, she doesn’t look very old, how can she be so impressive, "May I ask... how old are you this year?"
Zhao Qingtang eyed Lin Tian cautiously, asking displeased, "What? Are you trying to hit on me?"
Poof... cough cough...
Lin Tian began coughing right away; he just asked a question, how could she be so narcissistic!
Lin Tian used spiritual qi to clear his throat before asking, "No! I just wanted to know how old you are this year, to achieve so much."
"You’re not trying to hit on me?" Zhao Qingtang was even more dissatisfied; this was evident from the creases in her brows, which were deeply furrowed.