Taoist Doctor - Chapter 31

Rong Shouyun wasn’t some dark horse from the Buddhist sect at all—he was more like a jinx! The monastery that had maintained its purity and integrity for so many years went bankrupt as soon as he arrived.

 

Zhou Jinyuan was so shocked that he almost forgot to control his voice. Covering his phone, he asked, “Explain clearly—how could it go bankrupt?”

 

Rong Shouyun sobbed, “It’s just that the expenses exceeded the income. There were hardly any worshippers, and we kept trying to attract more, but it just didn’t work. We were trying to secure government funds for repairs, but not long after I arrived, I heard that the funds, for some unknown reason, were not approved, and that was the final blow.

 

“The abbot directly transferred to the branch temple at Baishan, starting over from scratch, and said he couldn’t take the rest of us with him. The other two senior monks saw this and decided to return to secular life. The temple was left empty, with nothing but a pile of bad debts—”

 

Zhou Jinyuan: “…”

 

With a headache, Zhou Jinyuan said, “You… never mind, just pack up and come back. We’ll discuss it later; I have a lot of work here too.”

 

This guy had the worst luck, but thinking about it, reporting the situation wasn’t wrong. In fact, the ones who suffered the most were the abbots; Rong Shouyun himself just moved to the next assignment.

 

So in another sense, Rong Shouyun really was a jinx…

 

He was definitely an abbot killer!

 

After sending Rong Shouyun off, Zhou Jinyuan had to continue working.

 

Due to his sudden rise in popularity, it became even harder to get an appointment with Zhou Jinyuan. Previously, his appointments would occasionally be fully booked, but now, looking at the backend, all the available slots for the next few days were completely filled.

 

Yesterday, his popularity surged. On top of that, once people started spreading the word that the invincible hair tonic was his formula, the market for hair treatment expanded. Patients who had previously come to the hospital or department without knowing much about the specific doctor now had a clear target.

 

Apart from hair loss patients, there was also a significant increase in female patients, most of whom had metropathies and had heard he had an ancestral secret formula specifically for treating such conditions.

 

An ancestral formula endorsed by a legitimate hospital is certainly more credible than an ad on a telephone pole. So, quite a few female patients came today, and while they got treated, they also got to see the excitement.

 

However, it was a bit awkward for female patients to discuss their menstrual issues with such a young male doctor. Zhou Jinyuan had to stay focused and communicate carefully. The end result, of course, was that he earned the title of “Friend of Women,” but these minor details can be set aside for now…

 

By noon, after seeing a large number of walk-in patients, Zhou Jinyuan even added slots for those who couldn’t get an appointment.

 

While treating a patient, one of them actually said, “Doctor, could you give me your autograph?”

 

Zhou Jinyuan: “…Why?”

 

Patient: “Aren’t you an internet celebrity? I want your autograph.”

 

Zhou Jinyuan: “…”

 

He wanted to argue but found it hard to say anything because he really did become popular locally yesterday… Is there really much difference between an internet celebrity doctor and a renowned physician?

 

“Here, I signed it for you.” Zhou Jinyuan said with a smile, finishing his notes in the medical record and signing in the physician’s column.

 

Patient: “…”

 

Alright, that’ll do!

 

…

 

While Zhou Jinyuan was adding appointments and seeing patients, Liu Qi brought him lunch from the cafeteria, timing it so that he could eat right after finishing with his patients.

 

“Boss, did any patients ask to take a selfie with you today? Did they ask for a beauty filter?” Liu Qi asked with a laugh.

 

“More than that, someone even asked for my autograph. I just told them to keep their medical records; my signature is on there.” Zhou Jinyuan replied.

 

“There’s nothing you can do; you’re really famous now. Yesterday, a lot of local public accounts were posting about your heroic deeds, and today, the Haizhou TV station even wants to feature you in the news. People are calling the hospital to inquire about you. But with so many trends every day, once you’re not in the spotlight anymore, people will only remember you for your hair treatment skills…” Liu Qi said as he took out his phone, preparing to relax for a bit.

 

Zhou Jinyuan was still pondering his words when Liu Qi suddenly started coughing violently.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“…Boss, it seems you won’t fade out of the spotlight so quickly!” Liu Qi handed his phone to Zhou Jinyuan. After being flooded yesterday with clips of Zhou Jinyuan speeding in a wheelchair, his social media feed was now filled with videos of Zhou Jinyuan performing a ritual.

 

Compared to the previous footage with various angles and scenes, this time the perspective was more singular. It was a video of Zhou Jinyuan standing in for Daoist Zhao during an opening ceremony in the countryside.

 

At that time, Zhou Jinyuan wasn’t as famous as he is now, so the villagers were more interested in the event itself. It circulated only within small circles, mainly because no one captured the moment when Zhou Jinyuan switched from a white coat to a Daoist robe—a scene that would have shocked people and made him famous earlier.

 

But now that Zhou Jinyuan’s name was known throughout Haizhou, this video began to spread as well.

 

—It turned out that the doctor who revolutionized the Third Hospital’s hair loss treatment and attracted many overseas tourists to Haizhou, who finally became famous last night, was also a Daoist priest!

 

The video clearly showed that it was him—there was no doubt about it. He exuded a strong presence, and according to those familiar with the situation, it was a ritual he conducted after a free clinic. This detail could be verified by the Third Hospital’s news bulletin from that day, which indeed mentioned a visit by the Traditional Chinese Medicine department.

 

In this video, Zhou Jinyuan wasn’t rushing by in a wheelchair with a blurred face; his features were clearly visible. He looked even younger than some of the reports suggested.

 

[OMG, this doctor is amazing—first, he’s speeding in a wheelchair, and now he’s performing rituals.]

 

[I’m shocked! So the doctor from the Third Hospital who sped in a wheelchair can also perform rituals… I heard he’s from a Daoist medical family. This is someone else’s 21-year-old!]

 

[So he’s really 21? At 21, I was still crying over failing my exams, and this guy was speeding in a wheelchair.]

 

[What’s a Daoist doctor? Does it mean you have to both treat patients and perform rituals? I don’t know, but I just want to say that this young doctor looks too good in a Daoist robe! Double uniform temptation!]

 

[This is the guy! My mom’s colleague said he gave my mom a huge pill, and I’ve been eating it for a month, eww.]

 

The last comment was clearly from a child of one of Zhou Jinyuan’s colleagues.

 

Countless people reached out to Liu Qi, a member of the Third Hospital, asking for information. If it weren’t for the fact that Liu Qi had muted his WeChat during consultations, he would have noticed sooner.

 

Zhou Jinyuan was speechless. After a long pause, he finally said, “…Well, at least it’s free publicity for our hospital.”

 

Liu Qi also beamed, “Yeah, my consultation numbers are going up too.”

 

Though the method was a bit unconventional, it was definitely a good thing.

 

It was said that Director Xiao was also quite pleased… After all, they had received massive publicity without spending a dime. Although the Third Hospital’s reputation had already skyrocketed due to the invincible hair tonic, becoming almost a city landmark, this was just the cherry on top.

 

The speed of information spreading in the internet age was astounding. By noon, the video had just started circulating, and by the afternoon, various pieces of information had accumulated. Zhou Jinyuan had suddenly become a renowned doctor.

 

After his identity was exposed, many stories began to fly around, with the video of him performing rituals adding fuel to the fire.

 

And now, Zhou Jinyuan’s age was no longer a disadvantage but rather highlighted his image as a young genius doctor from a traditional Chinese medicine family, adding a layer of mystique… The only downside was that treating baldness wasn’t very trendy, but it did add a bit of quirky charm, making him quite relatable.

 

Next came an article from a local media outlet.

 

It even compared him to Qu Huanzhang, who developed Yunnan Baiyao at the age of 22, saying, “In the past, there was Qu Huanzhang who developed Yunnan Baiyao at 22; today, there is Zhou Jinyuan who promotes the invincible hair tonic at 21.” This was despite the fact that when no one knew who created the formula, many people mocked the hospital’s naming style.

 

—Qu Huanzhang was indeed a famous physician in the late Qing Dynasty who started practicing independently at the age of 20 and developed a prototype of Yunnan Baiyao at 22, refining it into a well-known medicine over time.

 

The most interesting part was that Qu Huanzhang had once studied under Yao Hongjun, a famous doctor from Yunnan, who happened to be a Daoist doctor from Wudang!

 

Today, the concept of Daoist doctors, their history, and notable figures were thoroughly explained, thanks to Zhou Jinyuan’s newfound fame.

 

…

 

In the afternoon, as soon as Zhou Jinyuan called the next number, the patient who came in sat down, respectfully greeted him with a bow, and said, “Dr. Zhou.”

 

“Hey, no need to be so polite. Please, sit down. What’s the matter?” Zhou Jinyuan thought the patient was being overly respectful. After asking the patient to sit down, he began the consultation.

 

The so-called “Four Methods of Diagnosis” in traditional Chinese medicine begin with observation—looking at the patient’s complexion and spirit. Zhou Jinyuan had just glanced at the patient’s face and noticed they seemed very healthy, but it was still necessary to ask about symptoms to be sure there were no hidden issues.

 

However, the patient didn’t speak and instead reached out their hand.

 

Zhou Jinyuan thought the patient wanted him to take their pulse and said, “Please describe your symptoms first, and then I’ll check your pulse.”

 

In traditional Chinese medicine, all four diagnostic methods are considered together. Although Zhou Jinyuan was skilled at pulse diagnosis, he sometimes started with it to gain the patient’s trust—he had a naturally youthful face, and sometimes he had no choice but to do so to gain their confidence.

 

Besides, there were also times when even after checking the pulse, something remained unclear, requiring further questioning to confirm the diagnosis.

 

However, some patients deliberately concealed their conditions to test the doctor’s ability. When this happens to an ordinary doctor, it could lead to both mistreatment of the patient and a failure to diagnose the real problem.

 

There’s a saying, “If a patient doesn’t tell the doctor the cause of their illness and lets them grope around in the dark, they are seeking death.”

 

This particular patient clearly came to see Zhou Jinyuan because of his reputation. Zhou Jinyuan felt there was no need for this charade, as it would waste time and energy.

 

“No, no, I’m not sick.” The patient grasped Zhou Jinyuan’s hand and shook it twice.

 

Zhou Jinyuan: “?”

 

If you’re not sick, why did you make an appointment? He had thought the patient looked so healthy.

 

The patient laughed heartily: “Here’s the thing—I first went to Xianglu Temple to ask for you to perform a ritual, but they said you weren’t officially affiliated there. They told me that you were just helping out last time and wouldn’t give me your personal number, so I had no choice but to come to the hospital. You’re quite famous now! I wanted to find someone renowned—it feels much more prestigious.”

 

The more Zhou Jinyuan listened, the more his face darkened. “Wait a minute, you came here to…?”

 

The patient responded straightforwardly, “That’s right, I came to ask you to perform a ritual. It wasn’t easy getting this appointment!”

 

Zhou Jinyuan: “…”

 

Zhou Jinyuan: “Sir, the medical card isn’t meant for that!”

 

Zhou Jinyuan had only ever led a ritual once, and that was it. Rituals weren’t really his primary area of expertise, but even if he said so, no one would care.

 

It took some effort to send the person away, and he had to sneak around like a thief, checking on Director Xie’s whereabouts. Fortunately, Director Xie wasn’t around; otherwise, the scene in the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) department would have been a repeat of a previous spectacle.

 

The nurse at the counter witnessed the entire incident and came over to help explain to the patient before escorting them out. Then she added, “Making an appointment for a ritual? Why was that person holding Pinru’s medical card? Hahaha!”

 

Zhou Jinyuan: “…”

 

Worried that others might also come to him for rituals in the future, Zhou Jinyuan, holding onto a sliver of hope, asked the radio reporter he had contacted before to issue a clarification:

 

“Most of my work is centered on promoting medical care. I’ve only ever performed one ritual and don’t accept other ritual requests. For ritual needs, please contact Xianglu Temple. Medical appointments are available and are not limited to baldness. I also hope that people won’t use the medical card for rituals like a certain patient.”

 

Due to his work and sudden rise to fame, many patients came to see Zhou Jinyuan that day, making him return home later than usual.

 

Rong Xixue returned home a bit earlier than him. As soon as he entered, he heard the sound of chopping vegetables coming from the kitchen. He quickly changed his shoes and walked over. “Brother, put that down…”

 

Rong Shouyun, holding a knife, turned around and said, “Ah, Xiaoxue, you’re back. It’s okay, I want to make dumplings…”

 

Before he could finish, Rong Xixue’s expression changed, “Why are you back again? Where did you get the key?”

 

Old Rong next door hadn’t dared to call him, so Rong Xixue was completely unaware of Rong Shouyun’s situation. But seeing Rong Shouyun at home at this time, he seemed to understand something.

 

“Little brother, I’ve lost my job again. It’s terrible! Last time, A Jin offered me a spare key, but I didn’t want it. Who knew I’d actually end up using it.” Rong Shouyun, not in the mood to argue with his brother, kept chopping the vegetables vigorously while speaking.

 

“Waaah! This time I didn’t even last half a month. The temple you found for me shut down because it was too poor.”

 

Rong Xixue: “…”

 

He opened his mouth, restraining the urge to call him a jinx.

 

Rong Xixue rubbed his temples, “Enough, keep chopping, and I’ll make some inquiries.”

 

Rong Shouyun pitifully muttered, “Okay.”

 

After some thought, Rong Xixue took out his phone.

 

…

 

When Zhou Jinyuan returned home, he saw Rong Shouyun silently making dumplings and Rong Xixue sitting on the sofa with a gloomy expression, saying nothing.

 

Even when he saw Zhou Jinyuan, Rong Xixue barely managed to force a smile, clearly in a low mood.

 

“…Xiaoxue,” Zhou Jinyuan had been planning to complain about Rong the Bald, but seeing Rong Xixue’s stern face, he couldn’t bring himself to do it and said, “You already know, don’t you? Rong the Bald has it rough enough, let’s not give him a hard time.”

 

As he spoke, Rong Shouyun’s eyes turned red. He was indeed very unlucky—

 

But Rong Xixue just shook his head helplessly, “Brother, it’s not that simple. I called a few other temples earlier, just to ask around, but as soon as they heard the name ‘Rong Shouyun,’ they hung up.

 

“I then reached out to a former classmate to find out more, and I learned that there’s now a saying going around in Haizhou’s Buddhist circles that Rong Shouyun is someone you sent. They’re calling it a conspiracy by you, a Taoist.”

 

Zhou Jinyuan: “???”

 

What does this have to do with him? He’s been too busy treating patients and rising to fame to mess with monks!

 

Rong Xixue continued, “You often go to Xianglu Temple, and you participate in the city’s religious activities as a Taoist priest. You’ve also become famous recently. As for him, every time he leaves a temple, he stays at your place, and you’ve even picked him up a few times. So, people must have noticed. There’s also a rumor that you’re not a very friendly person. And on top of that, he really has caused a few abbots to step down and even led to the closure of a temple in just a short time.”

 

Zhou Jinyuan nearly choked, “…I’m being falsely accused!”

 

Sure, maybe he had made a few sarcastic remarks in the past, but he wasn’t that unfriendly, was he?

 

It was clearly all Rong Shouyun’s doing, and now the blame was falling on him. How was this fair?

 

Zhou Jinyuan grabbed a throw pillow and whacked Rong Shouyun a few times. “I told you not to become a monk! Now that you’re unemployed, fine, but you’re dragging me down too! Damn, if this goes on, won’t it create tension between Xianglu Temple and the monks?”

 

If things continued like this, the consequences could be unimaginable—it might even spark a religious conflict between Taoism and Buddhism in Haizhou City.

 

“I just wanted to be a good monk. It’s not my fault!” Rong Shouyun covered his head and dodged. “Now it’s over. I’ve been blacklisted again. I can’t just move to another new city.”

 

Zhou Jinyuan calmed down, planning to call Master Qin later. He sat down and said, “So, what are you planning to do next? Are you still determined to continue your spiritual practice?”

 

He glanced over and saw that Xiaoxue was also worried about Rong Shouyun’s situation, his brows tightly furrowed.

 

Rong Shouyun covered his face and said, “I’m thinking, as you suggested, maybe I’ll just practice at home…”

 

Hearing this, Zhou Jinyuan felt a sense of relief. This guy was finally willing to give the Buddhist community a break. Even as a Taoist, Zhou Jinyuan felt sorry for the abbots.

 

“It’s about time. But if you’re going to practice at home, you can’t just sit idle. Do you want to apply to work at the Third Hospital?”

 

Rong Shouyun was skilled in orthopedic diagnosis and treatment in traditional Chinese medicine, and the orthopedics department at the Third Hospital was a top-notch department. However, they lacked a competent orthopedic doctor on the TCM side. The TCM department had been expanding recently, so it shouldn’t be too difficult.

 

It would just mean adding another Buddhist practitioner to the hospital staff, providing more stories for the emergency center…

 

“Actually, I have another idea. Let me tell you, and you can see what you think.” Rong Shouyun hesitated for a moment before continuing, “I’ve been considering not applying for the position. I still have some savings left, so I was thinking of opening a clinic. How about partnering up? I know you’ve always wanted to start your own clinic as well. We could team up, hire a couple of people, and set it up here in Haizhou. It’s a big place with many people, and now that you’re famous, it should be easier than back home. Xiaoxue will be finishing school in a few years, and if we do well, we could even open a branch in Yingzhou later. If that doesn’t work out, we could always move back. We shouldn’t lose money. What do you think?”

 

He spoke more fluently as he went on, clearly having thought through this idea seriously. Even Rong Xixue looked over with interest, having not known about this plan before.

 

Rong Shouyun gave a meaningful look to Rong Xixue, clearly having just come up with this idea.

 

Rong Xixue said, “You managed to get online at the temple and know that Brother is now famous? You still haven’t shaken off your jinxed nature.”

 

Rong Shouyun: “…”

 

Zhou Jinyuan fell into deep thought.

 

He had always planned to open his own clinic and had been saving for it. This had been his goal since he started practicing medicine. If he hadn’t come to Haizhou to accompany his studies, he wouldn’t have joined the Third Hospital; he would have saved enough to start his clinic directly.

 

If Rong Shouyun’s career plans had changed and he wanted to partner with him, Zhou Jinyuan could accept that. They were like family, after all. However—

 

“This is a big deal. If we’re going to open it in Haizhou, I need to think about it more. The New Year is coming soon, so it’s not urgent. I’ll discuss it with Dad when I go back. And the hospital leadership—I don’t want to resign just yet. The hospital has just signed a contract with me. While employed doctors can open their own clinics, we still need to consider the institution’s interests. I need to consult with Director Xiao.”

 

Zhou Jinyuan thought for a moment and then added slowly, “Most importantly, I’m a bit afraid you might be bringing your bad luck to me…”

 

Rong Shouyun: “…………”

 

**Author’s Note:** “Colleagues: Let’s treat the baldness together and share the reputation, but we can’t let ourselves be turned into a baldness specialty hospital and then walk away!”