957 The Godly Doctor’s Apprentice
The laboratory was located on the outskirts of the city, surrounded by tall gates and several checkpoints. The guards were all excellent fighters with backgrounds in the military. If it hadn’t been that obvious how serious the Yang and Meng family were about the research yet, this would be a very clear sign.
“We plan to put the drug out at the competition once it’s finished,” Meng Ling explained as they got out of the vehicle. “Once we succeed, we will open a market for our product and make a name for ourselves.”
Yao Tang raised an eyebrow. “What competition?”
Meng Ling looked at her quizzically. “Sister Tang! You are a miracle doctor, how can you not know about this? It’s a competition where scientists register their newly developed medicines, then present them to a panel. They explain the composition and effects of the drug, and then it would be tested on a volunteer whose symptoms correspond to the ones the drug claims to treat. The actual effects will be later recorded and judged, and the drug with the highest efficacy is declared the champion.
It’s a very prestigious and important competition. Even though there is only one winner, the other drugs are still a great contribution to the field of medical science.”
Yao Tang nodded in understanding. The competition was significantly fruitful, indeed. At this point, they had already reached the laboratory building. People wearing white coats and face masks rushed to and fro, wearing similar grim expressions.
An old man, in particular, spotted Meng Ling and walked over. There was a somber look in his eyes. “What are you doing here, Lingling? Just stay put at home and wait patiently. Once the last prototype is ready, we will find someone to test it. It won’t be long until your hand is fully cured.”
“Uncle Zhang,” Meng Ling smiled. “Thank you for your concern, but my hand is actually healed completely. There’s no need for you to rush the medicine.”
Uncle Zhang’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Lingling, you’re not lying to this old man, now, are you?”
“Of course not.” Meng Ling held up her previously injured and. “If you don’t believe me, you can check it for yourself.”
Uncle Zhang was a practitioner of Western medicine. He gingerly took Meng Ling’s hand and examined it with the utmost care, afraid that he might accidentally hurt her.
As the seconds ticked by, however, he finally realized that the girl had told him the truth.
His head jerked up, his eyes twinkling with excitement. “How did this come to be? Who treated your hand?”
He was Meng Ling’s blood uncle, and he knew better than most just how difficult it was to find a cure for his nephew’s hand. His shock was understandable and frankly, to be expected.
Meng Ling glanced at Yao Tang but made no move to mention her. Instead, she said, “It was the Godly Doctor who cured me. I’m afraid he’s a very busy person, though. He left the country as soon as he was done treating me.”
“The Godly Doctor?” Uncle Zhang exclaimed. “The one who is said to be able to cure any disease?”
Yao Tang blinked, bewildered by the old man’s words. When had she ever made such an absurd claim? Her people must have exaggerated things again, no doubt to attract more customers.
Meng Ling only nodded her hand. She didn’t plan to elaborate on the subject. “The doctor was very mysterious, too. I didn’t even get to see what he looked like. But here, Uncle Zhang, I brought his apprentice with me. She is here to help us with the formula, but we need to keep her involvement a secret. We can’t let anybody know of this, especially not the Yang family.”
Only then did the old man notice Yao Tang standing beside his nephew.
“This is the disciple of the great Godly Doctor?” he cried out and peered at Yao Tang. “Why is she so young?”
From what he knew, it took a great deal of time and experience for one to be so knowledgeable and accomplished in medicine. But this… this girl. Why, she was only in her teens!
He was expecting an apprentice of the miracle doctor to at least be a graduate student with multiple fields of medical expertise under their belt.
Meng Ling was at a loss. She had deliberately avoided telling Uncle Zhang that Yao Tang was the Godly Doctor herself because she knew he wouldn’t believe her. To think that he would also doubt Yao Tang’s role as an apprentice!
Yao Tang glanced at Meng Ling’s troubled expression and smiled at Uncle Zhang. “If you don’t believe me, then please allow me to take your pulse. I will assess your body’s condition.”
Her tone was neutral enough, but Uncle Zhang still bristled at her words.
‘This brat is quite arrogant!’
He scoffed and rolled his eyes. “All right, then. Let us see what a promising young disciple of the Godly Doctor has to offer.”