As Ye Qiu’s group passed by the Korean medical delegation and boarded their vehicles, they once again treated Li Zhengxi as if he were invisible.
Li Zhengxi was furious, jumping with rage.
“Is this their so-called land of courtesy?”
“Are they blind? Can’t they see I’m standing here?”
“Ignoring me—outrageous!”
Li Minghan was also incensed, saying, “Father, they’ve gone too far. Let’s return home…”
*Slap!*
Li Zhengxi struck Li Minghan across the face, cursing, “You idiot! Going back now would play right into their trap.”
“That Ye Qiu is cunning. This must be his scheme.”
“He’s teamed up with a few national medical experts to provoke me, aiming to make me storm off.”
“If I leave, there’s no medical contest, and they avoid defeat. Once we’re back home, they’ll spread word that we fled in fear.”
“If that news reaches our country, we’ll be branded deserters, mocked by millions.”
Li Minghan broke out in a cold sweat, “Thankfully, Father saw through their plot.”
Li Zhengxi said, “So, no matter what, we can’t leave. We must compete with Chinese medicine.”
“I’ll show those scheming Chinese that no trick can stand against absolute strength.”
“I’ll also make them see that their revered Chinese medicine is nothing compared to our Korean traditional medicine.”
Li Minghan nodded, “Father’s right. They’re too much. I want to crush them.”
Li Zhengxi took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and said, “Don’t worry. After the contest, they’ll all pay with their lives.”
“Mm,” Li Minghan agreed.
*Slap!*
Li Zhengxi suddenly slapped Li Minghan again.
Li Minghan clutched his face, bewildered, staring at his father.
“Fool! You can’t even handle small tasks, always embarrassing me.”
“Didn’t you say the embassy would send people to pick us up?”
“Where are they now?”
“Calm down, Father. I’ll call and check,” Li Minghan said, pulling out his phone. Just as he was about to dial, a vehicle appeared in his sight.
Li Minghan looked twice, lowered his phone, and said, “Father, our ride’s here.”
After several missteps, Li Zhengxi stayed composed, not glancing at the vehicle, and said, “If you’ve messed this up and embarrassed me again, I won’t forgive you.”
Li Minghan replied, “Father, it’s correct this time. There’s a banner on the vehicle—it’s definitely for us.”
Li Zhengxi looked up, and his face turned livid.
Their “escort” was a lone, shabby bus, far inferior to Ye Qiu’s luxurious convoy or even Zhang Jiuling’s Mercedes van, looking utterly pathetic.
The bus was dilapidated, easily over a decade old.
Above its windshield hung a wrinkled, filthy banner that read, “Warmly Welcome the Korean Medical Delegation!”
It looked like it had been pulled from a trash heap, reigniting Li Zhengxi’s barely contained fury. He slapped Li Minghan again, roaring, “This is your idea of grandeur?”
“This pathetic bus is supposed to pick us up?”
“Isn’t this deliberately humiliating us?”
Li Minghan hurriedly said, “Father, don’t be angry. I’ll ask them.”
The bus stopped, and the driver stepped out, briskly approaching Li Zhengxi. He stood at attention, bowed, and said politely, “Greetings, Medical Sage.”
Li Zhengxi ignored him.
Li Minghan asked, “What’s going on? I repeatedly told you to make it grand. Why send this junk heap?”
“And why are you alone?”
“Where are the embassy staff? Why aren’t they here to greet my father?”
The driver replied, “Mr. Li, you may not know, but the embassy’s senior staff took all the official vehicles for an outing today. This bus was the only one left.”
“The ambassador instructed me to take you to the hotel.”
“Medical Sage, please.”
Li Zhengxi didn’t budge.
Li Minghan pointed at the banner, “Why’s that banner so filthy?”
The driver apologized, “It was made last week and stored at the embassy. The cleaning staff mistook it for trash and threw it out yesterday. I retrieved it from the bin this morning.”
Hearing this, Li Zhengxi’s face darkened with rage. He said coldly, “A national embassy with such incompetence—utterly disgraceful for Korea.”
“When I return, I’ll report this to the president.”
“You’ll face consequences!”
What’s that?
I came to pick you up, and you’re threatening to snitch?
The driver’s smile vanished. “Medical Sage, tattling is petty. Are you coming or not?”
Li Minghan, enraged, slapped the driver, shouting, “You dare call my father petty? Courting death?”
“My father is Korea’s Medical Sage. You expect him to ride this decrepit bus? I demand you send new vehicles—four Mercedes will do.”
“Go arrange it now!”
The driver didn’t move.
Li Minghan yelled, “Are you deaf? Didn’t you hear me? Go!”
The driver said coldly, “Mr. Li, first, I’m not your subordinate. You can’t order me.”
“Second, I’m just a driver. I can’t meet your demands.”
“Lastly, I’ll ask once more: are you coming?”
Li Minghan declared, “Send proper vehicles, or we’re not going.”
“If you won’t come, I’m leaving,” the driver said, turning back to the bus and driving off.
Li Minghan and his group were dumbfounded.
They never imagined a mere driver would treat them this way.
“I’m furious! A driver, so insolent—unbearable!” Li Minghan cursed.
Li Zhengxi, now eerily calm, showed no anger and said, “Minghan, don’t be upset. This isn’t the driver’s fault—it’s China’s.”
Li Minghan was confused. “Father, how is this China’s fault?”
Li Zhengxi explained, “Politeness reflects a nation’s cultural and civilizational level.”
“Koreans, young and old, are known worldwide for courtesy.”
“I believe that driver was polite before coming to China. Why did he change?”
“It’s because the Chinese are crude, rude, and filthy. Our compatriot, living here long-term, was corrupted.”
“A nation like China deserves to be crushed underfoot!”
“Through this medical contest, I’ll show the Chinese that our Korean traditional medicine is ten times superior to their Chinese medicine.”
“I’ll make them see that Korea surpasses China in every way!”
“And I’ll ensure they understand that, before our noble Koreans, the Chinese are nothing but filth!”
