Yes, if it were truly for Simon Sun's good, then Serena Feng ought to agree to the Master of the Mystic Healer Valley's proposal. But she simply couldn't. Even if she fell short in many ways, even if she couldn't compare to the Valley Master, she still couldn't do it.
Under the Valley Master's relentless pressure, Serena took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and pressed down the shame and self-blame in her heart.
When she opened her eyes again, Serena's gaze was resolute, meeting the Valley Master's eyes without flinching. She said firmly, "Valley Master, you're not wrong. I don't have your skills and can't give Simon as much as you can, but I will do everything in my power to protect him."
"Valley Master, please stop. No matter what you say, I will not agree to dissolve my master-apprentice relationship with Simon. If you came here just to talk about this, I understand now. If there’s nothing else, you may leave. And if possible, please bring Simon here—I need to speak with him."
Serena didn’t want to belittle herself, but whether in reputation or status, she truly couldn’t compare to the Valley Master. So...
She wanted to ask Simon for his opinion. She refused to interfere in someone else's life, even if it was for their own good.
If Simon agreed, she could take a step back—just one step. She didn’t care much about the title of master; what mattered to her was Simon’s future.
Simon had a gift for medicine, but she hoped even more that he could live like an ordinary person, not become a medical fanatic like the Valley Master, whose life revolved around nothing but medicine.
The Valley Master smiled strangely. "Who said Simon is here? What, I didn’t tell you? Simon is in Mystic Healer Valley, studying medicine intently—he has no time to leave."
Unless he dealt with Serena, there was no way he’d let that little doctor out. It was far too dangerous.
"What? You’re saying Simon isn’t here? You kept Simon in Mystic Healer Valley?" Serena’s anger erupted. She didn’t care about respecting elders or masters at this point—she pointed at the Valley Master’s nose and roared.
"Kept? I call it staying. I let him stay in Mystic Healer Valley, and he chose to remain willingly. I didn’t force him. Not to brag, but my Valley’s collection is the best in all Nine Provinces. Simon has only benefits there, no harm. When he leaves, his medical skills will surpass yours." The Valley Master saw Serena’s anger and became even more pleased.
"You—you actually used medical skills to keep Simon there? Don’t you know I need his help today? Get out—get out smoothly, right now! I don’t want to see you." Serena shut her eyes and took a deep breath, afraid she might lose control and pull out a gun to shoot someone...
Simon didn’t come back. Where was she supposed to find a surgical assistant now?
Damn it!
Serena truly wanted to kill someone, and the culprit was the Valley Master. Of course, Ninth Royal Uncle was an accomplice too.
Serena was genuinely furious now. The Valley Master didn’t dare push his luck and promptly, smoothly rolled out. Watching him flee in panic, the shadow guards silently smiled.
What a show.
After the Valley Master stirred up chaos at Feng Manor, he dusted himself off and left, leaving Serena and the servants behind, unable to sleep or rest.
Disturbing people’s sleep before dawn and bringing bad news—definitely an outrageous act. But now that the culprit had been driven away, what else could she do?
Serena sighed, patted her cheeks, and pulled herself together. "Spring, Autumn, come in."
Since she couldn’t sleep, she might as well get up; since she couldn’t find a surgical assistant, she’d rely on herself. She wouldn’t let one accident negate everything she’d prepared. As for Simon...
She’d leave it to Ninth Royal Uncle. He was the one who sent Simon away, so now he’d have to be responsible for bringing him back.
"Miss." The two summoned maids entered timidly under Serena’s powerful aura, not daring to lift their heads.
"I’m fine. Help me change clothes." If only her tone weren’t so stiff, it would be better.
Spring and Autumn stepped forward, trembling. They knew Serena rarely took her anger out on others, but her heavy mood still scared them.
The two maids dressed Serena with unprecedented care and attention, checking repeatedly to make sure there was nothing cumbersome on her that might affect her work.
"Miss, will you have breakfast now?" When Spring and Autumn came in, Summer and Winter had already gone to notify the kitchen staff.
Now that the mistress was up, the servants couldn’t sleep either.
"Let’s talk about breakfast in half an hour." After swallowing a bellyful of anger, Serena had no appetite for breakfast. Seeing Spring and Autumn looking so dispirited, she sent them away and headed for the small clinic cabin.
With Simon unable to come help, she had to arrange the instruments in places where she could easily reach them herself.
She wasn’t so delicate that she couldn’t operate without an assistant. Besides, she still had Jada Tang and Mira Tang around—they knew a little and could help with minor tasks.
"Today’s surgery will definitely go smoothly!"
And it really would go smoothly, because the surgical assistant was about to change from Simon to the Valley Master.
"You? Can you really do what an assistant should?" After anesthetizing Victor Yun, Serena saw the Valley Master in a surgical gown, cleaned up and ready to assist. She looked at him with suspicion.
"Why wouldn’t I? If you don’t believe me, test me." The Valley Master knew some of the surgical protocols—he didn’t slap his chest dramatically, just waved his hands carefully, afraid of contaminating them.
Of course she’d test him. Serena couldn’t just let the Valley Master assist based on his word—she didn’t need more trouble. His medical skills might be top-notch in traditional medicine, but as for Western surgery, he’d never touched it and probably couldn’t even tell the instruments apart.
"Number three scalpel."
"Here."
"Hemostatic forceps."
"Take it."
"Fine tube."
"Electric saw."
...
Just as the Valley Master had claimed, he really was capable of doing everything a surgical assistant should—no less than Simon, who had learned at Serena’s side. Still, having such a renowned medical figure as her assistant made Serena feel a bit pressured.
"How do you know all this?" Serena nodded to the imperial physicians and the doctors from the Wang and Yun families as they came in, signaling Jada Tang to seat them.
The Valley Master was smug. "What’s so hard about it? I’m a medical genius—teach me once and I’ve got it."
"Did Simon teach you?" Serena’s tone was unreadable, but Jada Tang and Mira Tang could tell she wasn’t pleased.
"Yes, yes, just as I said—my apprentice is truly obedient." In fact, the Valley Master wanted to say Simon was rather naive in this area; a little coaxing and he’d teach everything, not knowing how to hold back or guard against others.
Only someone like him could accept everything so easily. If it were anyone else, Serena would be in trouble.
Serena gave a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. "Very obedient, but he’s my apprentice, not yours. Since Simon taught you, you can be my assistant—since you kept Simon in Mystic Healer Valley and wouldn’t let him come back."
Serena had no qualms about ordering the Valley Master around as her assistant.
"No problem. Don’t worry, I won’t make any mistakes." The Valley Master promised earnestly, his eyes shining with excitement...