257 No Room for Discussion
When they arrived at their destination, Sang Qianqian did not care about jet lag after a simple rest and headed straight for the place she wanted to go.
The weather here was much colder than in Yuecheng. The streets were cold, and the pedestrians were shuddering in the wind, walking with their heads lowered.
Sang Qianqian had yet to get out of the taxi when she saw a vaguely familiar figure standing in front of the grayish-red building in the distance. She was slightly stunned.
The door of the small building opened just at this moment, and a rough and impatient voice came from inside,
“You again? I’ve told you before, if you’re sick, go to the hospital and find a doctor. I’m in research and I’ve retired decades ago! I can’t treat you, so don’t bother me. Take all your things and don’t come looking for me again!”
Bang! The door slammed shut, and many gift boxes were thrown out. They fell down the steps and scattered on the ground.
The person outside the door stood there for a moment before bending down to pick up the gift boxes on the ground. When he realized that someone else was doing the same thing as her, he subconsciously looked up and saw Sang Qianqian a few steps away. He was stunned.
After going through so much, he thought it would be difficult to see her again, but he did not expect to meet her on the streets of a foreign country.
And this city was once where the two of them studied abroad, and they had so many memories.
A strange and complicated emotion flashed across Xie Shi’an’s eyes. It was hard to tell whether he was happy or sad. “Qianqian, why are you here?”
During this period of time, even though he was not in the country, he would often call the hospital that Sang Qianqian was staying in to ask about her condition.
Half a month ago, he was surprised to find out that Sang Qianqian had woken up and was discharged from the hospital.
He had wanted to give Sang Qianqian a call, but after thinking that she was probably with Shen Hanyu, he did not manage to make the call.
“I also want to ask you the same question.”
Sang Qianqian pa.s.sed the gift box in her hands to him and sized Xie Shi’an up. “You’re looking for Professor Fu’er to ask him to help you treat a patient? Is it for you or for a friend?”
“It can be considered… For a friend. Unfortunately, Professor Fu’er didn’t agree to it.”
Xie Shi’an said in a self-deprecating manner, “The first time I came to see him, he let me in for a moment because of you. After that, he wouldn’t even let me in.”
“Professor Fu’er doesn’t treat people easily, you know that.”
“I know, but I still want to try.”
Xie Shi’an was a little bitter. “This is the last option I have. If it doesn’t work, I can only bring my friend back to the capital.”
Sang Qianqian was silent for a few seconds. She thought of the purpose of her visit. If Professor Fu’er could not help her…
No, no matter what the price was, she had to get what she wanted from Professor Fu’er.
Sang Qianqian pondered for a moment. “Wait for me outside for a while. I’ll go and see Professor Fu’er first. Who knows, he might be willing to let me in like he always did.”
Professor Fu’er was one of the world’s top pharmacology experts, especially in the field of poison. He had made a major breakthrough that could be considered a milestone.
This was also the reason why Sang Qianqian came to find Shen Hanyu immediately after she found out he had been poisoned.
Speaking of which, Sang Qianqian and Professor Fu’er’s meeting back then was rather dramatic.
At that time, she was at the supermarket to buy some daily necessities. On the way back to school, she saw a tall and strong staff pushing a thin Chinese old man out of a bakery by the roadside. He was scolding the latter angrily.
The old man’s clothes were old and worn, and his hair was messy like a chicken nest. He was even angrier than the shop a.s.sistant, and he was mumbling something.
He insisted on entering the shop, but the staff refused to let him in. With a push, the old man lost his balance and fell to the ground, grimacing in pain.
Sang Qianqian went over to help him up and roughly asked for the reason. Only then did she know that the old man had entered the shop to buy bread, but because his clothes were untidy and his appearance was too unkempt, the staff mistook him for a homeless man and did not allow him in. The two of them then had an argument.
Sang Qianqian bought the bread that the old man needed and called a cab for him. After sending him off, she left.
She had thought that they were just acquaintances, and Sang Qianqian did not think much of it after the incident. Who would have thought that a few days later, when the school was holding a celebration forum in the field of medicine and Sang Qianqian was a.s.sisting her teacher in inviting several key guests, she actually saw this old man on the list? only then did she know that he was actually a leading figure in the field of Pharmacology!
She had followed her mentor to personally invite the old man to the conference, and he still remembered her. He had not wanted to attend any medical forums, but he could not stand Sang Qianqian’s constant persuasion and made an exception to attend.
After giving a short speech at the conference, Professor Fu’er ignored the people surrounding him and walked straight toward Sang Qianqian. He ignored the school’s arrangements and insisted on having a meal with Sang Qianqian in the student canteen.
The two of them were about the same age as a grandfather and a granddaughter, but their personalities and interests were surprisingly compatible. Old Professor Fu’er was very happy when he knew this. “Why don’t you stop calling me Professor and call me Grandfather?”
Hence, Sang Qianqian had always addressed him as Grandpa Fu’er.
Knowing that the old man was living alone, Sang Qianqian would visit professor Fu’er every weekend. Sometimes, Xie Shi’an would accompany her.
The first few times, Professor Fu’er refused to let him in, saying that outsiders were not welcome at home.
Xie Shi’an didn’t mind. He just stood outside the courtyard and waited.
After a few times, the old professor still let him in, but his att.i.tude was still not good.
The old professor talked and laughed with Sang Qianqian as he explained his research enthusiastically. As for Xie Shi’an, he treated him like air and could not even remember his name.
There was once when Sang Qianqian was too busy to come over and had asked Xie Shi’an to visit the old professor. The old professor had said, “You’re not Qianqian’s friend. If Qianqian isn’t here, you shouldn’t come here in the future.”
When Xie Shi’an went back, he told Sang Qianqian about this, and Sang Qianqian laughed uncontrollably.
She rarely laughed out loud. That day, her smile was exceptionally bright and beautiful. Xie Shi’an remembered it until now.
—
Thinking of what had happened back then, Xie Shi’an’s mood became more and more complicated. He said in a low voice, “Alright, I’ll have to trouble you then.”
Sang Qianqian nodded her head and knocked on the door of the small courtyard.
The doorbell rang for a long time before it was opened. An unkempt old man with a head full of Einstein’s messy white hair appeared at the door with a furious expression.
The old man’s voice was one step faster than his body as he rushed out of the door. He sounded a little fl.u.s.tered and exasperated. “If you continue to pester me, do you believe that I’ll call-”
As his gaze fell on Sang Qianqian, the old man’s dark gray eyes suddenly widened. The word “call the police” was stuck in his throat, and he was a little incoherent. “Qianqian?”
Sang Qianqian smiled. “It’s me, Grandpa Fu’er.”
“You’ve finally appeared. Come in quickly, come in quickly!”
Professor Fu’er excitedly opened the door and welcomed Sang Qianqian into the house.
Ten minutes later, the smile on the old professor’s face disappeared as he found out why Sang Qianqian had come. He looked at her with a serious expression and said,
“So, you also want me to treat a patient?”
“I’m not here to ask you to treat someone, I just want to ask for the antidote’s formula.”
Sang Qianqian knew that this request was a little demanding, but she had no choice but to ask.
She said earnestly, “Grandfather, that person, he’s really important to me…”
“What does it have to do with me whether he’s important to you or not?”
Professor Fu’er’s face darkened. “I was wondering why you suddenly appeared. So you have a request. I can help you with other things, but there’s no room for discussion on this!”