The Hands-On Test

Cleo did not hesitate for a single second. The silver needle resting in her palm remained perfectly still. She looked directly into Beatrix Croft’s piercing eyes, meeting the intimidating gaze with unyielding resolve.

"I am not in the wrong place," Cleo asserted, her voice echoing faintly off the sterile tiles of the hallway. "I came to this department with the sole, serious intention of learning the craft of acupuncture."

Beatrix gave her a swift, calculating look. The harsh fluorescent lights overhead caught the sharp angles of the professor's eyes above her surgical mask. "Inside, then. We have work to do."

Cleo released a tight breath and followed her. She assumed stepping into a new medical discipline would be manageable. Her extensive background in pharmacology and anatomy provided a solid foundation. She knew the human body. She knew how various internal systems interacted.

She quickly realized she had vastly underestimated the sheer complexity of traditional Chinese medicine.

The moment they entered the busy treatment room, the atmosphere shifted. The clinical scent of rubbing alcohol mingled with the rich, earthy aroma of burning herbs. Beatrix stepped up to the examination table and went straight to work. The ensuing hour-long clinical lesson became a relentless, overwhelming flood of information.

Beatrix did not pause to explain the basics. She mapped out invisible meridian lines across the patient's skin with terrifying speed. She located obscure trigger points using precise, calculated touches, her fingers dancing over the patient's back. Cleo watched the slender silver needles pierce the skin, noting the exact, shifting angles Beatrix employed. Every insertion carried a specific weight and purpose. Some needles went in straight, plunging deep into the muscle tissue, while others rested at shallow, deliberate slants, barely grazing the subcutaneous layers.

Questions raced through Cleo's mind at a dizzying pace. She stood near the corner, sweating profusely under her scrubs. Why did the angle shift near the joints? How deep was too deep when navigating near major nerves? She recognized the baseline anatomy, but the underlying philosophy of energy pathways felt like a foreign language. There was a mountain of raw data to process and memorize in real time. She dared not ask a single question, terrified of squandering her only viable escape route from Arthur Kenrick's toxic research team. If she failed to impress Beatrix today, her dream of forging a new path would vanish into thin air.

By the time Beatrix extracted the final needle, Cleo’s scrubs clung to her damp back.

The moment they stepped out of the treatment room and back into the hallway, Beatrix spun around. She lowered her clipboard and immediately fired a pop quiz. "Alright, observer. Tell me exactly what you just witnessed in there. How much did you actually comprehend?"

The sudden demand hung heavy in the air. Hazel noticed Cleo’s rigid posture and stepped forward, attempting a subtle intervention to ease the immense pressure. "Take a breath," Hazel whispered encouragingly. "Just spill whatever you remember. Don't worry, Croft isn't going to bite your head off. That was a lot to take in all at once."

Cleo appreciated the lifeline, but she knew the high stakes involved. She took a deep breath and steadied her racing heart. She pulled up the mental image of the treatment session, letting her photographic memory take over.

"You utilized two distinct sets of needles," Cleo began, her voice gaining steady traction. "The first set precisely targeted Large Intestine 4 and Governing Vessel 20. You followed those with insertions at Stomach 40, Heart 7, Large Intestine 11, and Stomach 44. You finished that sequence with Liver 3, Stomach 36, Spleen 9, and Governing Vessel 26."

Beatrix crossed her arms, her expression unreadable. "Go on."

"The second set shifted focus," Cleo stated smoothly. "You targeted Kidney 3 and Heart 7. Then you moved to Kidney 7, Large Intestine 11, Conception Vessel 4, Large Intestine 4, Conception Vessel 6, and Stomach 28."

She did not stop there. The rich aroma from the room still lingered in her nose. She possessed an acute sense of smell, trained through countless late-night study sessions. "Furthermore, the calming incense burning in the corner wasn't just for ambiance. I recognized the active herbal ingredients mingling in the smoke. You used patchouli for grounding, mugwort for stimulating energy, and sandalwood to anchor the scent. I also detected traces of cinnamon bark and sweet lavender floating in the background."

Beatrix lowered her arms. Genuine shock cracked her usually stern demeanor. She stared at Cleo, demanding answers. "You identified the specific active ingredients in the incense strictly by smell? How do you possess such an acute sense of smell?"

Cleo nodded. "I spent my sophomore year intensively studying an advanced herbal medicine elective. I memorized hundreds of complex scent profiles, botanical structures, and raw material textures solely to win a fifteen-thousand-dollar pharmacology contest. I needed that prize money to stay afloat."

Hazel gasped, her face instantly lighting up with recognition. "Wait a minute! That is why your name rang a bell earlier. You are the brilliant student who narrowly beat me for first place in that very competition!"

Cleo winced, feeling a sudden, sharp pang of guilt. "Yes. I am sorry about that, Hazel. I was desperate for the cash back then."

Hazel waved a hand in the air, bursting into a bright laugh. She accepted the revelation with good-natured grace. "Are you kidding me? Apologize for what? You won that money fair and square. Did you think I was going to harbor a grudge and tackle you in the hallway?" She stepped close and gave Cleo a playful nudge.

Beatrix let out a rare, low whistle. "Losing a major competition and still bragging about it? If I were in your shoes, Hazel, I would keep that embarrassing detail quiet."

Vaughn pulled down his surgical mask. He shot Hazel a flat, unimpressed stare. "For real. Talk about embarrassing."

"Hey, watch your mouth, Vaughn," Hazel shot back, her cheeks flushing with mock outrage.

Beatrix clapped her hands once, instantly killing the banter. "Alright, that is enough out of you two. Go grab some lunch from the cafeteria. I need a quick chat with Ms. Abbott. Alone."

Hazel gave Cleo an encouraging wink, mouthing a quick 'you got this' before letting Vaughn drag her down the corridor.

As their footsteps faded, the atmosphere in the hallway grew heavy and serious. Cleo stood before the formidable professor, her nerves buzzing. She knew Beatrix was sharp. The professor had likely deduced she did not belong to the standard rotation.

Cleo decided to lay her cards on the table. "Professor Croft, I need to confess something," Cleo said, fidgeting slightly with the hem of her scrub top before forcing her hands still. "I was not honest with you earlier. I am not an official intern sent by the school administration."

Beatrix leaned back against the wall, crossing her arms again. "I gathered that. So, who exactly are you, and why are you crashing my clinical rounds?"

"I am a senior," Cleo explained, keeping her gaze level. "I was originally on track for cytology. However, after deliberately failing to secure a place on Professor Kenrick's elite research team, I realized I needed a drastic change."

Beatrix raised a brow. "You tanked Kenrick's exam on purpose?"

"Yes. I refuse to settle for mediocrity," Cleo declared, her voice ringing with newfound determination. "Staying in his department meant living in his shadow forever, fighting for scraps of credit on research papers he would inevitably claim as his own. I decided to pivot. I want to enter a niche field where I can truly dominate, relying on my own merit. I plan to build my own undeniable foundation and eventually outshine Kenrick's group on my own terms."

Beatrix’s gaze turned incredibly sharp. The air between them crackled with tension as the professor challenged Cleo's bold ambition. "You think you can just waltz in here and dominate? Acupuncture is not some trivial side hustle you pick up for a quick ego boost. It takes years of grueling, painful dedication."

Beatrix pointed a stern finger at the floor. "My department is the ultimate underdog on this campus. We do not get the massive funding or the automatic prestige that Arthur Kenrick enjoys. Students fight tooth and nail for a spot in his labs. We struggle to keep our doctoral candidates. Are you certain about making an irreversible change to your major? Once you commit to this, there is no crawling back to mainstream research."

Cleo stood her ground, her posture rigid with unwavering determination. "I am certain. Acupuncture's niche status is exactly why it offers the best opportunity to stand out. Mainstream medicine is crowded. This field requires true skill to excel. Furthermore, you are just as much of a legendary figure in your field as Arthur Kenrick is in his. I am betting my academic future on you, Professor."

Silence stretched down the empty corridor. A heavy, assessing beat filled the space as Beatrix studied the young woman standing before her. The professor searched Cleo's eyes for any trace of hesitation or arrogance, finding only pure, hardened resolve.

Finally, Beatrix let out a harsh sigh. She dropped her arms, her stern expression relenting. "Fine. You can stay."

Cleo released a shaky exhale. A wave of triumphant relief washed over her, but before she could celebrate, Beatrix raised a hand.

"Do not celebrate just yet," Beatrix warned, delivering a steep ultimatum. "You just proved you possess a sharp brain. You memorized those complex needle placements flawlessly. Because of that raw talent, merely passing the final exam this semester will not suffice."

Beatrix stepped closer, her voice dropping to a low, demanding register. "If you want my signature on your official internship papers, you must crush the practical assessment. I expect a perfect score, Cleo. One mistake, and you are out. Understand?"

Cleo's jaw tightened. The stakes were astronomical, but this was the exact challenge she had been searching for. She nodded in firm agreement, a fierce spark igniting in her chest.

"I understand," Cleo said eagerly. "Can I start shadowing you immediately?"