"I'll be honest—I've watched your teacher do acupuncture before," Ni Sheng said, his brow knitting slightly. "Professor He has quite a few quirks. Whenever Professor Mu came by, he'd occasionally give him a couple of needles."
"To be frank, your teacher…" Ni Sheng paused, choosing his words carefully. "Her needling technique is rather slow, and her fingers aren't as dexterous as yours."
Shu Lanzhou allowed herself a small smile. "Technique and speed aren't always proportional. My teacher knows every method I use; it's just that, for one reason or another, she can't match my pace."
"That's exactly why this field needs a constant influx of new talent!"
Ni Sheng shook his head skeptically. "Is that really the reason?"
"And what do you think, Team Leader Ni?" Shu Lanzhou asked, her tone half-teasing.
Ni Sheng waved a hand. "If I were a decade younger, I might buy that line, but I've been at the institute far too long to be so easily convinced. Actually, back in the day, Professor Mu didn't choose your teacher as the heir. It was only after the Mu family ran into trouble that she was thrust into that role…"
He hesitated. "Don't think I'm trying to drive a wedge between master and disciple—I'm just curious. The Mu family's affairs are far more tangled than what you see on the surface."
"You, Shu Lanzhou, are a rare talent. You've got a bright future, and your grasp of cytology is excellent. I only worry that on some issues you should pause and think before deciding."
Shu Lanzhou laughed softly. "I know you mean well, Ni Sheng, but whether or not my teacher was the original inheritor of Mu-style medicine, I myself will be its new heir."
"I have no intention of giving up cytology, and I will devote every ounce of energy to acupuncture as well. To me, these two disciplines have never been a choice between one or the other."
Ni Sheng chuckled. "That's me overthinking things. With your abilities, you have nothing to worry about."
"Although there's not much I could teach you," he added, "if you ever run into trouble, feel free to come to me. I might not 'teach,' but we can certainly discuss things together."
Shu Lanzhou smiled in return. "I still have lots to learn from you, Team Leader Ni—thank you."
"Actually, there's one favor I need to ask of you," she continued, pursing her lips. "Once our experiment succeeds, I don't want anyone outside the team to know I was involved."
Ni Sheng blinked. "You want me to take credit for your work?"
"Not exactly," Shu Lanzhou replied, her lips twitching. "My name—and my teacher's—will of course appear on the joint researchers list. If the project succeeds, every member of the team deserves credit. How could you be 'stealing' my achievement?"
Ni Sheng frowned. "But that key experimental idea was yours. How could I present it as my own? That wouldn't be fair to you."
It reminded him of how Yi Ming's experiments had advanced their research—and how Shu Lanzhou had given all the praise to Yi Ming, taking none for herself. That had caused a minor stir online, but that was another story…
And now she wanted to hand over this credit, too. He really didn't understand her thinking.
Shu Lanzhou laughed softly. "It's not a matter of fairness. I'm only a first-year graduate student; piling too many honors on me would become a burden."
"My capability," she continued, "is not measured by adding or removing a name from the project credits."
"Besides," she said, "I am already the Mu-style medicine heir. I have no need for more titles. The more I concern myself with them, the more I expose myself to public scrutiny."
"I'm still young; I don't want fame or gossip distracting me from my work. I'd rather earn recognition at the proper time, with the right background."
"Does that make sense, Team Leader Ni? Will you help me?"
At last, Ni Sheng understood. "All right. You want to hide the extent of your involvement so nobody doubts you're too young or inexperienced. I get it."
"It's partly because of Han Weicheng and that scandal with his student," he went on. "After their mess blew up, everybody knows Han Weicheng's only goal was to promote his protégé. When it came to light, he even blamed her. What a scoundrel."
"But you're different. You truly have the talent. Why should we fear scrutiny when you have skill to back you up?"
Shu Lanzhou shook her head. "Titles aren't important. I don't need to be in the spotlight, fielding rumors. If my work benefits medicine, that's enough. Those who need to know will know; the rest can stay uninformed."
Ni Sheng nodded. "If that's your wish, I'll help. The Mu family has always been low-key—this is the right approach."
…
Having convinced Ni Sheng, Shu Lanzhou felt relieved. As heir to Mu-style traditional medicine, she couldn't let her cytology work steal her thunder. After all, that field belonged to her past life. Now her heart and mind were fully devoted to Mu-style medicine. And she vowed to achieve something truly remarkable here.
A few days later, the institute issued a notice.
Lin Jiayi had been arrested for domestic violence against Lin Muyao. The institute was forcing her resignation and dismissing her from all duties. The deputy-director position was temporarily vacant.
Both Zhou Yan and Shi Yong immediately eyed the post. The old director declared the new deputy would be chosen from among current project leaders, evaluated on research progress and achievements.
In other words, the group whose work contributed most to the institute would have the best shot at deputy director.
Word of this spread like wildfire—Shi Yong and the others practically ran to their labs, brimming with renewed energy.
By contrast, He Xin's team maintained its steady pace, proceeding methodically with their experiments.
Summer break arrived once more. Shu Lanzhou was about to enter her second year as a graduate student. Yi Ming's paper series had finished publication and reportedly won an award; he'd just returned with the prize money.
Feeling generous, Yi Ming booked two tables at the city's most luxurious hotel, inviting the entire team to celebrate.
Shu Lanzhou changed into her evening dress and stepped out of her room. Mu Side fetched her shoes. "Why aren't you wearing your necklace? I'll go get it."
"I'll help you put it on!" Mu Side produced the necklace, leaned in, and fastened it around her neck. As he drew back, Shu Lanzhou slipped her arm around his waist and nestled against him.
"Thank you… husband."
Mu Side froze, lowering his head as his eyes lit up. "What did you just call me?"
"'Husband'—right?" Shu Lanzhou tilted her head, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes.
Seizing the moment while he was still stunned, she stood on tiptoe and brushed a kiss across his lips. "Hurry up or we'll be late."
With that, she slipped from his arms and dashed out the door.
Mu Side couldn't help but smile. He straightened his tie and took a deep breath—he'd been waiting to hear that word ever since they got their marriage certificate, counting the days.
Whether she'd forgotten or simply never considered it, he didn't know—but as soon as she unexpectedly called him "husband," it felt as if she'd rehearsed it in her heart a thousand times.