Chapter 719: Returning to the Alma Mater

Chapter 719: Chapter 719: Returning to the Alma Mater

"Jintai Company has been doing well with the delaying solution recently, and you’ve expanded your distribution channels. That’s great. But..."

Li Xu paused. "The ’Promoting Birth Formula’ is fundamentally different from the delaying solution. It involves actual physical changes to human organs and even delves into the deep end of cell regeneration and endocrine regulation."

"This is no longer in the simple category of a health supplement. It’s a prescription drug with the potential to completely disrupt the entire field of andrology."

"Therefore, I can’t possibly hand this formula over to you."

Li Xu’s words poured cold water on Luo Sha’s fervent hopes.

Luo Sha opened his mouth, wanting to argue his case, but seeing the look in Li Xu’s eyes that left no room for negotiation, he could only sigh in dejection.

He knew in his heart that Li Xu was right.

Jintai Company was just a health supplement manufacturer; it simply lacked the qualifications, resources, and experience for the R&D, clinical trials, and registration of a prescription drug.

Trying to take on this project would be biting off more than they could chew, and it would be their undoing.

"But don’t be discouraged." Li Xu softened the blow. "If there are new formulas suitable for the health supplement market in the future, we can still work together."

Only then did Luo Sha manage to force a smile, nodding repeatedly in agreement.

After settling things with Luo Sha,

Li Xu turned to Ding Kaifang.

"Ding’s Pharmaceutical Factory has complete R&D, quality control, and clinical trial application teams. Plus, you’re already on file with the provincial and national regulatory agencies, so you know the procedures best."

"I need you to assemble a team immediately and form a dedicated task force. Step one: apply for a patent to protect this traditional Chinese medicine invention. Step two: find volunteers from the andrology departments of major hospitals. You must strictly adhere to the national standards for new drug clinical trials and conduct a large-sample, double-blind, randomized controlled trial."

"Only with iron-clad data can we properly and legitimately bring it to market."

Ding Kaifang nodded. "No problem."

Ding’s Pharmaceutical Factory had done this sort of thing many times before.

It was familiar territory.

There wouldn’t be any surprises.

"Doctor Li, I’ll be taking my leave now."

Daoist Sun came over to say his goodbyes.

Not only was his ailment cured, he’d even had the unexpected fortune of a "second puberty." The past few days had been more surreal than the last twenty years of his life combined.

"Go on. Don’t overexert yourself."

Li Xu waved with a smile.

After thanking him profusely, Daoist Sun left the clinic, head held high and chest puffed out.

...

「The next day.」

Li Xu went to the City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine for his consultations.

The morning clinic was as busy as ever.

By a little after two in the afternoon, the number of patients had dwindled somewhat.

Just as Li Xu was about to take a sip of water and have a short break, the door to his office was pushed open.

It wasn’t a patient who walked in, but a middle-aged man in a light gray jacket.

"Li Xu, long time no see."

the middle-aged man said with a smile.

Li Xu froze.

The man looked somewhat familiar.

But he couldn’t quite place the name.

"I’m from the academic affairs office of Feng City Medical College. My surname is Liang."

Director Liang was all smiles. "Dr. Li, I’ve heard so much about you! I apologize for the intrusion, but I’ve come to ask for a favor."

’Feng City Medical College?’

’My alma mater.’

Li Xu took the business card and glanced at it. He was indeed the director of the academic affairs office.

"You’re too kind, Director Liang. Please, just call me by my name. How can I help you?"

Director Liang rubbed his hands together. "Well, it’s like this. Dr. Li, you’re quite the celebrity in Feng City’s medical community now. Not only are your skills superb—you’ve cured many difficult and complex cases—but you’ve also spearheaded major reforms here at the Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine."

"The faculty and students at our medical college have all heard of your incredible achievements. The current students, in particular, see you as a role model."

"So, the college would like to formally invite you back to your alma mater to give a special lecture to the students. You could share your clinical experience and insights. I was wondering if you, Dr. Li, would do us the honor?"

’Give a lecture at my alma mater?’

Li Xu paused, taken aback.

To be honest, he had complicated feelings about his alma mater.

When he was a student, although his grades were good, his reserved personality meant he didn’t attract much attention.

Furthermore, he’d had a rather unpleasant falling out with his supervising professor, Xue Shuheng, over some academic disagreements.

"Director Liang, I... don’t think that’s such a good idea."

Li Xu declined tactfully. "I only graduated three years ago. I’m still too green. What qualifications do I have to lecture students? That’s a job for the senior professors and experts."

Actually, the college had originally intended to have Xue Shuheng extend the invitation, since he and Li Xu knew each other.

But because of their past conflict, Xue Shuheng absolutely refused to swallow his pride and make the call.

So, Director Liang had no choice but to come himself.

"Come now, Dr. Li, ’whoever is skilled can be a teacher.’ In medicine, it’s real ability that counts, not seniority," Director Liang urged. "You’ve cut your teeth in local clinics and are now a pillar of the Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. That wealth of practical experience is precisely what students who only know how to cram from textbooks are missing."

Director Liang pressed his case enthusiastically.

Li Xu wasn’t one to be pretentious.

Besides, it was his alma mater. The chance to go back and point the way for underclassmen who were still lost was a way of giving back.

"...Alright. I’ll do my best to prepare."

In the end, Li Xu agreed.

"That’s wonderful! We’ll schedule it for two o’clock tomorrow afternoon. I’ll head back and make the arrangements right away."

Director Liang was overjoyed.

...

「That evening.」

Hu Qiming found out while having a late-night snack with Li Xu and immediately shared the news in their old class group chat.

"Hey guys, Li Xu is going back to our alma mater tomorrow afternoon to give a lecture. It’s an official invitation."

The moment he sent the message, the group chat exploded with activity.

Miaoli: "Holy shit? For real? It’s only been three years since graduation and he’s already getting treated like a guest professor?"

Jiang Peng: "That’s badass! Invited back by our alma mater to give a lecture just three years after graduation... He’s gotta be the first in the history of our medical college, right? He’s really done our graduating class proud."

Li Baojie: "Sigh, I’m so jealous. I really want to go back and see Brother Xu in all his glory, but my department has grand rounds tomorrow. I can’t get away."

"Seriously! We’re all still miserable grunts pulling all-nighters writing up patient charts, and he’s already back at our alma mater, holding court. Comparisons are just brutal."

The chat was filled with a mix of laments and envy.

Meanwhile, Li Lin, Wang Yue, and the other interns at the City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine also heard the news through other channels.

"Yue, Dean Li is going to the college to give a lecture tomorrow."

Li Lin sent a voice message in the interns’ group chat.

Wang Yue replied with an eye-roll emoji: "I know. It’s a shame we’re on duty in the wards tomorrow afternoon. We can’t go."

"We have to ask for leave. We have to," Li Lin said without hesitation. "Even if I get yelled at by the director, I’m sneaking out to attend that lecture. This is a rare learning opportunity."

...

「The following day, 1:30 PM.」

Feng City Medical College. General Classroom Building, multi-purpose seminar room.

Unlike a tiered lecture hall that could hold hundreds, this lecture was arranged in a more upscale seminar room.

Instead of cold rows of seats, long tables were arranged to form a large, hollow square.

The students sat around the tables, each with a microphone in front of them.

At the front of the room were a huge, high-definition display screen and a lectern.

This setup closed the distance between the speaker and the audience, feeling more like an academic salon than a formal lecture.