Zheng Gu Bei Da Ren (The Osteopath from Peking University)

Li Mingrui felt like he had been thrown into the spin cycle of fate, spinning at high speed, dizzy, and finally slammed against the wall of reality with a "thud."

He rubbed his throbbing temples, staring at the cold message on his phone screen: "You have been removed from the group chat 'Yan Yuan Years, Wei Ming Deep Affection' by the administrator."

"Wei Ming Deep Affection? Ha, what irony," Li Mingrui chuckled bitterly, tossing his phone aside.

He was a proper Peking University graduate, a prominent figure back in the day, student union president, and winner of numerous scholarships. After graduation, some of his classmates entered the glamorous world of investment banking, others went to the highly sought-after internet giants, and even the least successful ones managed to secure a stable government job. But he, Li Mingrui, chose an "unconventional" path – osteopathy.

At first, he was hesitant too. After all, carrying the halo of Peking University, yet choosing a profession that many considered "unpresentable," the disparity was enormous. The dissuasion from relatives and friends, the "regret" from classmates, and even the sighs of his parents were like mountains weighing him down, making it hard to breathe.

But he loved it. He loved the sense of accomplishment when he set bones, the smiles on patients' faces after their pain was relieved, and the feeling of being able to help others in a tangible way. He felt it was much more meaningful than sitting in an office staring at cold numbers.

He apprenticed himself to a master, studied diligently, starting from the basics of Tui Na massage, and through steady progress, honed himself into a renowned osteopath. His clinic, though small, was clean and tidy, with walls adorned with banners of appreciation from patients.

Li Mingrui thought time would prove everything. He thought that as long as he worked hard enough and was good enough, he could break those worldly prejudices. But he didn't expect reality to slap him in the face so hard.

It all started with a casual chat in the class group. Someone suggested organizing a ten-year graduation reunion, and everyone responded enthusiastically. Li Mingrui also joined in excitedly, even offering to provide free osteopathic services to alleviate the back pain caused by prolonged sitting in the office.

Then, there was nothing.

He was kicked out of the group chat. No explanation, no reason.

Li Mingrui felt like an orphan abandoned by the world. He suddenly remembered Kafka's K, the land surveyor who could never enter the castle. Was he, Li Mingrui, also forever unable to enter that so-called "elite circle"?

He sat blankly in his clinic. Outside, cars roared and people bustled, but he felt an overwhelming loneliness. He couldn't understand, did the prestigious name of Peking University really have no room for an osteopath? Were professions really divided into high and low? Were the bonds between people really so fragile, so vulnerable?

Just then, a familiar figure walked in. It was Old Wang, his regular patient, a retired sanitation worker. Old Wang suffered from a lumbar disc herniation and often couldn't straighten his back due to the pain. After Li Mingrui's careful treatment, he had improved significantly.

"Little Li, why so down today?" Old Wang asked with concern.

Li Mingrui forced a smile, "It's nothing, just a little tired."

Old Wang pulled out a crumpled plastic bag from his pocket, containing several steaming buns. "I saw you didn't eat lunch. Eat something. Man is iron, rice is steel; if you skip one meal, you'll be starving."

Li Mingrui took the buns, a warm feeling welling up in his heart. He suddenly realized that he wasn't alone.

He still had Old Wang, and the patients who trusted and needed him. Their affirmation, their gratitude, were more important than any empty title.

He took a big bite of the bun, thinking silently: To hell with the class group, to hell with the elite circle, I'm an osteopath, so what?

The sky began to lighten with the dawn of a new day. Li Mingrui knew that his life had only just begun.