Yan Xun blushed instantly. As a very famous doctor, he surely knew that this kind of parasite had an incubation period and its focuses of infection were mostly in the lower limbs, but it did not mean that other parts were absolutely free from them.
Focuses of infection could also appear in the upper limbs. Moreover, if filariae parasitized in the lymphatic vessels of the scrotum, they would cause symptoms such as spermatic corditis, epididymitis, orchitis, and so on.
Yan Hao was too conceited, thinking that focuses of infection had only appeared in the left leg, so he did not carefully examine the entire body of the patient before announcing that the patient had been cured. Indeed, this was irresponsible.
But Ding Ning’s aggressive manner made him feel very unhappy. He clearly knew that Yan Hao’s action was not correct, but he still had a fluke and said coldly, “I’m not an able old man, but I have been a doctor for so many years. I reexamined the patient just now, but did not find focuses of infection from other parts of him.”
“I think you are afraid that you can’t cure your patient and can’t afford to lose, so you slander me on purpose. My grandpa has reexamined the patient, and it’s impossible for him to have filariae anymore. As a young man only in your early 20s, you can never have higher medical skills than my grandpa. If you are not convinced, how about making a bet?”
Like having taken drugs, Yan Hao jumped and cried out because he believed his grandfather, absolutely. “Since my grandpa says that he hasn’t found focuses of infection, that won’t be wrong.”
Yan Xun almost spat blood out of fury and cursed inwardly, “Bastard, you’ve brought me trouble. I only wanted to bet on luck, but since you said so, if Ding Ning finds other focuses of infection, I will die of shame.”
However, he could only pretend to be carefree and calm in the eyes of the crowd, but he felt so much bitterness in his heart. “Grandson, you are a troublemaker and has made trouble for me!”
“Oh, what kind of bet?”
Ding Ning smiled in his mind. “Others give their fathers trouble, while, Yan Hao, you give your grandpa trouble!
“Since you’ve come to pick holes in me and Yan Xun backs you up strongly, I won’t show you mercy.”
“If you can still find other filariae from the patient, I lose; if you can’t, I win.”
Yan Hao’s eyes glinted with the light of smartness. “Finally, I got an opportunity to vent the terrible distress I’ve borne tonight. Ding Ning, I will let you kneel before me to admit that you are not as good as me.”
“Uh…I’m a perfect young man. I never gamble, and gambling is not good.”
Ding Ning said slowly, with an awkward expression.
Seeing his awkward expression, Yan Hao was surer that Ding Ning was not certain at all if he was correct. Afraid that he would not be lured, he said hurriedly, “We won’t gamble.”
“Then what kind of bet?”
Ding Ning faked a perfect dazed expression.
“If I lose, I will kneel and kowtow to you three times and shout ‘I’m not as good as you’ three times, and I will stay away from you when I see you in the future, and vice versa. Do you have the guts?”
Paying no attention to Yan Xun who kept signaling him with his eyes, Yan Hao stared at Ding Ning and provoked him in an excited trembling tone, as if he had seen Ding Ning kneel before him in a wretched look.
As these words were said, the site was instantly in an uproar, and everyone’s look at Ding Ning changed. “This little guy is so vicious, and he wants to destroy Ding Ning.”
No one did not cherish his reputation in the medical world. It was normal for the two people to compete for medical skills. No matter who won or lost, this would become an interesting topic for others.
If this wager was added, the nature of it would change completely—they were betting with their future, and they would fall into an irreconcilable situation. The only words he had not directly said were “Get out of the medical world.”
No matter who lost, the person would be too ashamed to show himself in public, and his confidence and dignity would be completely trampled on, let alone practicing medicine.
Even if Mr. Jiang and Executive Jiang were very confident in Ding Ning, they could not help feeling nervous at the moment. After a cough, Mr. Jiang was about to say something but was interrupted by Yan Hao, who thought that the situation would change if it was postponed. “Ding Ning, if you are a real man, let’s make this bet, but if you think you are a man without balls, let’s forget it.”
Ding Ning’s eyes glinted with the light of coldness. Initially, Yan Hao provoked him because he was instigated, and Ding Ning decided to end it only by teaching him a lesson, but this bastard even dared to use a man’s dignity to force him.
This was not a joke. Whether he had a cock or not was none of his business, but where was this? This was Shengzeyuan in Yan Jing.
If he did not accept this wager as the crowd watched him, he believed that this news would be spread to the whole world instantly. No one knew what kinds of rumors those idlers online would be spreading.
“Ahem, ahem…Hao’er, such a wager…”
Yan Xun was anxious. Although he was not sure if Ding Ning had found focuses of infection from the patient or he was making a show, but such a wager was too much, and he did not dare to bet. If Yan Hao lost, he would never have the chance to inherit his legacy. This was never a situation he was willing to see, so he made a sound hurriedly, hoping to free the two parties from embarrassment.
“I would have wanted to give you a way out, but since you strongly want to ruin yourself, let me make your wish fulfilled. I accept the bet.”
Completely infuriated, Ding Ning did not give Yan Xun the chance and interrupted him directly and said firmly, “Please all seniors here be my witnesses in case someone denies what he said if he loses.”
All the TCM masters looked at one another, but did not know how to reply. Although the arrogant speech Ding Ning made just now made them very unhappy, he had been treating them politely.
Compared with Ding Ning, Yan Hao, who belittled everyone, was more annoying, but although they hated Yan Hao, they knew that his medical skills were very good. As his seniors, they were more willing to see many excellent doctors, not only one outstanding person.
So, they fell into distress, not hoping to see either of the two rising new stars in the medical world disappear, leading to the silence of the site.
“Surnamed Ding, don’t dawdle, and so many people are watching you. Even if these old guys don’t want to serve as your witnesses, lots of people are willing.”
Yan Hao was so excited that his eyeballs became bloodshot, and he did not want to see that Ding Ning was persuaded by these old guys and had the idea of retreating. He must drive him into an impasse, and then his hatred could be vented. “If you don’t dare to bet, just admit you are a woman. Shake your hips and have a belly dance, and I will let you off.”
Zhao Zifeng finally saw hope. Although Yan Hao had disappointed him, he believed Yan Xun’s medical skills, absolutely.
Seeing that Yan Hao had driven Ding Ning into such a situation, he did not want to let Ding Ning off, though he was very afraid of the pieces of evidence about his secrets Ding Ning had.
There was a grim look in his eyes. “What’s the point of having pieces of evidence about my secrets? As long as you don’t get out of my sight, I will ask a gang of people to kidnap you tonight. Then, I don’t believe you won’t hand them over to me.”
The opportunity was just at hand, and he never hoped to see Ding Ning go back on his word under the advice of Mr. Jiang and his companions. Instantly, he winked at his allies.
His lackeys, who did not know that Ding Ning had pieces of evidence about their boss’s secrets, had been restraining their anger all night and finally found a chance to vent their anger. One of them immediately walked over and said, “Although I’m not a member of the medical world, I am qualified to be a witness, right?”
“Me too. I’m also willing to be a witness.”
“Me too. I’m also willing to be a witness and make sure that the bet will go smoothly, and no one will dare to repudiate the debt.”
…
These Yan Jing dignitaries walked over and said that they would be witnesses, which caused an uproar.
“That is Third Childe of the Chen Family, right?”
“Childe Kang of the Sun Family.”
“First Miss of the Wei Family.”
“Childe Bao of the Liu Family.”
“They all seem to be Zhao Zifeng’s playmates, right?”
“That’s right. How strange! Why do they all come out to be witnesses?”
“Childes of powerful families really don’t have anything to do, and it’s normal for them to be the witnesses!”
…
As the murmurs of the crowd were spread, Ding Ning soon learned their identities and glanced sideways at Zhao Zifeng‘s face, where there was an uncontrollable smile. Instantly, he gave a meaningful smile.
“Be a witness, right? I like this role. Count me in.”
Wei Biaobiao strode forward and said heroically. He was a little worried about Ding Ning, but seeing that all the witnesses were Zhao Zifeng’s companions, he did not think that it was good. “Who knows what trick they will play?”
“Count me in. I am always known as the Little Honest Gentleman.”
Seeing that Wei Biaobiao had shown his attitude, Li Zhe naturally followed suit.
“I’m Huzi. Count me in.”
“Also count me in.”
“Me too.”
…
As Huzi and his companies stepped forward, those who volunteered to be the witnesses almost reached 30 in a short while, and all of them consisted of the renowned Childes and ladies from the rich and powerful families of Yan Jing.
Mr. Jiang and his companions shook their heads with wry smiles. They did not want to be the witnesses, not because they were afraid of anyone, but that they did not want to see the fall of a promising youth of the field of traditional Chinese medicine. That would be a great loss for the field of traditional Chinese medicine.
But this matter had reached the current situation, which was not what they wanted and was beyond their abilities to change, so they could only look carefully before taking each step.
In fact, Yan Hao had been aggressive, while Ding Ning had been defending himself passively. Thus, they subconsciously preferred Ding Ning, hoping that he could win.
They thought so, but apart from a few, most people did not think that Ding Ning would win and could not help heaving sighs sadly. After all, Yan Xun, who had a high reputation and real ability, had taken the pulse of that patient but had not found any problem, while Ding Ning had not touched that patient at all and only relied on his conjecture, so the odds of his winning were really slim.
“Ding Ning, you are not bad and can be counted as a man, but I hope that you can fulfill your betting agreement when you lose in a while; otherwise, since so many witnesses are not here for a show, tut-tut, I even have some sympathy for you!”
Seeing that the general situation had been set and no one would stop them, Yan Hao laughed arrogantly.
Ding Ning showed disdain at the corner of his mouth. “Yan Hao, you had better have sympathy for yourself.”
“Humph, keep talking like this, but let me see if you can still keep doing so in a while.”
There was resentment in his eyes, but the joy of having taken revenge appeared on his face.
Not feeling like talking more with him, Ding Ning came to the panic-stricken patient with a few quick steps and said gently, “Don’t be nervous. You will be fine very soon.”
“He is fine, okay? You don’t have to say…”
Yan Hao, who was afraid that Ding Ning would play tricks and came over, suddenly stopped talking before finishing the words full of ridicule, and his proud smile froze on his face, and he had an expression that he seemed to have met a ghost and widened his mouth in disbelief as if he had been frozen.
Ding Ning torn apart the patient’s T-shirt violently, revealed his armpit, and pushed aside the black hair, and then a red line was vaguely shown.
Yan Xun looked ashen as if he had aged for decades in an instant, and he staggered. If he had not been supported by Yan Ping in time, he would have almost fallen and fainted.
His good reputation of a lifetime had been ruined instantly. If it was only his reputation that had been ruined, that was not a big deal. At most, he could move to another place to start over, but it was the life of his grandson whom he had painstakingly cultivated and had high expectations of that had been destroyed with his, and he could not accept it at all. So anxious, he passed out.
“Father, wake up, wake up.”
Yan Ping shook Yan Xun in his arms panickily and screamed and cried at the top of his voice.
