Taoist Doctor - Chapter 26

Not only did the people from the external departments complain, but even colleagues from the same department couldn’t help but grumble. “You two have the same diagnosis. Are you praising others or yourself? So, only traditional Chinese medicine practitioners are wise doctors, and the rest of us are fools?”

 

“Explain, what kind of diagnosis is ‘self-healing by cockcrow’?”

 

“Ahem, Professor Mo is an authority in traditional Chinese medicine at Haibei Hospital. He also said that there’s nothing serious, and it will heal by cockcrow!” Director Xiao explained to Zhou Jinyuan. From his perspective, he felt he had a newfound respect for Xiao Zhou’s expertise. He didn’t find it arrogant, but rather a bit gratifying.

 

Since Xiao Zhou had the same diagnosis as Professor Mo, he thought the more confident Xiao Zhou was, the better! After all, Xiao Zhou was someone he had personally brought in… well, talent!

 

Zhou Jinyuan arrived a bit late and learned that a traditional Chinese medicine doctor had already diagnosed the patient, coming to the same conclusion as his own. He deeply felt that their diagnostic thinking was completely aligned. Not only was this person a wise doctor, but also a kindred spirit.

 

Director Yang stammered a few words, but his secretary understood his meaning and quickly asked, “Doctor, can you explain why?”

 

They were hesitant to follow Professor Mo’s conclusion. Now, this young man had come to the same conclusion, making it necessary to consider it carefully.

 

“The illness occurred at dusk, a time when yin energy flourishes and cold evil suddenly arises. The patient experienced blood stasis and cold obstruction, causing the mouth to be tightly shut, but there is no major problem. When the cock crows and the sun rises, the yang energy will naturally dispel the cold, expel the wind, and clear the channels, leading to a natural recovery without medication. Further treatment would only cause unnecessary pain to the patient. As long as they keep warm in the future, it won’t recur easily.”

 

Zhou Jinyuan explained clearly from his professional perspective. Though it still sounded mystical, it provided more cause and effect compared to Professor Mo.

 

Temporomandibular joint disorder can vary in severity and causes, but most cases have a good prognosis.

 

Director Yang only had his jaw tightly clenched, without symptoms like dizziness or pain. Based on the pulse diagnosis, Zhou Jinyuan concluded that there was no need for special medication.

 

Thinking about Professor Mo, Zhou Jinyuan found it curious. “By the way, since the wise doctor also mentioned self-healing by cockcrow, didn’t he explain the principle?”

 

For doctors, it’s important to explain the condition clearly to the patient to prevent unnecessary worry and psychological burden.

 

The secretary smiled wryly. “Professor Mo had an emergency to attend to and thought it wasn’t serious, so he left a brief note and hurried off.”

 

Zhou Jinyuan understood. That made sense.

 

Director Xiao felt more confident and asked leisurely, “Xiao Zhou, you said there’s no need for unnecessary pain. Does that mean if we want an immediate recovery, acupuncture or medication could achieve it?”

 

Zhou Jinyuan nodded. The condition wasn’t complex. If immediate recovery was desired, acupuncture could achieve it, though the sensation would be quite strong, especially on the face, causing some discomfort for the patient. He had considered this when he spoke earlier.

 

Director Xiao glanced at Director Yang, who gave a nod of approval, and said, “To be honest, the patient has urgent matters tomorrow morning, so he’s worried about Professor Mo’s diagnosis, fearing a timing mismatch that might cause problems. He’s been too anxious to rest well.”

 

“I see! Then there’s no problem. If the patient is willing, I can perform acupuncture. He will recover in twenty minutes, though the sensation might be uncomfortable,” Zhou Jinyuan said. He wasn’t deliberately cooperating with Director Xiao; his approach was to avoid acupuncture and medication unless necessary.

 

But if the patient had specific needs, then acupuncture it was. He had to explain the treatment process clearly to ensure the patient could handle it.

 

Director Yang was ecstatic and gestured to proceed immediately. Using medium-frequency devices wouldn’t be comfortable either and would take longer.

 

Zhou Jinyuan immediately opened a pack of needles and selected points like Fengchi, Dicang, Jiache, and Hegu, which have effects of dispelling wind and clearing orifices, and relieving joints.

 

A sensation of soreness, numbness, heat, and swelling spread across Director Yang’s face. His eyes were instantly wet from the stimulation, purely physiological, with snot almost coming out. His teeth felt like they were biting into an extremely sour lemon. Tears streamed down his face, and he couldn’t cry out or move, enduring it stoically.

 

As Zhou Jinyuan inserted the last needle with a draining technique, he shouted briefly and forcefully, “Open your mouth!”

 

Director Yang jolted and instinctively opened his mouth. The tightly shut jaws now opened to a two-finger width!

 

“It’s really open—” the secretary exclaimed.

 

Zhou Jinyuan told the patient, “Open it wider.”

 

Director Yang felt a bit strained but, trusting the young doctor, opened his mouth wider. Accompanied by a cracking sound from the joint, there was no pain. It felt like breaking through a barrier, and his jaw moved freely without any issues, completely restored!

 

Feeling immensely relieved, Director Yang laughed heartily.

 

Only then did the onlookers realize they had been holding their breath. They exhaled and applauded, impressed by the skill.

 

Clinically, acupuncture treatments usually required multiple sessions. It was rare to see someone like Zhou Jinyuan achieve immediate results after one session.

 

At this moment, Zhou Jinyuan removed all the needles and asked Director Yang to try various mouth movements to check for any abnormalities.

 

Director Yang confirmed he was fully recovered. “It’s all better, completely better!”

 

He relaxed and smiled at Zhou Jinyuan and Director Xiao. “Xiao Zhou, right? Zuo Ming, your hospital really has talented people. Looks like I need to pay more attention, or I wouldn’t have known you had a Chinese medicine expert as good as Professor Mo!”

 

After this incident, Director Yang not only found Professor Mo to be reputable but also highly praised Zhou Jinyuan, the miraculous doctor from the hospital.

 

After praising Zhou Jinyuan and Director Xiao, Director Yang went to thank the external experts who had come in vain. They could only respond modestly, saying, “No, no, we didn’t help much,” with awkward laughter.

 

“I’ve said before, Xiao Zhou is our top acupuncture expert in the Chinese Medicine Department. Don’t be fooled by his young face; he might be easily misunderstood, but without him, I wouldn’t have felt assured!” Director Xiao beamed, his tone even more confident than before.

 

Haha, now as the newly appointed director, not only had he saved face, but he had also greatly impressed the experts from the brother units.

 

He glanced at Zhou Jinyuan, thinking how fortunate he was to have such a talent who brought both fortune and triumph. He should really go to Xianglu Temple to light some incense in gratitude.

 

—

 

Zhou Jinyuan had only been in the Chinese Medicine Department for a few months but had already made a significant impression, rapidly improving his skills (…). Director Xiao had long thought that his temporary status should be upgraded and had even mentioned it to Zhou Jinyuan.

 

Especially now, with Director Yang praising him in front of so many external experts, saying his diagnosis was no less than that of Professor Mo. Given this level of expertise, isn’t it a bit excessive for him to remain a temporary worker?

 

Converting a temporary worker to a permanent employee isn’t instantaneous; it requires passing an exam. At that time, Zhou Jinyuan said he was busy. Now, Director Xiao thought, no matter how busy he was, this issue should be resolved first. Find a time to handle it, and let him take the exam.

 

With his understanding of Zhou Jinyuan’s abilities, the exam would be just a formality; he could pass it with ease.

 

Director Xiao wanted to discuss the timing with Zhou Jinyuan, so he called the Chinese Medicine Department, only to hear that Zhou Jinyuan had gone to participate in a free clinic.

 

The Third Hospital regularly held free clinics, whether it was in the city center to spread medical knowledge or bringing medicine to rural areas. This time it seemed they had taken Zhou Jinyuan along, so he would have to wait until he returned.

 

In the meantime, Director Xiao turned around and heard from the hospital office staff that some journalists wanted to come to the hospital for filming.

 

Although not a big deal, as various media often came to do news reports, he was still concerned about the publicity. “What’s the matter?”

 

The hospital office staff had a peculiar expression, reporting the matter because of its unusual content.

 

“Well, supposedly, some foreign tourists on a self-guided trip were looking for the Hair Loss Specialty Hospital of Haizhou. They couldn’t find it and got lost, ending up at the police station. The police helped them search and found out that the Haizhou Hair Loss Specialty Hospital isn’t the official name; it’s actually…”

 

Director Xiao: “…”

 

Say no more, he knew it was their hospital! Who didn’t know that the Hair Loss Specialty Hospital of Haizhou was the new nickname for their Third Hospital!

 

The hospital office staff continued, “So, the material was reported to the city’s TV journalists. They found it interesting and decided to come over with the tourists.”

 

Director Xiao couldn’t help but ask, “I understand that, but how did they hear about us? We haven’t advertised abroad!”

 

Since the Chinese Medicine Department’s reputation for treating hair loss had risen, they had indeed highlighted it as a promotional feature. But they hadn’t even started advertising outside the province, relying solely on word-of-mouth to attract patients from within and outside the province. How did foreign tourists come to hear about it?

 

The hospital office staff didn’t know the details either.

 

To satisfy his curiosity and understand the hospital’s reputation, Director Xiao agreed to the media filming and went to check the situation himself. He saw the three foreign tourists and learned the whole story.

 

—

 

The story began when Zhou Jinyuan treated a tourist named James. James, grateful, gave a banner and wrote a lengthy blog post upon returning to his country.

 

In his travelogue about China, the highlight was his visit to the Haizhou Hair Loss Specialty Hospital.

 

He described the young doctor, pulse diagnosis, acupuncture, and the kung fu that didn’t match his physique with captivating words. He included photos of the hospital, acupuncture, the medicine Zhou Jinyuan prescribed, and his distinct before-and-after comparison pictures.

 

To those unfamiliar with Chinese culture, it had a legendary feel.

 

James used lavish praise, carefully selected a few pictures, and, despite his reluctance to transition to video blogging, regretted not filming the doctor in action.

 

He felt his words couldn’t fully capture the astonishing contrast of that moment and hoped everyone could see what he saw.

 

“Moreover, my stomach illness has never recurred since then! I want to say God bless him, but unfortunately, he told me it’s not up to God, so I can only wish him ascension to success (I don’t know what that means either, the guide said it’s like going to heaven).”

 

Soon after, James’s travel journal was published.

 

His carefully written blog post aroused the interest of online and physical readers, who said they would definitely refer to his travelogue if they traveled to China, to experience the must-visit Haizhou Hair Loss Specialty Hospital.

 

These three self-guided tourists, while preparing for their trip, referred to James’s travelogue. As one of them suffered from hair loss, they naturally included Haizhou in their itinerary and specifically set aside a day for the Third Hospital.

 

Unfortunately, due to language barriers and some misunderstandings in James’s descriptions, when they asked around for a kung fu-practicing hair loss specialty hospital, people thought they were looking for a temple…

 

They had to seek help from the local police to find the right place.

 

Naturally, this also caught the attention of the local media.

 

—

 

The Hair Loss Specialty Hospital of Haizhou, recently famous within and beyond the province, had now gained international recognition! This is the power of reputation!

 

Director Xiao didn’t know what to say, but he realized that converting this temporary worker had been a worthwhile decision.

 

“Director Xiao, does our hospital really have a teenage doctor?” the reporter asked curiously. After all, medical students graduate in their twenties, and if they pursue a master’s or doctorate, they’re even older. What kind of genius is in their teens?

 

“Oh, they’re probably referring to Dr. Zhou in our hospital. He is indeed young and outstanding, just 21 years old, not a teenager. That’s a misunderstanding. Dr. Zhou is a key member of our Chinese Medicine Department and leads the research on hair loss, which has brought us today’s internationally renowned results. We believe we can better serve patients from home and abroad and contribute to advancements in this field.” Director Xiao spoke confidently, downplaying the serendipitous nature of the situation.

 

—If he had known earlier, the widely spread name “Invincible Hair Growth Elixir” wouldn’t even exist.

 

“You’re right, our Third Hospital is blooming inside and outside the walls, spreading fragrance far and wide!” the reporter laughed. “Is it possible for Dr. Zhou to be interviewed?”

 

“Ah yes, blooming, blooming…” Director Xiao said regretfully, “But unfortunately, Dr. Zhou has gone to the countryside for a free clinic today. You won’t be able to see him, but our other Chinese medicine doctors also have extensive research in this area!”

 

Ever since becoming famous, every doctor had been forced to study hair loss treatment, so the overall level had indeed greatly improved…

 

At this point, Director Xie Min naturally took the lead. Her age equally amazed the foreign tourists.

 

Can you believe this female doctor is over fifty? Her undyed hair was jet black and shiny, her face almost wrinkle-free, and her skin was still plump and elastic. They would believe it if she said she was in her thirties!

 

After diagnosing them, Xie Min prescribed a modified version of the Invincible Hair Growth Elixir and asked Liu Qi to come over to demonstrate the Fire Needle technique he had just mastered, treating the tourists’ shoulder and neck pain from prolonged gaming.

 

A few fine needles inserted into the skin could generate a sensation of heat, allowing them to finally experience the acupuncture James had described!

 

“I’ve had acupuncture in my city before, but it didn’t feel like this. It only felt like an electric current when electrified!” one foreign tourist couldn’t help but say. He had also tried acupuncture in the West, where it was widely used, but it felt different from what he was experiencing here.

 

“But this is one of the classical acupuncture techniques of China, not something everyone can do,” Xie Min’s words made them remember this term. It turned out to be the most authentic and mysterious classical acupuncture technique, not mastered by everyone in China.

 

Liu Qi also added at the right moment, “This is what Dr. Zhou, whom you wanted to meet, taught me. If it were him today, he could make you sweat like rain!”

 

“Oh my… really?” Although they didn’t meet Dr. Zhou in person, these tourists were undoubtedly impressed, and this slight regret only elevated their estimation of him.

 

—

 

Almost simultaneously, the news had already spread through the convenient new media channels.

 

Netizens posted pictures and shared on social media: It’s foreseeable that Haizhou’s most classic attraction will not be Xianglu Mountain, Xianglu Temple, or ginseng, but the Haizhou International Hair Loss Specialty Hospital!

 

Reply: Balding internationally??

 

—

 

At that moment, Zhou Jinyuan, unaware of all this, was seeing patients in Longyi Township of Haizhou City.

 

This time, for the free clinic activity, the Third Hospital sent a team composed of departments such as orthopedics, gynecology, dermatology, health check-ups, and Chinese medicine to the surrounding towns of Haizhou for free consultations, initial diagnosis of common diseases, health education, and distribution of free medicines.

 

The Chinese Medicine Department had recently expanded, adding many medical staff. They didn’t send new doctors for the free clinic. Although Zhou Jinyuan hadn’t been there long, his skills had been proven, and he was known for his quick diagnoses. He was simply the perfect candidate for such activities.

 

The hospital drove several vehicles, bringing the doctors and some equipment to Nanping Township. The local government had already prepared tables for them and put up banners for the free clinic.

 

Due to the promotion two days in advance, many residents came. Going to the city was inconvenient, and with long-standing habits, many of them didn’t get regular check-ups, enduring minor ailments or visiting local clinics. With a large hospital offering free consultations, they wouldn’t miss the opportunity.

 

The doctors sat behind the tables, with signs indicating their specialties.

 

Zhou Jinyuan was behind the sign for the Chinese Medicine Department, right next to Doctor Mao.

 

Even now, there were many barefoot doctors in the countryside who prescribed herbal medicine, so many people came to see the Chinese medicine doctors.

 

Soon, a long line formed in front of Doctor Mao, taking advantage of his appearance. Others also had many patients, but Zhou Jinyuan had none.

 

Although he was always fully booked at the hospital, no one knew him here, leaving him idle once again.

 

Zhou Jinyuan guessed that these people probably thought he was Doctor Mao’s assistant!

 

“Who’s so inconsiderate to put me next to Doctor Mao!” Zhou Jinyuan turned to his colleagues and shouted.

 

Doctor Mao grunted and said reservedly, “Xiao Zhou, even if you were next to someone else, you might not have any patients!”

 

Zhou Jinyuan: “…”

 

Just then, a middle-aged woman came to consult, and before she could speak, Zhou Jinyuan grabbed Doctor Mao’s arm and said with a big smile, “Teacher Mao, how about we switch places!”

 

Doctor Mao: “???”

 

Doctor Mao: “Hey, hey, no switching! I’m not switching, don’t pull me!”