The Omniscient

Chapter 34: The Essence of Traditional Chinese Medicine

While Lü Qinggong was still puzzled about whether Huang Ji was a student at their university, Huang Ji had already arrived at Tongji Hospital.

The hospital director, Dean Hong, was in his office when Xiao Fang from HR knocked on the door.

“Dean Hong, just now Professor Lü Qinggong sent an email recommending a student from their university to interview here. He said he sent the email to you as well,” Xiao Fang reported.

“Oh?” Dean Hong logged into his email and found an unread message from half an hour earlier, sent from Lü Qinggong’s personal account.

The email briefly introduced an undergraduate student from Fudan University and attached a paper related to thoracic medicine. However, Hong didn’t open the paper, focusing instead on the phrases in the email like “truthfully” and “hire at your discretion.”

“Having Professor Lü write a recommendation letter probably means there’s some connection here. If this student were really outstanding, though, he would’ve recommended them to an affiliated hospital of their own university. Why send them to me instead?”

“Seems pretty average—probably just a courtesy for someone’s sake,” Hong concluded. Without even glancing at the attached paper, he instructed Xiao Fang:

“Alright, I got it. Contact the student and arrange an interview for tomorrow at 2 PM. Once they arrive, have Old Lu meet them.”

This surprised Hong. So eager? A recommendation email sent just half an hour ago, and the person was already here?

“Outside?”

“Yes. He said his professor personally emailed you, so I had him wait in the lounge while I came to confirm whether you received the email,” Xiao Fang explained.

Hong chuckled inwardly, thinking, Lü probably wrote this recommendation just to be polite, but this kid really knows how to seize an opportunity.

“Alright then, if he’s already here, bring him to my office,” Hong said with a smile.

Before long, Xiao Fang led a young man into the office. It was Huang Ji, who entered with a polite smile.

“Hello, Dean Hong. I’m Hua Xu, a student of Professor Lü Qinggong,” he greeted.

Although the letter technically didn’t claim Hua Xu was Lü’s student, Lü had given enough public lectures that Huang Ji could stretch the truth without lying outright.

Seeing through this little maneuver, Hong smirked. “I’ve already read your paper. It’s… decent.”

In truth, Hong hadn’t read a single word. He had judged the student’s abilities solely based on the tone of Lü’s email and the student’s eagerness to interview.

As expected, Huang Ji looked a little nervous. “Actually… I didn’t write the paper very well. I have a lot more ideas…”

Not having read the paper, Hong simply said, “Oh? Go ahead, explain your ideas.”

Huang Ji began hesitantly, elaborating on his paper. Starting with the interdependence between the respiratory and digestive systems, he boldly proposed that digestive system diseases could directly or indirectly cause many respiratory ailments.

He explained that the human gut is essentially a "second brain," housing the body’s second-most developed neural network after the brain. By “pampering,” “protecting,” or “altering” the gut microbiome, one could send signals to the brain and other organs, essentially issuing “commands” to the body.

Huang Ji asserted that nearly all internal illnesses affect digestion, and vice versa.

“Human survival hinges on two things: the brain and the gut. Thinking and digesting are the body’s two most critical functions,” Huang Ji argued.

He went on to discuss the pharmacological basis of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Some TCM ingredients have been decoded to contain active compounds that treat specific ailments, mimicking the effects of Western medicine. However, many mysterious remedies defy explanation, appearing almost magical.

The real reason, Huang Ji explained, is simple: 50% of all oral TCM alters the gut microbiome, either by reshaping its structure or activating specific bacterial populations. These bacteria secrete chemicals that affect the entire body, particularly the brain. By triggering the immune system or instructing organs to adjust physiological functions, the body gradually heals itself—a slow, natural process driven by the microbiome.

“TCM relies heavily on these microbial changes, but its practitioners were unaware of this mechanism. Classical texts like the Compendium of Materia Medica and the Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold are essentially collections of empirical knowledge, explained through concepts like ‘yin-yang balance’ and ‘internal and external evils,’” Huang Ji noted.

Western medicine, he argued, had never seriously studied how TCM affects the human microbiome, which is why it couldn’t understand why some TCM remedies worked.

“Ultimately, it’s the bacteria doing the healing,” Huang Ji said. He gave an example: some strange TCM formulas even incorporate animal feces, introducing entirely new microbial species into the gut. This process of “ecological invasion” eventually results in a healthier microbiome.

Huang Ji contrasted this with modern medicine’s approach: using chemicals to kill bacteria, physical devices to alter physiology, or surgical tools to remove diseased tissue—methods that are effective but violent and abrupt. In contrast, TCM uses the body’s natural microbial symbiosis to enable gradual, organic recovery, albeit much more slowly.

Of course, Huang Ji kept these deeper theories to himself. He couldn’t provide evidence since much of his knowledge came from Information Sense. Instead, he kept his argument simple, citing case studies to show how respiratory illnesses could be cured by treating the digestive system.

Initially, Hong didn’t take Huang Ji seriously. He planned to interrupt after a while and assign him to a random department. But before he knew it, he found himself drawn in.

First, he noticed that Huang Ji’s internal medicine knowledge was solid and extensive. He even mentioned certain rare enzymes Hong had never heard of, prompting him to ask questions. Then, as Huang Ji’s insights deepened, Hong became curious enough to secretly download the attached paper from his email.

Reading the paper while listening to Huang Ji, Hong realized it was terribly written.

The paper started discussing the respiratory system, only to abruptly switch to the digestive system. While it included numerous case studies, it frequently skipped over key steps in its reasoning.

From an academic perspective, the paper was a failure. Yet, paired with Huang Ji’s explanation, Hong began to understand its significance.

“I get it now. No wonder this kid wasn’t offered a chance to pursue a master’s degree. His paper’s a mess, and he’s not a great speaker. But his ideas and reasoning are spot on. If I helped him rewrite this, it could qualify as a doctoral thesis,” Hong thought.

He stood from his seat and began engaging Huang Ji in a deeper discussion.

Hong deliberately posed several challenging questions, testing Huang Ji’s depth of knowledge. Although Huang Ji wasn’t a smooth talker, he consistently provided precise answers and even expanded upon the questions, identifying deeper, underlying issues.

After a few such exchanges, Hong realized he had struck gold.

Unable to hold back, he asked, “Xiao Hua, have you ever considered pursuing a doctorate?”

This feeling of “snagging a hidden gem” is universal. Just as Professor Lü Qinggong had been thrilled by the idea of discovering someone else's overlooked talent, Hong now found himself experiencing the same excitement.

Huang Ji’s poorly written paper had partially been a deliberate move. It was his first time writing an academic paper, and he had intentionally made it less polished. Similarly, his hesitant demeanor during the interview was also calculated. Huang Ji believed that someone as accomplished as Hong would be able to see through his modest exterior to his true research capabilities, which far exceeded the undergraduate level.

This approach worked perfectly. Huang Ji aimed to maximize his time learning from Hong, a top-tier expert in the field. A normal interview would have been far too brief for this purpose. Moreover, if Huang Ji came across as exceptionally strong and polished, Hong might question why someone with his abilities had been referred to Tongji Hospital by Lü instead of staying at Fudan.

Now, the situation was just right.

At this moment, Hong felt that Lü Qinggong had failed to see the real value in Huang Ji. Judging a student based on their paper? What a poor standard! To Hong, it was evident that although Huang Ji was only an undergraduate, he must have invested immense effort privately. His research abilities were on par with, if not better than, some doctoral candidates.

Huang Ji, in Hong’s view, had been underestimated because of a poorly written paper and a stuttering speech style. This realization gave Hong a sense of satisfaction, as though he had found a treasure that others had overlooked.

Hong took the initiative and chatted with Huang Ji for over two hours, concluding that Huang Ji was clearly doctoral material.

“Actually, I’ve already graduated. I was planning to start working…” Huang Ji replied slowly.

“You can work and pursue your doctorate at the same time. Apply to Tongji University, and I’ll make the arrangements,” Hong offered.

“Really?”

Hong smiled. “I don’t take students anymore, but I can set you up with a doctoral advisor. Working while earning a doctorate can be tough, though. My recommendation is to focus on getting your PhD first. After that, come directly to our hospital—I’ll have a position waiting for you.”

“Study for a PhD at Tongji?” Huang Ji asked.

“Yes. If you agree, I’ll make the call right now. You’ll meet with one of my former students, who’s now an associate professor,” Hong assured him.

“That would be amazing. Thank you so much!” Huang Ji said with a smile.

Hong, always decisive, made two quick phone calls.

“Alright, go directly to Tongji University and find Lin Tao in the Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Lab.”

Huang Ji expressed his gratitude sincerely. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Dean Hong. You have my utmost respect.”

“No need for that. Just do your best. And remember, when you write your next paper, make sure to include detailed explanations for your reasoning—don’t skip steps,” Hong advised with a smile.

“I will. Goodbye,” Huang Ji said, leaving the office with a smile.

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