Taoist Doctor - Chapter 29

This was the closest Zhou Jinyuan had come to catching the culprit spreading rumors, but unfortunately, he didn’t realize it. After finishing his work, he went to keep vigil by the bed, dozing alertly on an empty bed.

 

The next day, he went straight from the emergency center to the department, taking a shower in the department’s bathroom early in the morning before work started.

 

The staff on duty in the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) department playfully teased Zhou Jinyuan, “Great master, we heard you were amazing in the emergency room last night, dealing with a few hooligans with a sword? Is it true that you carry a magical weapon?”

 

Zhou Jinyuan had no extra accessories on him at all, which made them wonder if he was using some kind of spatial storage.

 

Zhou Jinyuan: “…”

 

He couldn’t understand how this rumor had spread so quickly and who had spread it. Just how stressed were the emergency department staff that they needed to write a novel outline about him for relief?

 

“You mean the peachwood sword? It was borrowed from my senior brother temporarily,” Zhou Jinyuan said listlessly. “How did you all find out so fast? What cultivation level do you think I’m at now?”

 

“We’re not sure if you’ve broken through to Nascent Soul yet, but it’s said you’re a sword cultivator…”

 

Zhou Jinyuan: “…”

 

“Enough with the jokes, the director is doing rounds today,” Zhou Jinyuan said lazily. He needed to go to Qu Guanfeng’s ward in the inpatient building.

 

Qu Guanfeng was a key patient in the TCM department. Currently, his injuries were among the most severe in the hospital.

 

Moreover, while others might not know the specifics, Xie Min was aware that authoritative institutions had once determined Qu Guanfeng could never fully recover.

 

If this case were cured by Zhou Jinyuan in their department, it would definitely bring great fame to the TCM department.

 

Now, the dermatology department of the Third Hospital was renowned, and Zhou Jinyuan, the leader, was hidden within the department, not known to everyone.

 

Xie Min was looking forward to Zhou Jinyuan’s name becoming truly famous and even becoming a renowned doctor after handling Qu Guanfeng’s case.

 

Additionally, Xie Min herself had been closely observing Qu Guanfeng’s recovery steps since before he was admitted, understanding Zhou Jinyuan’s treatment plan, absorbing its strengths, and making it her own.

 

Learning is endless, and this was also a learning process for her.

 

“What did you do yesterday?” Xie Min asked as soon as she entered the ward, seeing Zhou Jinyuan with his hands in his pockets, talking to Qu Guanfeng.

 

When Zhou Jinyuan saw her, he seemed to shrink a bit, “Director Xie, I went to help out after work yesterday. My senior brother had a concussion and couldn’t perform the exorcism, so I had to help out.”

 

Xie Min: “You performed an exorcism? I was asking about you dealing with the hooligans.”

 

Zhou Jinyuan: “…Director, let me explain.”

 

Xie Min pointed at him, “You’ve already confessed without me asking. I’ll talk to you later.”

 

Zhou Jinyuan: “…”

 

“How is the recovery this week?” Xie Min asked as she approached Qu Guanfeng’s bed, reading the medical records. She usually conducted rounds once a week.

 

“He can stand independently now. The next step is to try walking with crutches,” Zhou Jinyuan said, then had Qu Guanfeng stand up to show Xie Min his recovery.

 

Qu Guanfeng dragged his legs to the edge of the bed, then held onto the bed rail, slowly, very slowly standing up.

 

Zhou Jinyuan’s judgment was quite accurate. After regaining pain sensation, Qu Guanfeng had indeed reached the point where he could stand, which was considered the best recovery those people had once said he could achieve.

 

The next step was walking.

 

Xie Min conducted a careful examination and discussed it with Zhou Jinyuan, saying happily, “The recovery progress is excellent.”

 

The corners of Qu Guanfeng’s mouth twitched slightly.

 

He had been very depressed, but under Zhou Jinyuan’s treatment, he gradually saw hope again. So these days, he exercised frequently, hoping to completely escape his predicament soon.

 

Qu Guanfeng’s phone beeped with a message notification. He glanced at it but didn’t open it. Soon, the phone beeped twice more, but he still ignored it.

 

“Why aren’t you checking it?” Zhou Jinyuan asked, looking at him.

 

“Nothing worth checking,” Qu Guanfeng said lightly. The messages were from his father, asking him to come home for his grandmother’s birthday.

 

Since moving to his new home, he rarely went back, while his father traveled between both places. His grandmother was very good to him, but after the accident, she would cry whenever she saw him, which was a suffocating atmosphere he found hard to endure.

 

Zhou Jinyuan didn’t immediately press him about his personal matters. Xie Min, standing by, encouraged, “Get out of the ward more often, walk around the hospital, and get some fresh air.”

 

Qu Guanfeng’s ward was a single room with good conditions, but everyone knew he needed more interaction with people.

 

Compared to his previous gloominess, Qu Guanfeng was indeed better now. He was willing to accept Xie Min’s suggestion.

 

“Let’s go downstairs together. I have a consultation this morning. Xiao Zhou, come with me,” Xie Min said.

 

Qu Guanfeng grabbed the handrail and sat in his wheelchair, joining them in heading to the elevator.

 

On the way, Xie Min briefly explained the consultation situation to Zhou Jinyuan. There were three patients with severe craniocerebral injuries, admitted due to a car accident.

 

The most serious one had a head injury from the accident, currently in a deep coma with a brain contusion and laceration, and positive Babinski sign, indicating upper motor neuron damage. The other two were slightly better but also in a coma.

 

The patients’ vital signs had stabilized after surgery, but they had not awakened after three days. Therefore, a TCM consultation was requested to use acupuncture and herbal medicine to promote their awakening.

 

“The youngest patient is only fifteen years old, and among the three comatose children, his injuries are relatively less severe. There was no substantial damage to his brainstem and thalamus. His mother, who was also in the car, protected him at the moment of the accident but couldn’t be saved herself,” Xie Min said softly.

 

Zhou Jinyuan was stunned, then folded his hands in the yin-yang gesture, offering a prayer, and softly chanted, “By the decree of the Supreme, may your soul be guided.”

 

His tone was low, with a strange and comforting rhythm, full of reverence.

 

Although this was in the workplace, this time Xie Min looked at Zhou Jinyuan without saying anything.

 

Qu Guanfeng, standing in the corner of the elevator, looked up at him. He had also been paralyzed after a car accident, and his mother had passed away when he was very young. His memories were of her shielding him from the storm without hesitation.

 

The elevator stopped on the first floor. Zhou Jinyuan and Xie Min stepped out first, and then they were no longer heading in the same direction as Qu Guanfeng.

 

Zhou Jinyuan turned back to Qu Guanfeng, “Your recovery is going well. Overall, it’s no different from recovering from a cold or fever, just with a longer course. You’ll eventually heal completely.”

 

Qu Guanfeng’s eyelashes fluttered, but Zhou Jinyuan had already turned and left.

 

“After the surgery, although the primary injury wasn’t fatal, the persistent coma following brain injury might lead to the patient’s eventual vegetative state. We hope you can assist in awakening them,” the attending physician said, leading them to the ward.

 

After a detailed explanation of the conditions, Zhou Jinyuan and Xie Min alternately took the pulses of the three patients, then began discussing herbal prescriptions and acupuncture points.

 

The herbal prescription was mainly handled by Xie Min, who often consulted on similar cases in the hospital, helping comatose patients awaken, with effective proven formulas.

 

Zhou Jinyuan was called in for his acupuncture skills, aiming to better achieve the purpose of unblocking the brain meridians and promoting qi and blood flow.

 

“With the primary goal of awakening the mind, I will perform acupuncture on Neiguan, Shuigou, Baihui, and Sihai points,” Zhou Jinyuan said after discussing the main points with Xie Min. The primary goal was to promote the patients’ awakening and address gastrointestinal dysfunction, which often follows craniocerebral trauma, to restore their gastrointestinal function.

 

At this point, the Chinese medicine had also finished brewing and was being administered through a nasogastric tube.

 

For the three comatose patients, Zhou Jinyuan performed acupuncture one by one. They were all from the same family; the most severely injured boy and the other two were cousins. Their aunt had taken the three children out to play, only for them to encounter a car accident.

 

At this moment, their family members were waiting nearby. They had been instructed not to disturb the doctors during the acupuncture, so they waited quietly yet anxiously.

 

When Zhou Jinyuan applied acupuncture to the first child, using strong stimulation techniques, the patient’s limbs began to twitch. Although his eyes remained closed, tears appeared at the corners, and his eyeballs moved.

 

“The effect is great!” The attending physician was greatly encouraged.

 

“I’ll perform acupuncture again in ten minutes!” Zhou Jinyuan smiled and proceeded to treat the second patient.

 

This process alternated, and after an hour, two of the patients could open their eyes autonomously. Though they couldn’t respond to questions, they had clearly emerged from deep comas.

 

Unfortunately, the most severely injured boy had not yet awakened.

 

The attending physician felt a bit regretful, but it wasn’t entirely unexpected. Their injuries varied in severity, and the two who woke up had no substantial damage to their brainstem or thalamus, making their chances of regaining consciousness higher.

 

The families, caught between tears and laughter, faced the sad reality that one child would still have to learn about his mother’s passing, a painful revelation they dared not disclose at this moment.

 

The father of the most severely injured boy, already burdened by the grief of his sister’s death and the worry over his comatose son, appeared much older, leaning on his wife for support.

 

As Zhou Jinyuan and Xie Min finished the treatment and were about to leave, a few family members surrounded them. They had refrained from speaking during the treatment.

 

The father of the seriously injured boy grabbed Zhou Jinyuan’s hand, tears in his eyes. “Doctor, thank you for waking my two nephews. But my son… my son, is it difficult for him to wake up? Could you try again? Maybe a few more needles, and he’ll wake up?”

 

“Currently, there is no response, but his vital signs are stable. An hour of acupuncture stimulation is sufficient for now. I will continue to treat him daily. While he didn’t respond this time due to the severity of his injuries, it doesn’t mean there’s no hope. On the contrary, I believe he has a good chance of waking up.” Zhou Jinyuan held the father’s hand reassuringly. “You should go and rest now. Your son could wake up any day, and he needs you.”

 

The father wiped his tears and nodded vigorously. “I understand, I understand.”

 

He hadn’t had a full night’s sleep for days, afraid that if he closed his eyes, his son would be lost like his sister. Now he realized he couldn’t afford to collapse. With the support of his relatives, he went to rest.

 

Zhou Jinyuan watched his retreating figure. Even as a doctor, often witnessing the grief of parents, he never got used to it. After a moment of low spirits, he exchanged a glance with Xie Min, nodded to the attending physician, and left.

 

All they could do was continue treating the patients daily, hoping for their early recovery.

 

.

 

“Are you going home tonight?” Zhou Jinyuan received a call from Qu Guanfeng as he was about to finish work.

 

Qu Guanfeng decided to go home to celebrate his grandmother’s birthday, so he wouldn’t stay in the hospital tonight.

 

Zhou Jinyuan didn’t ask why he decided to “ask for leave” at this time, simply saying that it was fine as long as it didn’t interfere with the next day’s treatment.

 

After chatting with colleagues for a while, answering some questions about the consecration, Zhou Jinyuan finally went downstairs.

 

As he reached the hospital gate, a car stopped in front of him, and the window rolled down to reveal Qu Guanfeng in the back seat, with a driver ready to take him home.

 

“Get in, I’ll give you a ride,” Qu Guanfeng said to Zhou Jinyuan.

 

Qu Guanfeng had many attending doctors before, including various private doctors since childhood, but Zhou Jinyuan was undoubtedly special, so he treated him differently.

 

Zhou Jinyuan initially wanted to refuse, but seeing Qu Guanfeng’s usual calm expression, he quickly reconsidered. Thinking that Qu Guanfeng had become much less aloof, he nodded and got in the car. “Thank you for the ride.”

 

Zhou Jinyuan gave the location, and the driver headed towards his home.

 

“Huh, your wheelchair can be folded?” Zhou Jinyuan noticed that Qu Guanfeng’s electric wheelchair, placed in the back, was folded and asked in surprise.

 

“I never said it couldn’t,” Qu Guanfeng replied.

 

“I didn’t know that,” Zhou Jinyuan joked. “You’ve been watching me lug that heavy wheelchair around without a word. You’re quite heartless; tomorrow, I’ll use longer needles.”

 

A rare smile appeared on Qu Guanfeng’s face. Back then, he was too disheartened to care about anything, let alone such “irrelevant” details. “To fold it, you need to unscrew two parts first.”

 

“So, this is custom-made, right? I always felt it looked different, more convenient, smooth, stable, and flexible.” Zhou Jinyuan chatted with Qu Guanfeng for a bit.

 

Observing Qu Guanfeng’s expressions, he realized that he no longer minded this topic. Unlike before, when he was extremely sensitive about it. Encouraged by fellow patients, he no longer avoided the subject.

 

The driver couldn’t help but sneak a glance at them through the rearview mirror, surprised that Master Qu was chatting with his attending doctor and giving him a ride, displaying unprecedented politeness.

 

After all, even before the accident, Master Qu wasn’t known for his amiable attitude, having driven away several rehabilitation teams. But then again, he heard that this doctor was also a respected Taoist, even admired by the big boss, so maybe that explained the difference…

 

Talking with Qu Guanfeng, who now discussed his wheelchair with ease, Zhou Jinyuan realized it was indeed a unique custom piece, with a control system programmed by Qu Guanfeng himself—back when he hadn’t completely lost hope.

 

Qu Qingrui valued Qu Guanfeng not just because he was his only son but also because of his exceptional talent and intelligence. He had always been the exemplary child, and his mother’s death had made Qu Qingrui even more protective of him.

 

“Stuck in traffic?” Zhou Jinyuan glanced outside. They hadn’t reached his home yet, and the vehicle was caught in a long traffic jam, with no end in sight.

 

“You should’ve taken the subway,” Qu Guanfeng said.

 

Zhou Jinyuan glanced at him. It didn’t seem like a sarcastic comment, but rather a rare joke, so he responded, “I guess I’m just not meant to ride in luxury cars. Every time I do, we get stuck in traffic.”

 

After about ten minutes of barely moving, Zhou Jinyuan was considering walking home when his phone rang. Seeing it was from the hospital, he quickly answered.

 

“Dr. Zhou, are you off duty now? Do you have any plans?” It was the attending physician who had invited Xie Min for a consultation today, speaking excitedly. “The patient in bed 53 has opened his eyes. If possible, could you come back and give him another round of acupuncture?

 

“I think another session now could significantly aid his recovery. I asked the on-duty TCM doctor, but he doesn’t feel confident he can meet my requirements. Dr. Mao is off today, and Director Xie is at an external consultation!”

 

Bed 53 was the patient who had not regained consciousness after a car accident and cranial injury. In the morning, Zhou Jinyuan’s acupuncture had elicited no response.

 

Besides Zhou Jinyuan, the most skilled in acupuncture was Dr. Mao, but he wasn’t working today, and Director Xie was out. With the on-duty doctor unable to meet the standards, the attending physician had no choice but to seek Zhou Jinyuan’s help.

 

Hearing this, Zhou Jinyuan became alert. “I’m stuck in traffic on Feihong Road. I’ll get back as soon as I can!”

 

The attending physician responded, “Okay, please hurry.”

 

“A patient urgently needs acupuncture, the one you heard about this morning. I need to get back quickly,” Zhou Jinyuan explained to Qu Guanfeng while looking around.

 

Unfortunately, the traffic was still gridlocked, and it didn’t seem like it would clear up anytime soon. Zhou Jinyuan frowned at the situation.

 

The driver, overhearing, asked, “Is it urgent, Dr. Zhou?”

 

“The attending physician said the sooner, the better,” Zhou Jinyuan replied, starting to consider whether he should just run back. He looked around for a motorbike or any alternative transport but saw nothing.

 

“Do I have to run back?” Zhou Jinyuan muttered.

 

The driver, also worried, suggested, “Look for a shared bike! If not, you’ll have to run. Good luck, Dr. Zhou!”

 

Qu Guanfeng, with a thoughtful expression, said slowly, “There is another way. I can modify the program…”

 

What program?

 

Following his gaze, Zhou Jinyuan looked over, “?!”

 

…

 

Feihong Road, Haizhou City

 

During rush hour, a traffic accident had caused a massive jam. Many citizens were stuck, staring ahead, hoping the traffic would clear soon so they could go home.

 

A bus driver couldn’t help but curse, “How long is this gonna take?”

 

Passengers were equally frustrated. Getting off meant walking a long way home, but staying on the bus offered no end in sight to the traffic jam.

 

Just then, a figure sped along the empty curb, a rare sight in the standstill traffic, drawing everyone’s attention.

 

The lightning-fast speed left all the passengers in stunned silence for at least three seconds before erupting in a commotion.

 

“?!?!?!”

 

“Am I hallucinating? Was that person in a wheelchair? Was it real?”

 

“It looked like there were seat belts. Are electric wheelchairs that advanced now?”

 

“Were they speeding? I’ve seen car racing, but never wheelchair racing…”