Morning was slowly turning into noon when Rian finally stepped out of Lukman’s treatment room. He had stayed at the hospital throughout the previous night until Lukman’s condition had truly stabilized. Bayu had told him several times to go home first, but Rian refused because he wanted to make sure the liquid he had given Lukman did not cause any unexpected reactions. Only after seeing Lukman maintain his condition throughout the night did Rian finally feel a little more at ease and decide to return to the farm. However, he had barely taken a few steps away from the treatment room when he noticed something different. Several doctors were standing nearby. At first, Rian assumed they were simply discussing Lukman. He paid little attention until one of the doctors approached him and stopped him. “Mr. Rian, may I speak with you for a moment?” Rian stopped. He recognized the doctor as one of the physicians who had treated Lukman the previous night. “Of course, Doctor. What is it?” The doctor did not answer immediately. Instead, he glanced toward two other doctors who had been standing behind him. Rian followed his gaze and finally realized that it was not just one person who was curious. There were about four doctors. And all of them were looking at him. Rian sighed inwardly. Oh, boy. He had already expected something like this might happen. After all, the change in Lukman’s condition had been far too obvious to ignore. They had personally witnessed how a patient who had been steadily deteriorating began showing signs of stabilization shortly after something was given to him. For doctors, something like that naturally raised questions. It was not necessarily because they immediately believed something miraculous had happened. Rather, they were trained to look for cause and effect. If a significant change occurred after a particular intervention, then that intervention naturally became something worth investigating. “You gave the patient something last night, didn’t you?” the doctor asked. Rian nodded. “Yes.” “What was it?” Rian had already prepared that answer before the doctor even asked. “Traditional herbal medicine.” Several of the doctors exchanged glances. One of the female doctors standing behind him immediately asked, “Herbal medicine?” “Yes.” Rian answered calmly, as though there was nothing unusual about his response. “Traditional herbal medicine from my family.” The first doctor looked even more curious. “May I know what kind?” Rian gave him a faint smile. “Family herbal medicine.” The doctor fell silent. Rian deliberately added nothing else. He knew that the more details he provided, the more opportunities he would give them to ask further questions. If he started mentioning plants, ingredients, dosages, preparation methods, or how the medicine worked, the questions would never end. What ingredients are in it? How much do you use? How do you prepare it? Where do you get the ingredients? Who has tested it before? Eventually, he would trap himself in his own lie. That was why Rian chose the simplest answer. Herbal medicine. A family tradition. End of story. “Mr. Rian, I’m not trying to be suspicious,” the doctor said, raising both hands slightly. “We’re simply curious because the patient’s change in condition was quite remarkable.” “I understand, Doctor.” Rian genuinely did. If he had been in their position, he would probably have asked the same questions. That was why he did not become defensive. He simply allowed them to ask questions as long as they remained within boundaries he could safely answer. “I’ve actually started studying my family’s herbal medicine more seriously,” Rian continued. That statement immediately caught the attention of several doctors again. Rian deliberately brought it up because he understood something important: if he claimed to know nothing about herbal medicine, his explanation would sound suspicious. And technically, it was true that he had started learning. Ever since realizing how dangerous the mysterious liquid he possessed could be if used without understanding it, Rian had begun reading books and articles about traditional medicinal plants, the general effects of herbal ingredients, and how traditional remedies were commonly used to maintain health. He did not actually need that knowledge to understand his mysterious liquid. But having that background gave him enough understanding to explain certain things without revealing his real secret. “I can’t explain much because the recipe is a family inheritance,” Rian said. “But I’ve learned a little about traditional medicine so I don’t use it carelessly.” The first doctor nodded slowly. “So you make it yourself?” Rian smiled. “Yes.” “How long have you been doing it?” “Quite a while.” His answers remained deliberately simple. No numbers. No ingredient names. No preparation process. The doctor seemed to realize that Rian had no intention of explaining further. However, their curiosity had not disappeared. “What interests me,” said another doctor, a man in his fifties, “is the patient’s response.” Rian turned toward him. “The patient arrived in very poor condition. We performed various procedures to keep him stable, but his response was limited. After receiving that herbal medicine, his condition began to change.” The doctor did not sound accusatory. He spoke more like a professional trying to understand something that did not fit neatly into his experience. “Were you expecting that kind of effect?” Rian thought for a moment. “Not completely.” He chose the answer carefully. “I hoped it might help, but I didn’t know how his body would respond. His condition was already extremely serious.” The answer sounded reasonable. Rian did not claim that his herbal medicine could definitely cure someone. He did not even claim that he was confident it would work. In fact, that uncertainty made his story easier to believe. If he suddenly claimed that his herbal medicine could definitely restore the patient, the doctors would probably become even more suspicious. “I was simply trying something my family has used before,” Rian added. “If it happened to help, I’m grateful. If it didn’t, I was prepared to accept that outcome as well.” The older doctor nodded. “That’s a rather cautious attitude.” Rian smiled. “When it comes to someone’s health, I don’t dare act carelessly.” Inside, Rian felt relieved. He had managed to get through the most difficult questions without revealing anything. But then the female doctor asked another question. “In that case, would you be willing to give us a small sample so we can examine it?” Rian fell silent. This was the question he had been worried about from the beginning. Not because they had bad intentions. Quite the opposite. They had a perfectly reasonable reason for asking. If they obtained a sample, they could run laboratory tests and might discover something Rian could never explain. There was no way he could give them the liquid. “I’m sorry, Doctor.” Rian smiled politely. “If you want to take it away and examine it, I can’t allow that.” The doctor looked disappointed. “Because it’s a family recipe?” “Yes.” Rian gave no other explanation. He did not try to invent another story either. The simpler his answer remained, the less likely he was to contradict himself later. “I don’t have the complete recipe written down. There are parts that were only taught directly within the family.” Technically, that statement was not entirely a lie. There really was no written recipe that could explain the mysterious liquid. It simply wasn’t for the reason they assumed. The female doctor eventually nodded. “I understand.” Rian gave a slight bow. “Thank you for understanding.” The conversation seemed to be coming to an end when the older doctor spoke again. “Then, may I have your phone number?” Rian looked at him. “My number?” The doctor smiled. “Yes. I’m not asking for the recipe.” He chuckled softly. “I simply want to stay in contact. I’ve been treating patients for quite some time, but it’s rare for me to encounter something that makes me this curious.” Rian did not answer immediately. He considered it for a moment. In the end, he saw no reason to refuse. The doctor had not pressured him. He had not demanded Rian’s secret. From the beginning, he had respected the boundaries Rian had established. “Sure, Doctor.” Rian took out his phone and exchanged numbers with him. The doctor’s name was Dr. Arif. He was a specialist who had worked at the hospital for many years and had extensive experience treating critically ill patients. Once the number had been saved, Arif slipped his phone back into his pocket. “If you ever need medical assistance or want to consult me about something, give me a call.” Rian smiled. “Alright, Doctor. Thank you.” “And if you ever come across another herbal remedy that you find interesting…” Arif paused with a smile. “…you don’t have to give me the recipe. Just tell me about your experience with it.” Rian chuckled. “If it’s just a story, I can do that.” The conversation ended on a much lighter note than it had begun. Rian then walked away from the group. Only after he had gone far enough did he finally release the long breath he had been holding. Jojo, who had been waiting near the door, immediately followed him. “You almost got caught.” Rian glanced at him. “Caught doing what?” “Your face looked like someone who was hiding a corpse.” Rian immediately shot him a sharp look. “I’m hiding a secret, not a corpse.” “Not much difference.” “What part of that is similar?” Jojo lifted his tail as he continued walking. “Neither of them is supposed to be discovered.” Rian wanted to argue, but eventually he simply shook his head. Still, deep down, he had to admit that Jojo wasn’t entirely wrong. The more often he used the mysterious liquid to heal people, the greater the chance that someone would eventually discover his secret. That meant Rian had to become more careful. Not only with the liquid itself, but also with the way he presented himself. He couldn’t appear to know too much. He couldn’t appear too confident. And most importantly, he couldn’t give people more information simply because they were curious. A secret that was carefully guarded could still be treated as a private matter. But a secret that came with too many explanations would eventually become a puzzle. And Rian had no intention of letting anyone start putting those puzzle pieces together. --- Before leaving the hospital, Rian met Bayu again. The man was standing in front of the treatment room, talking with one of the nurses. As soon as he noticed Rian, he immediately approached him. “The doctors were looking for you?” Rian nodded. “Yeah. They were curious about the herbal medicine I gave him.” Bayu immediately understood the situation. “Are they suspicious?” “Of course.” Rian chuckled. “But I just told them it was a traditional family herbal remedy.” Bayu nodded. He did not ask any further questions. That attitude only made Rian respect him more. Bayu already knew that the liquid was not ordinary herbal medicine, yet he had never forced Rian to explain something he clearly wanted to keep private. “How is Lukman?” Rian asked. “He’s still stable. The doctors said he hasn’t fully regained consciousness yet, but his condition is much better than last night.” Rian nodded in relief. “That’s good.” Bayu looked at him for several seconds before speaking. “I really owe you.” Rian immediately shook his head. “Don’t call it a debt. I don’t like relationships like that.” Bayu smiled. “Then think of it as having a friend who owes you a favor someday.” Rian laughed. “Now that sounds better.” Bayu extended his hand. Rian shook it. There was no agreement. No compensation. Just two people who understood that someday, they might have the chance to help each other. For Rian, that was the kind of relationship he preferred. Not one built on fear or obligation, but on trust. After saying goodbye, Rian walked toward the hospital exit with Jojo. He had come there simply to save one person. Yet without planning for it, he was leaving with something that was just as valuable. A connection with an experienced doctor. And more importantly, a lesson. The greater his abilities became, the more carefully he had to control how other people perceived him. Rian smiled faintly as he slipped both hands into his pockets. “Jojo.” “Hmm?” “I think I need to learn more about herbal medicine.” Jojo turned his head. “So you won’t get caught?” “No.” Rian smiled. “So if they ask again, I won’t look like an idiot.” Jojo thought about it for a moment before answering with a completely serious expression. “That’s a very good goal. I’ve been recommending that for a long time.” Rian stopped walking. “When did you ever recommend that?” Jojo continued walking without looking back. “In my heart.” Rian stared at the cat’s back in disbelief before following him with a helpless shake of his head. That day, he had managed to protect one secret. For now, that was more than enough.

Chapter 35 — The Traditional Remedy