Chapter 032: Rising Above the Master's Sect
Zhou Residence Villa dining room.
On a meticulously set dining table, a lavish banquet of Shanghai cuisine was laid out.
Every Shanghai local dish on the table exuded an enticing aroma, as if the air was filled with mouth-watering scents.
Lin Lang sat upright at the large dining table, facing his Master, Zhou Zhongdang, and his family of three.
Zhou Zhongdang politely said, "Originally, I invited A Lang for a family dinner today, but I didn't expect it to turn into a master-apprentice banquet. If the banquet's standard is lacking, I hope A Lang won't mind."
"Master, you're being too formal!"
"This table full of delicious Shanghai dishes, every dish is cooked so authentically. It's probably not the Zhou Residence's private chef, but rather a star-rated chef specializing in local cuisine, isn't it?"
Zhuang Jingxue replied, "Your Master is particularly particular about food. The chef employed by the Zhou Residence is a national banquet-level Shanghai cuisine chef."
Lin Lang laughed after hearing this, "In that case, I'll be enjoying good food after moving into the Zhou Residence."
Zhou Mengyao playfully said, "Lin Lang, let me test you. Do you know why the first hot dish today is Stir-fried Shrimp?"
Lin Lang replied, "Because 'shrimp' in Shanghai dialect is homophonous with 'welcome,' making guests feel at home."
"That's impressive, Old classmate, you really know a lot." Zhou Mengyao smiled beautifully.
AI generated beautiful image of Zhou Mengyao
Zhou Zhongdang was the first to pick up his chopsticks and enthusiastically said, "A Lang, don't be so reserved. From now on, the Zhou Residence is your home. Pick whatever you want to eat, and make sure to eat and drink well."
"Yes, Master." Lin Lang picked up his chopsticks.
Zhuang Jingxue used serving chopsticks to pick up food for Lin Lang, smiling as she said, "A Lang, try it and see how the Zhou Residence's chef's cooking tastes?"
"Thank you, Shiniang!"
Lin Lang tasted a bite of the Stir-fried Shrimp and replied, "Soft yet crisp, tender and smooth, it tastes quite good!"
"Our Shanghai people's Stir-fried Shrimp is just stir-fried, without other ingredients. Dipping it in vinegar and taking a bite, the taste is absolutely superb!"
Zhuang Jingxue laughed after hearing this, "A Lang, it's good that you like it. If it's delicious, eat more."
Lin Lang raised his teacup, stood up, and said, "As a junior, I'll use tea instead of wine to toast Master and Shiniang, thanking Master and Shiniang for their gracious hospitality!"
"Good, good, good!" Zhou Zhongdang also used tea as wine, smiling broadly.
Zhuang Jingxue took a sip of juice with a smile, very much liking Lin Lang's sensibility and his humble and polite demeanor.
Zhou Mengyao said, "Lin Lang, come and try the Eight Treasure Duck prepared by our Zhou Residence's chef. This Shanghai famous dish has been my favorite since I was little."
Lin Lang picked up a piece of Eight Treasure Duck after hearing this, and after tasting it, praised, "The duck meat is tender but not mushy, with a rich and fragrant sauce. A thumbs up to the Zhou Residence's chef's skill."
"Hehe…"
Zhou Mengyao sweetly smiled, "Because I loved eating this Eight Treasure Duck when I was little, my dad spent a lot of money to poach the chef from the Old Restaurant at Shanghai City God Temple to be our private chef at the Zhou Residence."
AI generated beautiful image of Zhou Mengyao
"Master really dotes on his daughter. The Zhou Residence's chef cooks so deliciously, Mengyao, how do you not get fat?"
Zhou Mengyao proudly replied, "As a top female race car driver, I need strict body management. The calories I consume daily are all guided by a nutritionist."
"In top-level competitions, a race car driver's height and weight have a significant impact on the car's weight distribution, so 'I' cannot get fat!"
Lin Lang replied, "So that's how it is."
"It seems Mengyao, that for you to become the number one female race car driver in Xia Nation, you've put in a lot of hard work behind the scenes."
Zhou Mengyao smiled bitterly, "The more I talk about it, the more tears there are. Look how fragrant this Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs is! But because it's too high in calories, I feel guilty even eating one piece."
Lin Lang heard this and used serving chopsticks to pick up a piece of Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs for Zhou Mengyao, saying dotingly, "Just one piece is fine. Mengyao, you're so slender, it's not that easy to get fat."
"Hehe…"
Zhou Mengyao happily ate the Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs.
Zhou Zhongdang saw the deep friendship between his beloved disciple Lin Lang and Zhou Mengyao, and how harmoniously they got along, and couldn't help but feel very happy.
Zhuang Jingxue saw Lin Lang's very doting gaze towards Zhou Mengyao and guessed that Lin Lang's feelings for her Baby daughter were not as simple as just classmates.
The dining process was very warm and pleasant.
Because Zhou Mengyao and Lin Lang were high school classmates and had been deskmates for three years, they were very familiar with each other. Therefore, Lin Lang, Master Zhou Zhongdang, and Shiniang Zhuang Jingxue also quickly became much closer.
Irrelevant plot details omitted.
After the meal.
Lin Lang personally drove, along with Zhou Mengyao and Shiniang Zhuang Jingxue, to take Master Zhou Zhongdang to the hospital for a heart examination.
During the drive, Zhou Zhongdang still chatted animatedly with his beloved disciple Lin Lang, seemingly unaware of the severity of his current heart condition.
Fudan University Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai.
"Hello, Vice President Zhuang!"
After Lin Lang entered Zhongshan Hospital with Zhou Zhongdang's family of three, all the medical staff they encountered along the way respectfully greeted Vice President Zhuang Jingxue.
"Hello, Vice President Zhuang…"
Throughout the journey, Zhuang Jingxue nodded slightly in polite response.
In a famous large hospital like Zhongshan Hospital, various examination items usually require queuing and appointments.
Because Zhuang Jingxue had called ahead and used her privilege as Vice President, the director of the hospital's Radiology Department was already waiting outside the Radiology Department.
"Vice President Zhuang, you're here!"
"This must be your husband, President Zhou?"
"Hello!"
Zhou Zhongdang took the initiative to shake hands with the director of the Radiology Department.
"I am Zhou Zhongdang, Vice President Zhuang's husband. Thank you for your trouble!"
"Hello, President Zhou!"
"No trouble at all! No trouble at all!"
"You are Vice President Zhuang's husband. If your heart feels uncomfortable, arranging a few internal examinations is no big deal."
Subsequently, under Zhuang Jingxue's instructions, the director of the Radiology Department arranged for Zhou Zhongdang to undergo various examinations, including cardiac color Doppler ultrasound, cardiac MRI, and cardiac angiography.
A nurse accompanied Zhou Mengyao, running up and down a few times to swipe the medical insurance card for registration and payment.
Family members of the Vice President can exercise the privilege of not queuing for medical treatment, but they absolutely cannot take advantage of the hospital by not paying fees, as anyone reporting it would surely be accurate.
Lin Lang was responsible for accompanying Master Zhou Zhongdang, completing all examinations that took several hours.
A few hours later.
Zhuang Jingxue, now in a white coat, sat in the chief expert's consultation room in the Department of Cardiac Surgery, flipping through her husband Zhou Zhongdang's various examination reports on the computer with the mouse. Her expression became very grim.
Zhou Mengyao nervously asked, "Mom, how are Dad's heart examination results?"
Zhuang Jingxue sighed, "The results are the same as A Lang's face diagnosis. Your father has been diagnosed with cardiovascular stenosis due to coronary atherosclerosis and needs to be hospitalized for a stent minimally invasive surgery."
Zhou Mengyao's eyes reddened after hearing this, and she asked with concern, "Is Dad's condition that serious?"
Zhuang Jingxue truthfully replied, "Your dad currently has two cardiovascular vessels with over 70% stenosis, and a myocardial infarction could occur at any time."
"Fortunately, your dad took on a treasure of a disciple. Today, through traditional Chinese medicine face diagnosis, he discovered that your dad's heart had a problem. Otherwise, if your dad's condition continued to be delayed, once a myocardial infarction occurred, the consequences would be unimaginable."
Zhou Mengyao exclaimed, "Lin Lang's traditional Chinese medicine diagnostic skill is too miraculous, isn't it?"
"Lin Lang's face diagnosis results are actually the same as the final confirmed diagnosis from all the Western medicine examinations my dad underwent. It's simply too unbelievable!"
Zhou Zhongdang's expression changed instantly upon hearing this, and he frowned, "Wife, has my heart condition really reached the point of needing a stent minimally invasive surgery?"
"Husband, you must be hospitalized immediately for a stent minimally invasive surgery for your cardiovascular stenosis."
Zhou Zhongdang said with some difficulty, "But wife, tonight I still have to go to Shanghai Television Station to record the "Appraising Heirlooms" program as an appraisal expert."
"If I'm hospitalized now, wouldn't I miss the recording of the appraisal program?"
Zhuang Jingxue's eyebrows slightly furrowed as she said, "Husband, which is more important now, your life or the work of recording the appraisal program?"
"Of course, my life is more important!"
"However, if I'm temporarily absent from the appraisal program's recording, where will the "Appraising Heirlooms" program team find an appraiser to replace me on short notice?"
"Dad, the appraiser who can replace you at Shanghai Television Station to record the "Appraising Heirlooms" program is far away in the sky, yet close at hand!"
Zhou Zhongdang looked at his beloved disciple Lin Lang after hearing this and suddenly realized, "A Lang, I almost forgot about you, kid."
"I will personally call the program director and recommend you to replace me at Shanghai Television Station to record the "Appraising Heirlooms" program as the chief appraiser of Zhenbao Pavilion."
"Yes, Master."
"Master, please rest assured and be hospitalized for the stent minimally invasive surgery. Your disciple will certainly not disgrace the Master's sect and will excellently complete the recording of the television appraisal program."
Lin Lang was unexpectedly thrust into participating in the recording of the "Appraising Heirlooms" program that night, leading to an unexpected opportunity to become popular on Shanghai Television Station.