Chapter Forty-Eight: Seeking a Mentor

After discovering this, Yan Heru was unsure whether she should feel happy or sad.

Now, she could be certain that her medical skills were among the very best in this world. While she didn’t dare claim to be the foremost physician here, she was confident that, in the eyes of the people, she could easily rank among the top ten. That alone was a staggering achievement—top ten! And in a society where men were valued over women, what did such a position mean for someone like her? The implications were self-evident.

It was entirely possible that she was now the most highly regarded woman in this world. This had been her goal all along, yet now that it was within reach, it felt dreamlike—almost unreal.

“All right, all right, I’ve already given instructions to prepare everything for the apprenticeship ceremony. My dear disciple, just wait quietly here. Are you hungry? If you are, I’ll have something prepared for you,” the director said, returning quickly.

“Ah… I’m not hungry, thank you, Director,” Yan Heru replied.

“Why are you still calling me Director? You should be calling me Master now—well, the ceremony hasn’t officially started yet. If you’d prefer to wait until after the ceremony, that’s fine too,” the director said, beaming at her.

But as he smiled, his expression suddenly turned stern. He turned to Han Xingzhou, who was standing off to the side, and said impatiently, “Why are you still standing here? Did you forget that you’re on duty today? Get to the main hall and see your patients!”

“Oh, right.” Han Xingzhou hurried away.

Watching the two of them, Yan Heru felt her days ahead would be filled with color and excitement. She found herself looking forward to what might happen after she became the director’s disciple.

Although she might now be the most prominent woman in terms of status, she couldn’t rely solely on her medical prowess. She had no real reputation yet—apart from the director, no one had discovered her talents. She would still have to earn her own name.

“Director, everything you asked for the apprenticeship ceremony has been prepared. Shall we begin now?” A young girl in a pink dress entered the room.

The director promptly stood up, finally taking his attention off Yan Heru, which allowed her to breathe a sigh of relief.

“Of course, now is the time. Let’s go,” he said.

The director led Yan Heru to the site of the ceremony. She had expected, given the director’s haste, that preparations would be haphazard and incomplete. But upon arrival, she found the apprenticeship ceremony was anything but improvised—everything was perfectly arranged.

“Ru’er, after today’s ceremony, you will be my disciple. From now on, no one will dare bully you. If anyone tries, just tell me and I’ll chase them to the ends of the earth if I must!” the director declared.

Yan Heru bit her lower lip and nodded.

She could sense that, beyond his appreciation for her talent, there was a trace of genuine affection in the director’s heart. Though faint, it was enough to warm her entire soul.

“Yes, Master,” she replied.

The ceremony began promptly, and Yan Heru felt not the slightest hint of perfunctoriness—the director’s arrangements were meticulous.

When the ceremony ended, the director immediately instructed the attendants, “Spread the word about today’s event. This old man now has a disciple—and a delicate young woman at that! Make sure everyone hears about it. Anyone who dares to trouble her will answer to me!”

“Yes, sir,” the attendants replied before leaving.

Yan Heru glanced up at the sky. After all the commotion, it was growing late. She wasn’t worried about returning to the Royal Palace a little later, but Cen Changjing, that troublesome woman, was still there, and Yan Heru preferred not to give her any reason to stir up trouble.

So, when things were settled, Yan Heru said to the director, “Master, it’s getting late. I should return home. If you need anything, I’ll come early tomorrow.”

The director nodded. “Very well. In fact, you don’t need to come early—just come whenever you have time. You’re young, and a woman at that, so your clinic hours won’t be long—just half an hour a day.”

“Thank you, Master.”

“From now on, it will depend on your performance. The more trust you earn, the more time you’ll be given in the clinic. As my disciple, you can skip the apprentice and third-class physician ranks and start as a second-class physician. In fact, you could have been promoted directly to special-class physician, but because of your age and gender, you’ll begin as a second-class physician,” the director explained.

Yan Heru nodded. She had no objections to this arrangement; the physician’s rank meant little to her—she simply wanted to practice medicine here.

Her skills had been formidable in the modern world, but since arriving here, she hadn’t had much chance to study or improve. She didn’t know the kinds of illnesses people here suffered, nor whether their treatments matched those of her previous world. That was why she wanted to consult in the clinic.

Here, seeing patients was the quickest and most direct way to learn about the people’s conditions. It would also help her build her reputation. As her name spread, she could gradually establish her own network of connections.

“Go on, then. It’s getting late. Oh, and take this medical text. Study it when you have time—no rush to return it,” the director said, taking an ancient-looking book from his bag and handing it to Yan Heru.

At first glance, Yan Heru was astonished. This was the very book she had been searching for. The medical text she’d unintentionally acquired in the modern world had been only a fragment, missing several sections. The book the director now handed her had the exact same title and cover design as her incomplete volume from before.

In the lower left corner, it was marked as the “Second Volume”—this was the missing part of her original book.

Though excitement surged in her heart, Yan Heru did not immediately accept the book. She looked up at the director and asked, “Master… may I really borrow this?”

The director smiled and nodded. “I’m offering it to you myself. Don’t you trust me?”