Taoist Doctor - Chapter 22

Who would have thought that someone like Mr. Qu would also turn to witch doctors due to his child’s accident? Are doctors with such broad practices legitimate? Can they be real doctors if they have time to study compasses despite their busy hospital schedules?

 

But it’s also human nature to seek comfort from the supernatural. For Young Master Qu, spiritual comfort might indeed be more important.

 

Every family has its own difficulties. Thinking about this, Li Cheng seemed to naturally praise, “Dr. Zhou seems… quite effective!”

 

“That’s true!” Qu Qingrui laughed heartily and extended his hand. “We’ll see you again then. I still need to talk more with Dr. Zhou. Please, Dr. Zhou.”

 

Zhou Jinyuan almost laughed out loud. He couldn’t tell if Qu Qingrui genuinely didn’t understand or was just pretending. What did “quite effective” mean, and how was that a compliment?

 

However, he didn’t expose it and followed Qu Qingrui with his compass.

 

The two entered a private room and sat on the terrace, surrounded by dense bamboo. Zhou Jinyuan carefully calculated and determined an auspicious date: “The first day of next month is very good, a propitious day in the early month.”

 

Qu Qingrui immediately confirmed the date and invited Zhou Jinyuan to his home for a meal.

 

“No, I have to take a friend to his new job later.” Zhou Jinyuan was referring to Rong Shouyun. With the enthusiastic help of his brother, Rong Tu finally secured a new position, though it was quite far, so he needed to see him off.

 

Qu Qingrui didn’t know he meant taking a monk to a temple and was pondering if Zhou meant a Taoist priest or a doctor.

 

“Regarding Guan Feng’s health, I want to ask Dr. Zhou, by the end of the lunar year, what condition will he be in?” Qu Qingrui had been pondering this for a long time and finally asked in a low voice.

 

“He should be able to stand up. If the progress is good, walking a few steps won’t be a problem,” Zhou Jinyuan said. His entire treatment plan was for six months, ultimately restoring him to normalcy. But regaining the ability to stand could happen sooner.

 

Qu Qingrui was overjoyed. Guan Feng’s repeated treatments and faint hopes of recovery had made many people skeptical. This time, many still didn’t take Guan Feng’s treatment seriously, given past experiences.

 

Everyone knew the authoritative opinion was that Qu Guan Feng’s condition was permanent, and no miracle doctor could change that—at best, he might regain some independence.

 

Qu Qingrui couldn’t wait to use the end of the year to show off his son’s progress and stabilize morale.

 

However, this also depended on Qu Guan Feng’s recovery speed. He knew Zhou Jinyuan never spoke without basis. Hearing confirmation from the doctor finally put his mind at ease.

 

Qu Qingrui nodded appreciatively and said, “Guan Feng’s mental state is also much better than before. I truly don’t know how to thank you, Dr. Zhou. You’ve helped me tremendously.”

 

Qu Qingrui rarely felt such a sense of indebtedness. To him, Qu Guan Feng’s health was priceless, and Zhou Jinyuan’s treatment, without charging exorbitant fees, even made Qu Qingrui feel that his donations to the Third Hospital were insufficient.

 

Zhou Jinyuan himself seemed genuinely uninterested in wealth, perhaps related to his Taoist practices. The calculations were also something Qu Qingrui requested of him. Qu Qingrui felt his wealth was substantial but didn’t know how to repay Zhou Jinyuan, so he had to make some offerings.

 

“Whether it’s medicine or divination, they are both commonplace to me. It’s best if Mr. Qu treats them with a calm heart,” Zhou Jinyuan said.

 

Calm heart? Qu Qingrui smiled. How many people could achieve that?

 

Although Zhou Jinyuan was young, chatting with him often left Qu Qingrui feeling moved. After all, Zhou was a master in his field, and all things have commonalities.

 

After a pleasant chat, they stood up to leave.

 

As they walked to a hall, someone called out to them.

 

“Dr. Zhou, Mr. Qu!”

 

It was Wu Shen Yu’s voice. She was sitting on a chair, chatting with Li Cheng. Seeing the two, she immediately greeted them happily.

 

Li Cheng noticed that Wu Shen Yu also knew this young man and called him a doctor. What was more surprising was that she addressed Dr. Zhou first, then Mr. Qu. Li Cheng felt this wasn’t a slip of the tongue but rather that in Wu Shen Yu’s mind, “Dr. Zhou” held a higher position.

 

This was quite intriguing…

 

“I ran into Xu Licheng. I heard you were here too but didn’t want to interrupt,” Wu Shen Yu greeted them with a radiant smile. She looked glowing, a stark contrast to when she first sought treatment. Her makeup couldn’t hide her exhaustion then, but now she seemed like a different person. It made a big difference when her husband was no longer balding.

 

“You’re here too, Xiao Wu.” Qu Qingrui smiled.

 

Zhou Jinyuan nodded and greeted her as well.

 

“Hey, Li Cheng, you just mentioned back pain. Dr. Zhou is here!” Wu Shen Yu remembered and turned back.

 

Li Cheng indeed had twisted his waist and was planning to get a massage later. Hearing this, he thought that if this young doctor, Wu Shen Yu, also recommended it, then perhaps he had…

 

Before the words “got it wrong” even formed in his mind, Zhou Jinyuan suddenly appeared behind him like a ghost and casually asked, “Does your waist hurt?”

 

Li Cheng hadn’t fully reacted: “Y-yes, a little…”

 

Zhou Jinyuan then grabbed his hand from behind, gave it a few shakes, and then suddenly yanked it upwards!

 

Li Cheng felt his breath stop for a moment. The pain in his waist, which was unbearable to the touch, shot through him so intensely that he nearly blacked out.

 

But just in that moment, before his pained expression had even fully formed, the pain disappeared as Zhou Jinyuan released his hand. He slowly exhaled, feeling his waist had already recovered its flexibility.

 

Then, as Zhou Jinyuan smoothed some muscle he didn’t know he had, a sensation of soreness and numbness spread from there to his limbs, making him feel as if he were stepping on cotton.

 

“So… so comfortable…” Li Cheng squinted his eyes.

 

But because he was so thin, this expression looked a bit odd, making Qu Qingrui and Wu Shen Yu get goosebumps.

 

“Wow.” Li Cheng finally managed to utter two words after a while.

 

This Dr. Zhou was such a small person, yet he nearly lifted him entirely. In that moment, he had no room for resistance. That last move, in just two steps, made him feel like his soul had been pressed out. He never knew his body had such places.

 

“The middle part was quite painful. I didn’t tell you beforehand to avoid making you nervous, but once the pain is over, you’ll feel better.” Zhou Jinyuan stepped back and said.

 

Indeed, he had misunderstood. Even if this doctor played with compasses, he must be very skilled to be invited to help Young Master Qu with his rehabilitation! How could President Qu, who cares so much, have poor judgment?

 

Li Cheng quickly overturned his previous thoughts and elevated Zhou Jinyuan’s status in his mind.

 

“No problem, no problem. I appreciate it…”

 

“Dr. Zhou,” Wu Shen Yu’s eyes lit up, “give me a surprise attack too.”

 

Since Zhou Jinyuan had massaged her last time, no other place felt as good. But now, Zhou Jinyuan’s time was hard to book, and she herself was busy, making it difficult to match schedules.

 

“You need to take good care of yourself, or it will definitely keep recurring.” Although Zhou Jinyuan said this, he still stepped forward and pinched Wu Shen Yu’s neck a few times.

 

Under Qu Qingrui’s surprised gaze, Wu Shen Yu instantly went limp, showing the same blissful expression as Li Cheng, like a cat encountering catnip.

 

He hadn’t gone to watch Qu Guanfeng’s treatment. Qu Guanfeng also needed a massage, but he never mentioned how comfortable it was afterwards, leaving him somewhat puzzled now.

 

What was going on with Li Cheng and Little Wu…

 

“I wonder if President Qu has left?”

 

“He should have gone out. I was thinking of calling him over.”

 

As they chatted, another group approached, all from Haizhou City’s business circle. They first smiled upon seeing President Qu, but their smiles turned strange when they saw Wu Shen Yu limp like a boneless person.

 

“Today is really lively. Are you all up to something big?” Qu Qingrui joked, knowing full well whether his peers were up to something or not. He added, “Haha, Little Wu is getting treatment for her cervical spondylosis from the doctor.”

 

Cervical spondylosis? Anyone working in an office has some cervical or lumbar issues. Do you think we haven’t had physical therapy? Do you look like you’re being treated?

 

And your doctor, isn’t he too young?

 

Wait, why is this “doctor” looking over here…

 

…

 

The manager of Xiang Sheng had just sent off a group of guests and mentioned on the intercom to a colleague that the guests hadn’t left yet but seemed to be lingering at the tea table. They weren’t sure why.

 

She felt a bit strange for a moment, hoping nothing bad had happened. These were all prominent figures in Haizhou City. If they happened to run into friends and sit down, it was one thing, but hopefully it wasn’t something bad.

 

For some reason, her sixth sense kept reminding her that something unusual was happening.

 

The manager immediately checked the surveillance and saw those guests surrounding a young man brought by Boss Qu. It was unclear what they were talking about, but the young man suddenly grabbed one of the guests’ hands and threw him onto the sofa.

 

From the footage, the young man’s movements were incredibly sharp, as if he had martial arts training. The guest weighed nearly two hundred pounds, yet he was lifted with one hand. The other guests seemed frightened and collectively took a step back.

 

Oh no, there was a fight. The manager’s mind quickly spun a long story. This young man was an honored guest of Boss Qu, possibly relying on his background, acting out of youthful arrogance, and directly getting into a conflict.

 

“Let’s go, to the tea area!” The manager signaled to two well-trained security guards and hurried to the tea area.

 

Despite wearing high heels, the manager’s speed was no slower than the two security guards, even leading the way. This was her professional skill honed over time.

 

Climbing the steps and entering through the carved door into the tea area, the manager stood panting, ready to make a passionate speech, but she was stunned by what she saw.

 

The two security guards, after taking a good look, also couldn’t help but glance at her in confusion.

 

Where was the slightest hint of anger? The place was too harmonious!

 

There, lying sprawled on soft lounge chairs, were about ten people, from Boss Qu of the Qu family, to their boss’s business partners, to the honored guest Ms. Wu, and other entrepreneurs.

 

However, contrary to their expectations, none of them looked like they had been beaten up.

 

Instead, they looked as if their bones had melted, lying in all sorts of postures, many with their eyes closed, seeming to be lost in some pleasant sensation!

 

The only person standing and awake was that handsome young man, who even clapped his hands as if he had just finished his work.

 

The manager: “???”

 

Seriously… what kind of games are you rich people playing??

 

Haizhou City Xianglu Mountain Souvenir Market

 

“We will stay here for forty minutes. The meeting point is also here. Remember my panda doll. Now you can freely choose souvenirs to buy. If anyone is interested in buying traditional Chinese medicine, you can sign up with me! It’s directly supplied from a Chinese medicine planting base!”

 

A tour guide, speaking fluent foreign languages, was reminding her foreign tour group about the important details.

 

Haizhou City wasn’t a renowned tourist destination, but its rapid economic development and well-preserved environment had attracted some tourists from various regions and countries, like this group.

 

These foreign tourists had just been taken on a tour of Xianglu Mountain, with the guide promoting the wonders of traditional Chinese medicine. Unfortunately, while they listened to the stories with interest, there wasn’t much enthusiasm for actually buying any roots and herbs.

 

The tour guide leaned against a pillar, feeling bored, until she saw a tourist from Country X approaching and immediately asked, “Mr. James, are you signing up to buy ginseng?”

 

“No, no, I wanted to ask if there are any recommended spots for the free time this afternoon?” James asked. He was traveling alone, and the previous attractions hadn’t provided much enjoyment.

 

Without hesitation, the guide listed several places with brief descriptions: “You can go to Yanbo Street to experience the ethnic culture of Haizhou, or you can go to…”

 

James listened attentively but eventually interrupted, “I’m mainly looking for an experience more suitable for me, something with local flavor.”

 

Who knows what you really want. The guide scratched her head, “Uh…”

 

James said, “For example, is there a place to see Chinese kung fu? Like in martial arts movies, where playing a musical instrument can send someone flying, and people jump around in trees. And maybe I can learn some qinggong, to experience it myself.”

 

“There’s no kung fu here. You should’ve chosen the Shaolin Temple route,” the guide thought. Should she recommend cupping therapy instead?

 

“Then go to a hospital,” a vendor suddenly chimed in with Haizhou-accented foreign language, fluent enough from daily interactions with tourists.

 

Both the guide and James looked at him. The guide thought, how did you know I was thinking of recommending cupping therapy?

 

The vendor, looking innocent, said, “What’s wrong? The most famous and unique place in Haizhou recently is the Third People’s Hospital, also known as the Baldness Specialty Hospital. They produce an invincible hair growth serum, a secret recipe for curing baldness.”

 

He eyed James’s balding head: “Isn’t that suitable for you? I suggest you experience it. My younger brother almost lost all his hair and was cured there. It’s well-known far and wide.”

 

A local passerby overheard and, seeing it was an introduction to a foreigner, laughed and echoed: “The Baldness Specialty Hospital, super awesome!”

 

James, intrigued, exclaimed, “A specialty, a secret recipe, treating baldness? Dear guide, is this hospital a famous and unique attraction and experience in Haizhou?”

 

The guide, bewildered, responded, “I guess… it is…?”