Chapter 335 - 333: We Have No Right to Overstep Our Bounds

Chapter 335: Chapter 333: We Have No Right to Overstep Our Bounds

"Testing is unnecessary. This was made from a family’s secret ancestral recipe—a lost ancient formula. It’s incredibly precious, and this one jar is all they could give us. If we take a portion out for analysis, what if my father runs out?"

Mu Zhe reached out, carefully took back the jar of Hundred Herbs Rejuvenating Ointment, and clutched it to his chest. Liu Kai Ming’s reaction had given him a huge boost of confidence. ’There’s hope for Dad’s illness after all!’ The realization sent a thrill of excitement through him.

"An ancestral secret recipe? Made from a lost ancient formula? No wonder..." Liu Kai Ming’s gaze on the jar of Hundred Herbs Rejuvenating Ointment grew even more fervent. "I knew it! An ordinary substance wouldn’t be so refined as to be stored in a precious jade container. Legend says jade vessels are the best for storing medicinal herbs, as they perfectly preserve their efficacy."

He wrung his hands, sighing in frustration. "Our ancestors left us so many wondrous things! It’s a shame everyone selfishly guarded their secrets, causing most of these precious legacies to be lost. Sigh... Just one spoonful. All I need is one spoonful, how about it? If we could analyze the formula, wouldn’t that be a blessing for all of humanity?"

"Absolutely not." Mu Zhe shook his head resolutely.

"One spoonful can keep my father stable like this for two days," Mu Zhe clutched the jar even tighter. "The results speak for themselves. There’s absolutely no need for testing."

"Then a quarter of a spoonful? That should be fine, right?" Liu Kai Ming conceded.

"No." Mu Zhe refused to yield. "This isn’t a matter of quantity. Uncle Liu, you just mentioned that regrettable habit of people selfishly guarding their secrets. Wasn’t that how everyone was back then? It’s not something one person or one family can control or change in an instant. If this ointment belonged to our family, Dad would be here to make the decision. But this belongs to someone else. They acted out of kindness, sparing one jar from their limited supply to save my father’s life. There’s no way we can repay their kindness with betrayal by sending it off to ’steal’ their formula. Anyway, whether they want to share the formula is their decision to make. We don’t have the right to make it for them. Dad, Mom, Big Brother, am I right?"

Hearing this, Mr. Mu, Mu Guoliang, and Tong Qingye all nodded in agreement. Mr. Mu said, "That’s right. Mu Zhe is correct. If we repay kindness with such ingratitude, what kind of people would that make us?"

"Mr. Mu—"

Liu Kai Ming now genuinely regretted his hasty initial dismissal of the Hundred Herbs Rejuvenating Ointment. But even at this impasse, he was still unwilling to give up. "This Hundred Herbs Rejuvenating Ointment is absorbed into the body, after all. Without a thorough analysis, we won’t know if there are any side effects. You can’t be truly at ease using it, can you, Mr. Mu?"

His tone was incredibly earnest as he looked at Mr. Mu. "And I’ve been with you for so many years, Mr. Mu. Surely you trust that I’m not the kind of petty man who puts profit before principle? I guarantee that no matter the results, I will not leak a single detail. I stake my personal integrity on it. My goal is only to give you a more complete understanding of its effects and any potential side effects. As your personal physician, your health is my foremost responsibility."

Mr. Mu: "..."

"Old Mu, what if..."

Tong Qingye was swayed, and even Mu Guoliang and Mu Zhe showed a hint of hesitation. They could stand on principle when it came to other things, but when Mr. Mu’s health was on the line, they couldn’t help but be a little selfish.

"Heh heh... Liu, I must admit, what you said is quite tempting. But on second thought, it’s still not appropriate. Of course it’s not that I don’t trust you. Far from it. Think about it—if I didn’t trust you, would I have kept you by my side? I know you might have a little personal stake in this, but it’s not purely selfish; you truly are looking out for me. However, just as Mu Zhe said, it would be improper for us to make this decision on behalf of the owner."

Mr. Mu chuckled, then sighed and shook his head, his gaze toward Liu Kai Ming clearly and firmly conveying his refusal. "You know my condition better than anyone. Could it have possibly gotten any worse than it was? So, at this point, even if this ointment has side effects, it doesn’t matter to me. What matters is that I’m alive because of it. That’s the most important thing. Every extra day I live is a day I’ve gained. Just being alive is enough. And what’s more, I get to live comfortably, able to eat and drink? What more could I possibly wish for?"

He thought about how the Hundred Herbs Rejuvenating Ointment had just enabled him to eat a normal meal again. It was only a bowl of soft noodle soup, but it had been enough to leave him feeling deeply satisfied. Mr. Mu let out a hearty laugh. An immense hope for survival surged through him, and deep down, his conviction in the Hundred Herbs Rejuvenating Ointment became unshakable.

He could see that Liu Kai Ming still wasn’t ready to give up, so he offered him a few words of comfort. "Liu, don’t be discouraged. This doesn’t mean it’s a total lost cause. Just wait. Let’s wait until I’ve finished this jar and we see the results. When that time comes, I’ll go and ask the person who gave it to me. If they’re willing to have it analyzed, I will definitely plead your case. For now, you just have to be patient. Besides, look at it this way: by observing my condition, aren’t you gathering firsthand data on this Hundred Herbs Rejuvenating Ointment?"

"...Mr. Mu, you’re right. I was too hasty."

Mr. Mu’s words finally helped Liu Kai Ming calm down completely. He had served Mr. Mu for many years and had always been steady and self-possessed. But this time... for a physician to stumble upon such a precious ointment out of the blue, how could he not be driven to obsession? Now that he had cooled down, he realized he had indeed been presumptuous.

"I’m glad you see it that way." Mr. Mu chuckled, then added teasingly, "I understand how you feel. It’s like a bachelor suddenly finding a stunning beauty in his bed. It would be strange if any man could resist, hahaha—"

Liu Kai Ming: "..."

He gave a wry smile and cast another, deeply regretful glance at the jar of Hundred Herbs Rejuvenating Ointment in Mu Zhe’s hands. ’To him, isn’t this ointment just like the "stunning beauty" Mr. Mu mentioned?’ Unfortunately, that beauty was not his to have, so it was best not to push his luck. He recalled his father teaching him as a child that sometimes, true enlightenment lies in not forcing things.

He sighed, gave a small nod to Mr. Mu and the others in the room, and then left.

"Old Mu."

"Dad..."

After Xiao Lin and Liu Kai Ming left, Tong Qingye and Mu Guoliang looked at Mr. Mu, their expressions a mixture of shock and doubt. They asked in unison, "Is that stuff really so magical?"