A Valiant Life

Wu You Lan was a little unwilling when she saw the news. “Brother Lin, do you really think you won’t get the award?”

Lin Fan replied with a smile, “Why are you caring about that? There’s no need to think about it. If I won’t get it, then so be it.”

Just as he was talking to Wu You Lan, Zhao Ming Qing’s call came.

As Lin Fan’s student, Zhao Ming Qing was naturally elated that his teacher had been nominated for the Nobel Prize, so he immediately called to ask about it.

However, when Lin Fan said that he wouldn’t receive the award this time, Zhao Ming Qing seemed to be in disbelief. After all, he felt that if his teacher didn’t receive it, there was no one else among the nominees whose achievements could compare to his teachers.

To him, it seemed that his teacher was just saying these things because he was humble.

After chatting with Zhao Ming Qing on the phone, Lin Fan received several more calls from other good friends who congratulated him.

After all, the leukemia prescription incident was something that everybody knew about, not only within the country but even overseas.

And Lin Fan responded to those calls one by one. Eventually, he stopped saying that he wouldn’t receive the award. Since everyone felt that he would receive it, he just acted as if it was possible that he might receive it.

A few days later, an invitation letter came.

But Lin Fan just tossed the invitation letter into the drawer, pretending that it didn’t exist.

In a certain state in America.

Hall was in the hospital, accompanying his wife by her side. Most days, he would come to the hospital after working in the research lab. Looking at his wife on the sickbed, his weathered eyes were filled with affection and love. It was the same love he had had for his wife when they had been young.

When the nurses saw the scene in the ward, they envied the love between the two of them. They hadn’t seen this kind of situation in a long time.

After staying at the hospital for a while, Hall left the ward and started walking to the hospital exit. He decided to go to the cafe that had been opened by his old friend and spend some time in quiet isolation.

He wondered when he had started becoming so depressed after discovering his wife’s illness.

Most of the time, he would be in the research lab. Perhaps he didn’t want to see his wife suffering.

As he was walking inside the hospital, the doctors who saw him were all very respectful.

“Professor Hall, hello.”

Hall would put on a thin smile to face them.

The cafe.

When Hall reached, the shop owner, who was Hall’s friend, Jimmy, patted him on the shoulder. “My old buddy, what would you like today?”

“Get me a cup of coffee.”

“No problem.”

Very soon, the coffee came. Jimmy sat facing him. “Buddy, don’t think too much about it.”

“Thank you,” said Hall.

“Congratulations on being nominated for the Nobel Prize in Medicine. I think you’ll definitely receive the award,” said Jimmy with a smile. He felt very proud of this friend of his.

Hall didn’t seem to care much about it. What he cared more about was his wife. But it was depressing. Even though he was a medical researcher, he couldn’t help to treat his wife’s illness.

At that moment, workers were moving things into the shop opposite the cafe which had just been renovated.

Jimmy realized that Hall was looking at them. He smiled and explained, “This is a newly-opened Chinese medicine shop. I think that I’ll probably have to smell that awful smell of Chinese medicine while I make my aromatic coffee in future.”

Hall shook his head. “A Chinese medicine shop. That’s medicine from China. This school of medicine is controversial because no one can prove its legitimacy scientifically.”

Jimmy didn’t understand much about this but he responded, “It’s just an outdated and crude form of medical treatment.”

Suddenly.

Jimmy realized that Hall was ignoring him and had no idea what was going on. “Hall, what is it? What are you thinking about?”

*Clatter!*

Hall stood up immediately and, with a furious look on his face, he opened the door and left.

“B*stards.”

Jimmy was stunned. He had no idea what had happened but he chased after him. He knew that this old buddy of his had been stressed and acting abnormally since his wife had contracted the illness.

The Chinese medicine shop.

The owner was a Chinese man. At that moment, he was directing the workers on where to place the items. When he saw someone come in, he said apologetically, “I’m sorry, we are arranging our items right now. We aren’t open yet. Please come back tomorrow.”

*Bam!*

Just as he said that, Hall slammed the poster that had been placed outside the door onto the table.

“Hey you, don’t you know that you’re scamming people?” Hall bellowed furiously. He was so angry that his face had turned red.

The owner was startled. “My dear guest, what do you mean? Why am I scamming people?”

Hall pointed at the advertisement. “Look, what are you saying? Leukemia can be cured using Chinese medicine treatment? That’s a blatant lie!”

When the owner saw that, he instantly understood. “My dear guest, that is not a lie. It’s the truth. Leukemia can already be cured. The developer of this prescription is a Chinese medicine master from China.”

“That’s rubbish. Hall is a scientist who is nominated for the Nobel Prize in Medicine. If leukemia can be cured, how could he not know?” Jimmy yelled as he entered. Although he was quite old, his eyes were full of vigor.

The owner was taken aback. “Nobel Prize in Medicine? Master Lin, who developed this prescription, has been nominated as well. I think you’ll be able to see him.”

“How can that be…?” Jimmy couldn’t believe it.

The owner felt helpless. He had opened this shop planning to use that as his flagship product. He wanted to take advantage of a problem that existed in the area. The results of research in China hadn’t been spread outside of the country. Over here, there were very few Chinese medicine shops, so he thought that his shop would definitely become very popular.

But he hadn’t expected to come across such trouble. All he could do was try to explain things to them.

…

One month later.

On the Internet.

“I’ve received a place in the broadcast for this year’s Nobel Prize Award Ceremony. I’ll be able to watch it on the Internet.”

“I’ve been waiting in front of the computer for a long time now. I wonder if Master Lin will be there.”

“Of course he will. If he doesn’t go, how will he receive his prize?”

“That’s true. This year’s Nobel Prize in Medicine will definitely go to Master Lin.”

“That’s not right. Go and look at Weibo. Master Lin isn’t even going.”

Weibo.

Lin Fan had posted a selfie. It was a photo of himself acting cute in the shop.

Then, the comments came. The netizens erupted.

“F*ck. Is this for real? Master Lin, are you trying to overturn the sky? Have you given up on the award?”

“My God. F*cking awesome. He’s f*cking awesome.”

“I’m already thinking about the moment when they call Master Lin’s name and he’s not there. How shocking would that be?”

“I can only say that I am in awe. Even if he won’t get the award, he’d definitely have received the invitation letter. Who on Earth would choose not to go?”

“Haha, Master Lin is just so domineering. He wouldn’t go just because he’s invited.”