Taming The Hidden Bigshot By Kissing Him-Chapter 648: Tit for Tat, A Display of Authority

Lu Yingxue bit her lip tightly.

Her back was stiff, and her heart was filled with anger.

Her father had led the Traditional Chinese Medicine Association for decades—who had ever questioned this matter!

As the Lu Family’s reputation soared in the Imperial Capital, for years the board members never raised such questions, tacitly allowing her to substitute her father in exercising the authority of the president.

Even Vice President Lin Chunsheng never objected—so what gave this newly appointed vice president with no foundation the right to question it?

Qiao Xi pressed on, "Director Lu, answer my question.

Were those regulations false? You stepped into the association’s leadership as the daughter of President Lu. Let’s not even talk about avoiding conflicts of interest with family members. But tell me, on what basis do you assume the president’s duties?"

On what basis?

"Is it simply because you are Lu Bannong’s daughter? Which regulation allows blood relations to substitute authority? Is the Traditional Chinese Medicine Association a hereditary institution? If so, what’s the point of the Needle Trial Conference?"

Qiao Xi’s questioning seemed to lift a veil of fog.

Those rules that had been suppressed under Lu Bannong’s authority for decades, obscured by power.

Initially, members of the board had their opinions, but gradually they were silenced, numbed, and accustomed. Over time, it became so accepted that no one questioned the matter anymore.

Some didn’t even bother thinking about it.

When suddenly mentioned, it was like a heavy hammer striking their hearts, jolting them awake.

It turned out that someone still dared to stand against the Traditional Chinese Medicine Association and the Lu Family.

"Indeed, there’s some logic to it," Shen Xuanzhi chimed in, "I wasn’t aware that the association was run by the Lu Family. If I’d known earlier, I wouldn’t have come. It seems pointless, realizing that the Traditional Chinese Medicine Association is a hereditary institution—it’s as if the Lu Family has an imperial throne to inherit."

Lu Yingxue clenched her teeth tightly, her cheeks slightly flushed.

She stifled her fury.

Qiao Xi and Shen Xuanzhi had humiliated her upon arrival, specifically scrutinizing her through the management regulations.

Lu Yingxue’s chest rose and fell in anger. After calming herself, she opened her mouth to speak.

"The Traditional Chinese Medicine Association is collectively managed by everyone. It’s just that my father wasn’t present, so I customarily hosted. This indeed doesn’t comply with the regulations. Since Doctor Qiao brought it up, then let it be you who hosts. However, you are not familiar with the board members and don’t understand the association’s affairs well."

Qiao Xi chuckled lightly, "First, within the association, address positions properly. You should call me Vice President Qiao, not Doctor Qiao.

Second, it’s true I am not familiar with the association’s affairs, so I will not take on too much. I ask that Vice President Lin continue to preside over routine meetings, is that acceptable?"

She glanced at Lin Chunsheng.

Lin Chunsheng, who was about the same age as Lu Bannong, exuded an air of leisure.

He was named directly and, after being stunned for a moment, replied, "That’s fine, no problem."

"Then I’ll trouble you."

Originally, Qiao Xi did not intend to clash with Lu Yingxue so soon within the association, but the other party was determined to intimidate her.

She showed no mercy in return.

Qiao Xi looked at Lu Yingxue, who stood at the chairman’s seat, and said, "Please return to your own seat."

Lu Yingxue felt utterly humiliated.

She’d been deprived of her vice president’s position by Qiao Xi and then pushed out of her acting president role.

Having been admired by Beijing people for so many years, this kind of fall from grace was hard to accept.

She walked briskly back to her seat, her face showing definite displeasure.

Anyone could tell she was upset; it was rare to see Lu Yingxue wear such an expression.

It seemed there would be no shortage of drama in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Association in the future.

Vice President Lin Chunsheng took the chairman’s seat.

Qiao Xi brought up once again the matter of visiting the association’s patients with rare conditions.

Most of these patients had no family or could not afford continued treatment. In a way, the association was their home. Among them, the longest-staying patient was Miss Cheng.

She had been living in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Association for over twenty years, relying on the association’s herbal medicine, with no visits from family members.

Seldom did she appear; only during the last Needle Trial Conference was she seen for the first time by elderly specialists who were in their seventies and eighties, who also felt uncertain about her identity.

"Vice President Lin, we should have the right to approach and treat the patients with difficult cases within the association, correct? After the last Needle Trial Conference, I reviewed everything thoroughly and came up with a new treatment proposal that I’d like to try."

Lin Chunsheng nodded, "That’s a great idea."

But Lu Yingxue disagreed, "What do you take the patient for? Are you trying to use her for experiments? To utter things like ’give it a try’ is completely unacceptable."

Qiao Xi countered, "Does Director Lu evaluate every patient prior to treatment to ensure complete certainty? If not, does she refuse treatment altogether? Treating illnesses is a pursuit where no one can guarantee a full recovery; does that mean we shouldn’t attempt it? I am a practitioner of traditional medicine; I understand my responsibilities and adhere strictly to medical ethics. The patient’s safety always comes first—rest assured."

Lin Chunsheng nodded approvingly: "Yingxue, I think Vice President Qiao is right. That Miss Cheng is someone we’ve hardly interacted with. If it hadn’t been for your father bringing her out during the Needle Trial Conference, we wouldn’t even know about her. If we can make significant progress in addressing narcolepsy, it would be hugely beneficial for the advancement of traditional medicine."

Vice President Lin had no interest in factionalism; his focus was on medical skills and the future of traditional medicine, deeply immersed in his research.

He found Qiao Xi’s new treatment proposal compelling and hoped she would succeed.

"Otherwise, let’s vote on it, shall we? Although this is a minor issue, as there’s a new voice within the association, fairness should prevail."

Vice President Lin also took into account Lu Yingxue’s opposition, deciding to hold a vote.

"Alright."

Lu Yingxue’s anger subsided slightly, "But this Miss Cheng is my father’s—the president’s—patient. If anything goes wrong, we cannot afford the consequences."

This was a veiled warning to others not to get involved.

Vice President Lin sighed helplessly, "Let’s begin the vote now, then."

Qiao Xi paused and suggested, "Let’s make it an anonymous vote. Some senior members might find it difficult to express their true thoughts. To prevent handwriting from revealing identities, if you agree to let Miss Cheng undergo the new treatment proposal, mark the paper with a circle. If you disagree, leave it blank.

I trust that everyone here is a professional in traditional medicine; it’s rare to encounter a narcolepsy patient in a lifetime. Let’s focus our efforts on helping Miss Cheng recover. It’s an opportunity to bring pride to our association, as narcolepsy is an unsolved challenge even in the West."

Qiao Xi’s remarks stirred passion in many senior practitioners of traditional medicine.

The constant comparison between traditional and Western medicine often left traditional methods criticized.

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"Let’s proceed with the anonymous vote." Vice President Lin, slightly leaning toward Qiao Xi’s proposal, instructed his assistant to prepare and distribute the paper ballots.

Then he asked the board members to make their decisions.

Lu Yingxue leaned against the leather chair back, arms crossed, her slender willow-leaf eyes narrowing as she glared at Qiao Xi.

Qiao Xi met her gaze, her eyes glimmering with a faint icy smile, then, deliberately in front of her, drew a circle on the paper.

She folded the paper and dropped it into the ballot box.