Taoist Doctor - Chapter 23

Was the Third Hospital of Haizhou City famous lately? Yes!

Does combining a hospital visit to treat baldness with tourism count as a unique experience? Why not!

After all, there are already tours that include getting double eyelid surgery. The tour guide thought, why not add baldness treatment as well? She pondered that even the locals recommended it, so it should definitely count, and it even gave her quite a bit of inspiration.

After all, she often saw bald tourists in her groups. Maybe she could even arrange a collaboration between the travel agency and the Third Hospital in the future… but that was something to think about later.

The only concern was that James was a bit worried about whether half a day of free time would be enough. In his city, it wasn’t unusual to wait an entire day for emergency care at a hospital of a similar level to the Third Hospital. Booking an appointment could take months or even half a year.

He was quite interested in experiencing it, just like when he visited an indigenous tribe and tried their secret remedies. Even though the remedies didn’t have much effect, the mysterious rituals gave him a unique experience, and he ended up writing three blog posts about it, which was quite rewarding.

He loved traveling and adventure, then writing about his experiences to share online. Unlike everyone else who shot videos, he had his followers, and even a publisher wanted to release a travelogue for him.

“Yo, it might not take a few months, but I can’t guarantee you’ll be seen today. Let me check if there are any slots available. If there are, you can see a doctor.” Fortunately, it was Monday, and the guide found out that they could get an appointment for the afternoon.

“Let me see, with so many doctors… I’ll book with Dr. Mao…” the tour guide muttered.

Dr. Mao Zhengyi seemed to be quite experienced, and with a surname like Mao, which means “hair,” he seemed like the right choice.

“Oh no, don’t choose that one, pick the youngest one!” The local had more experience and immediately offered advice.

Not everyone knew that the Third Hospital’s hair loss clinic and their invincible hair regrowth tonic were famous now, but the local vendor had relatives who had been treated there and knew some inside information.

Reputation, after all, spreads by word of mouth.

After verifying the skill level, the fact that this doctor was young didn’t seem unreliable. Instead, it became part of his legend and was the easiest way to recognize him.

“Huh? The youngest one? Which one?” The tour guide glanced around, noticing there were more than one young doctor.

“The good-looking one.”

With that, the tour guide immediately knew whom to choose. She selected, booked, and paid for the appointment, reading out the doctor’s name: “Zhou Jinyuan…”

…

The tour guide collected an extra fee for the overtime and accompanied James to the Third Hospital for the “local experience.”

At the traditional Chinese medicine department, they saw many patients with hair loss. James didn’t stand out at all, confirming that this was indeed the hospital’s specialty department.

James knew that his city had acupuncture. His neighbor had even used it to treat headaches, claiming it was very effective, and they even ran electricity through the needles. But he had never seen it himself, let alone experienced it.

It was hard to imagine what it felt like to have those fine needles inserted into one’s body, or what principle allowed it to cure ailments. His curiosity drove him to wander around.

Especially across from the rehabilitation department, many patients were undergoing massage and acupuncture treatments in a large ward filled with beds. The smell of moxibustion was strong here, although James didn’t know it was moxibustion. He just thought it smelled like Chinese herbs, somewhat similar to what the guide had described.

The thin needles didn’t seem very painful when inserted, as the patients didn’t appear to be in much discomfort unless they were placed in special spots. However, there were patients undergoing needle-knife treatments who would scream as if they were being tortured.

James watched intently, even taking out his phone to jot down notes. As he wrote, he felt a slight stomach pain, likely his chronic gastritis acting up. He quickly took some medication and continued watching, even taking photos.

He only stopped when the tour guide came to call him, saying it was his turn.

“Hello? Yes?” Zhou Jinyuan was seeing a patient when his phone rang. He immediately answered, signaling the patient in front of him to wait a moment.

“Dr. Zhou, hello, this is Wang Wenyuan. We met at Xiangsheng the day before yesterday!”

The voice on the other end was male. Although it sounded different from in person, Zhou Jinyuan recognized the name and immediately knew the purpose of the call.

“Sorry, Mr. Wang, I’m seeing a patient right now,” Zhou Jinyuan said skillfully. “Also, I’m currently very satisfied with my job and have no plans to switch.”

On the other end: “…Dr. Zhou, are you sure you won’t reconsider?”

The tone was filled with reluctance, regret, and various other emotions, making it very sincere.

Zhou Jinyuan was quite helpless. Ever since he went out with Qu Qingrui and floored a room full of entrepreneurs, people had been reaching out to poach him one after another, somehow getting hold of Zhou Jinyuan’s number over the past two days.

They all had the same idea. After thinking it over, they desperately wanted Zhou Jinyuan to come to their homes or companies as their exclusive health doctor. Especially since many companies had employees suffering from cervical or lumbar spondylosis.

That day, Zhou Jinyuan’s massage had them feeling utterly rejuvenated. They found it more effective than an hour of massage or therapy elsewhere.

They deeply felt that a doctor whose massages were so effective and comfortable was wasted in a hospital, and they were willing to offer a high salary to hire such talent.

Zhou Jinyuan kept saying that if they felt unwell, they could just get a (treatment) card and come to him. They could even use their medical insurance, which was quite convenient.

But these people weren’t short on money. They probably felt it wasn’t the same—they wanted the convenience of enjoying that feeling anytime. Having to register every time and getting a limited massage was too troublesome.

In the end, Zhou Jinyuan had no choice but to say, “Here’s the thing, I promised Mr. Qu that I would prioritize him.”

The other party sighed and went silent.

After all, Zhou Jinyuan had met Qu Qingrui first and was said to be his son’s primary doctor, helping with rehabilitation. So if he were to switch jobs, he would go to the Qu family first. They probably couldn’t offer better conditions.

What a pity! Looks like they’ll just have to get a treatment card at the Third Hospital!

Zhou Jinyuan was also using Qu Qingrui’s name to fend them off, and he would just inform Qu Qingrui later.

Moreover, it seemed these people weren’t as perceptive as Qu Qingrui. Qu Qingrui never asked Zhou Jinyuan to resign and treat Qu Guanfeng exclusively, knowing it wouldn’t work. Instead, he sponsored their TCM department’s ward.

Speaking of which, since the ward was about to open soon, Dr. Mao had been much more cheerful towards Zhou Jinyuan lately. For their generation, this was a goal they had strived for.

After hanging up the phone, Zhou Jinyuan started prescribing medicine for the patients and called in the next one.

As soon as Zhou Jinyuan called the number, a bald, blue-eyed foreigner walked in. Zhou Jinyuan thought, “Have our baldness treatment ads reached foreigners now?”

James was also thinking, “Wow, is this TCM doctor an adult? He can’t be just fourteen, can he?”

Chinese people often looked younger in the eyes of Westerners, and Zhou Jinyuan’s baby face made him look even younger. But considering that some tribes specifically chose young boys and girls as shamans, James thought it might be the same principle—perhaps some TCM doctors were selected from a young age.

The tour guide took on the role of translator, helping with the consultation.

Zhou Jinyuan asked particularly detailed questions since this foreigner was a tourist and didn’t live in Haizhou or even China.

Different regions nurtured different people, and their constitutions varied. For example, people from Southeast China were generally thin and had loose connective tissues, while those living by lakes and seas had phlegmatic and damp constitutions.

TCM emphasized a holistic view, the unity of man and nature, and treatment had to consider environmental factors.

James had alopecia areata, and Zhou Jinyuan examined his scalp. The bald patches were large, the edges of the hair were loose, and hair could be easily pulled out, with the hair shafts shriveled near the roots.

After taking his pulse, Zhou Jinyuan diagnosed that alopecia areata, whose cause in Western medicine was still not entirely clear (some thought it was genetic, others thought it was an autoimmune disease), was caused by pathogenic wind and blood stasis.

Since James lived in a city with a cold climate, Zhou Jinyuan added ginger to the prescription.

“Uh… uh…” The tour guide managed to translate most of Zhou Jinyuan’s questions, but translating his TCM diagnosis content was challenging. Zhou Jinyuan had explained James’s condition using TCM theory, and the terms left her puzzled. She scratched her head and said, “blood… blood stasis…”

Seeing her struggling, Zhou Jinyuan took over, “qi stagnation and blood stasis.”

The tour guide immediately relaxed upon hearing this fluent and accurate professional terminology: “Yes, exactly.”

James had more questions. What was “qi”? They pronounced it as “qi” directly, but what exactly was this concept, and why was his blood stagnating?

The tour guide thought for a moment and explained “qi” as something omnipresent, mentioning primordial qi, nutrient qi, and defensive qi… but his explanation was quite muddled since he wasn’t very knowledgeable.

Suddenly, James had an epiphany and asked, “Is it like in Chinese martial arts movies, where the qi in the body can harm people when released? Is this doctor using martial arts to treat me?”

He looked delighted and thought, “That’s awesome!”

“No, no, he doesn’t know martial arts. I told you, the vast majority of Chinese people don’t know martial arts. This is just a term in medicine,” the tour guide said, scratching her head frantically. “Qi, qi, qi is—”

She looked at Zhou Jinyuan for help.

“As the world orig ancient philosophy… Just tell him to stop asking! Ask him if he has stomach problems!” Zhou Jinyuan pretended not to know any foreign languages and quickly changed the subject. If this guy kept asking questions, he wouldn’t be able to finish his appointments today.

“Stomach problems?” The tour guide looked confusedly at James. “He asked if you have stomach problems?”

James: “!!”

Indeed, he had chronic stomach issues that had been lingering for years, never fully healed. He always carried stomach medicine with him, and his stomach had been hurting recently, not completely relieved even after taking medicine.

As a complete foreigner unfamiliar with TCM, James was used to Western medicine’s specialized treatment. He thought Zhou Jinyuan was a specialist in treating baldness.

Moreover, Zhou Jinyuan had only asked him some questions about his body and living situation, examined his scalp, and took his pulse. Without any checks or touching his stomach, how did he know James had stomach problems?

“Just prescribe a formula, take one dose when you get home, and you’ll be fine,” Zhou Jinyuan said while prescribing an external medicine for alopecia areata. “And this lotion, apply it to the affected area twice a day for half a month.”

“By the way, if your stomach still hurts now, I’ll give you an acupuncture treatment,” Zhou Jinyuan added.

James remembered that most people in the rehabilitation department who had acupuncture didn’t seem to feel much pain. And Zhou Jinyuan magically diagnosed his stomach problem, resembling a shaman’s divination but more accurate than a witch doctor…

“Sure, sure!” James nodded. He was here to experience something unique, after all.

The tour guide thought to herself that foreigners were indeed bold. Some people in their group were too scared to even buy ginseng, but she still cautiously asked, “Doctor, is it acupuncture or a prescription? If acupuncture works, just go with that.”

“Huh?” Zhou Jinyuan wondered if he hadn’t been clear enough. “Both acupuncture and medicine are needed. The acupuncture will relieve his current discomfort, and the prescription will cure the disease.”

The tour guide: “…”

She forced a smile. “We’re all friends here, just be straight with me.”

Zhou Jinyuan found it amusing. “What’s there to be straight about? If I were cheating people, wouldn’t I prescribe more medicine?”

The tour guide thought about it and agreed. If he wanted to cheat money, he would prescribe more medicine. But could this TCM doctor really cure a long-standing illness with just one dose?

“Are we done? Where will you place the needle?” James was eager to experience it immediately.

“Alright, let’s do it,” the tour guide thought. After all, they were in a big hospital, so it should be safe, and considering the cost, it wasn’t worth cheating.

Zhou Jinyuan had James lie down and called Dr. Jin over to observe. He planned to use the extraordinary stomach point, and it was a good learning opportunity for Dr. Jin.

One needle, just one needle left in place for three minutes. James felt warmth spreading from his stomach, like a qi flowing through, and his discomfort vanished.

He stared at the needle, baffled by how it could generate heat.

“Doctor? What’s this? Is this qi?” James asked. “How is it produced, and how does it move?”

Zhou Jinyuan pretended not to understand, knowing this conversation could go on indefinitely.

James dramatically praised Zhou Jinyuan, “Doctor, I know you understand! Look at me! You’re amazing! I don’t feel any pain, and it’s so comfortable, so warm! Doctor!”

Zhou Jinyuan: “…”

James, who was nearly 1.9 meters tall and built like a bear, jumped up and gave Zhou Jinyuan a hug as soon as the needle was removed. He had already decided to focus this trip’s highlights on this experience. The locals hadn’t misled him—this was indeed the most worthwhile attraction in Haizhou!

Zhou Jinyuan almost suffocated and managed to muster a patient smile for his patient. “Go get your medicine.”

This was too enthusiastic. Zhou Jinyuan felt a bit embarrassed by the intense gratitude for merely relieving some pain.

The tour guide silently took out her phone, planning to see if there was another suitable time to make an appointment before leaving Haizhou.

“Doctor, you haven’t told me the name of the place you just needled. What does it mean? Is it specifically for treating stomach problems? Can I find someone else to needle it for me? We have acupuncturists in our city, but I’m not sure if they are as good as you.”

James held onto Zhou Jinyuan’s hand while the tour guide urged him to leave, making Zhou Jinyuan escort him to the door. “No need, your illness will be cured unless you keep doing harmful things to yourself.”

“Wow, haha! I don’t believe it, but you relieved my pain, and I think that’s amazing. Wow.” James pointed to his head. “If hair grows here too, I’ll pray for you every day, hoping God blesses you with even greater skills.”

Zhou Jinyuan: “… No need, no need. We’re not in the same jurisdiction; he probably can’t help me ascend.”

As they chatted, Zhou Jinyuan heard a commotion from the clinic opposite. His heart sank.

The next moment, the door burst open, and a few people tumbled out. To be precise, two people were wrestling with a flushed, thick-necked, wild-eyed man, causing chaos in the corridor.

Dr. Mao stumbled out of the clinic, clutching one eye, tears streaming down his face from the pain. “Oh, my eye! Someone help, this patient has gone berserk!”

The patient, diagnosed with mania, had suddenly erupted during Dr. Mao’s pulse diagnosis, landing a fist the size of a sandpot on Dr. Mao’s face.

The patient’s father and brother rushed to restrain him, but a frenzied person has enormous strength, and this man was particularly strong, making it hard for the two of them to hold him down.

Dr. Mao, having taken a punch, dared not approach and called out for help. He exchanged a glance with Zhou Jinyuan, but didn’t expect Zhou Jinyuan to intervene. Instead, he hoped to call over someone like Liu Qi. With Zhou Jinyuan’s slender build, Dr. Mao doubted his ability and even wanted him to keep his distance.

James, although unable to understand Dr. Mao’s words, saw that the man in the middle seemed to be going crazy. Rolling up his sleeves, he was about to step forward when he saw his seemingly underage doctor already rushing ahead, his white coat billowing behind him.

Seeing the patient’s father and brother struggling, Zhou Jinyuan grabbed the patient’s wrist, using Tai Chi techniques to redirect the patient’s strength. The patient, unable to exert his full power, was thrown to the ground. He roared and lunged at Zhou Jinyuan’s waist.

Despite Zhou Jinyuan’s slender frame, the patient couldn’t lift him. Instead, Zhou Jinyuan seized the patient’s shoulder, twisted it, and flipped him over, pinning him to the ground with one hand.

The patient, over 1.9 meters tall with bulging muscles visible through his clothes, struggled but couldn’t break free from Zhou Jinyuan’s grip, held down by a single white, slender hand.

The slower-reacting patients in the waiting area exclaimed, “Whoa!” staring at Zhou Jinyuan as if they had just seen a little white rabbit beat up a big bear.

James, mouth agape, turned to the tour guide. “Dear, you said he didn’t know martial arts!”

The tour guide was bewildered. “…”