Taoist Doctor - Chapter 51

“Sure, I think Xiao Liu has potential to develop abroad in the future,” the boss lady said as she finished the injection and walked out with Xiao Liu. Zhou Jinyuan couldn’t help but joke with Jin Chuoxian.

 

As for the future, no one could say for sure, but for now, it seemed that Boss Liu probably never expected that the most cost-effective educational investment in her family was just two bottles of yogurt…

 

Jin Chuoxian smiled indifferently, “The child really likes music. I’ve been teaching him to play the piece I recently composed, and he’s picking it up quickly.”

 

“Eh, you finished your composition? When did you finish it?” Zhou Jinyuan asked him, “Was it inspired by Director He again, like last time? I forgot to ask you.”

 

“…” Jin Chuoxian paused for a moment, “Well, you could say that.”

 

He had already sent it to the company, and it would probably be released soon.

 

Actually, Jin Chuoxian had just come by to say hello. Since Zhou Jinyuan was about to start treating Irina, he decided to leave.

 

Zhou Jinyuan took Irina to the small treatment room for her acupuncture. As usual, he chatted with her to distract her, “I haven’t seen Mr. Brown around lately?”

 

“Dad likes to go to the square and play with people his own age,” Irina smiled and said. This was her first time in China, and from the information she had gathered, she had only known about the big cities. Haizhou, although prosperous, had a slower pace of life, which was quite enjoyable.

 

Zhou Jinyuan thought about the square nearby, which was usually filled with elderly people playing mahjong, poker, chess, or dancing square dances. How had Mr. Brown integrated so quickly?

 

Looks like his Chinese is improving rapidly…

 

“Is it convenient for you to come here by yourself?” Zhou Jinyuan asked.

 

“It’s fine, I have the wheelchair Dr. Zhou gave me. I can come here by myself with no problem,” Irina said, “It’s very responsive, safe, and convenient.”

 

The “wheelchair Dr. Zhou gave me” was actually a customized one from Qu Guanfeng. Zhou Jinyuan hardly used it anymore, and it wasn’t really necessary. After a treatment session, Qu Guanfeng had left the wheelchair at the clinic, saying he donated it to the clinic and even wrote “Xiao Qinglong Clinic” in white paint on the back, so Zhou Jinyuan could use it for his patients.

 

Currently, there weren’t any critically ill patients at the clinic, so Irina was the only one who needed it. It felt like a meaningful legacy, so Zhou Jinyuan let Irina use it for now.

 

The wheelchair was customized by Qu Guanfeng’s family and had even been modified by him, making it much more convenient than Irina’s original one.

 

“Haha, it’s donated by Mr. Qu. This wheelchair is really good. I feel that not only does it have many functions, but it’s also very ergonomic. I don’t feel tired even after sitting for a long time,” Zhou Jinyuan said, his tone seemingly nostalgic.

 

Irina looked at him with some curiosity, “Your tone… it sounds like you’ve used it before?”

 

Zhou Jinyuan laughed awkwardly and made a gesture with his hand, “It’s just a coincidence. I used it for a while, just for a while.”

 

…

 

“Dr. Zhou, is this how much paste I should put?” Shao Jingjing asked, holding a freshly made patch of medicine, nervously.

 

“You need a bit more paste. This is too little,” Zhou Jinyuan glanced at it and said.

 

They were making the Xiao Qinglong Clinic’s special medicinal patches. Recently, due to the increase in orders, they were struggling to keep up with production.

 

After all, the clinic only had two people working regularly, and they had to also see patients. Rong Xixue and Zhou Jinyuan only had time in the evenings after school or work, and sometimes they had shifts or homework to deal with.

 

Since Shao Jingjing was often brought here by her grandmother to visit, and knowing that they were busy, her grandmother had asked Zhou Jinyuan if she could send her idle little grandson to help out without pay. She even offered to pay a little extra money, as long as someone could make sure Shao Jingjing didn’t run off.

 

Her grandson was lazy and couldn’t hold down a job for more than six months. He was the complete opposite of his brother, which made her headache. No store nearby would hire him for odd jobs, and even if they did, they wouldn’t dare take him in.

 

But Zhou Jinyuan wasn’t worried. Shao Jingjing was as docile as a quail when he saw him. He had him stay to help out, even feeling that it saved him some labor costs.

 

“Oh…” Shao Jingjing obediently agreed and continued applying the medicine patches. After a while, he stretched and yawned, “Dr. Zhou, can I take tomorrow off? I’m feeling really uncomfortable.”

 

Zhou Jinyuan, who was calculating the accounts, didn’t look up, “Is that so? Ji Huan, give him a pulse.”

 

Shao Jingjing: “Uh…”

 

He extended his hand and nervously lied, “I feel dizzy, maybe it’s anemia, or maybe I still have a fever, my stomach doesn’t feel very well, and I’m feeling down.”

 

This was a trick he had learned to use on the school nurse.

 

After a minute of pulse-taking, Ji Huan coldly reported, “Boss, nothing’s wrong. He just has lazy sickness.”

 

Shao Jingjing: “…”

 

He wanted to argue, but Zhou Jinyuan seemed uninterested as he adjusted his long needles, “Where exactly do you feel uncomfortable?”

 

Shao Jingjing shivered, “N-no, I… Haha, I’ll be fine after moving around a bit.”

 

(Being forced) to work at the clinic is the downside; you can’t even fake being sick, and there’s no way to slack off because people can tell immediately how you’re feeling.

 

How long has it been since he worked? He moved around a bit with a frown, then couldn’t help but ask, “Dr. Zhou, how much is my wage?”

 

Zhou Jinyuan replied, “Forty a day.”

 

Shao Jingjing: “…That’s so little?!”

 

He nearly fainted. Even brick moving would earn more than that.

 

Zhou Jinyuan glanced at him and walked away, saying, “Your grandmother said to pay you less, so you don’t take the money and go drinking with others.” Shao Jingjing probably didn’t know that his grandmother was willing to pay extra to send him to work; in the old days, he would’ve been sent to be an apprentice.

 

Shao Jingjing: “…”

 

Rong Shouyun clicked his tongue, “Why like this?”

 

Shao Jingjing turned to look at Rong Shouyun. Well, the monk teacher really was more compassionate…

 

Rong Shouyun looked Shao Jingjing up and down, “You’re not very quick at working. Thirty’s fine. If you don’t perform well, I’ll deduct some wages.”

 

Ji Huan couldn’t hold back: “Hahahaha!”

 

This was the new-age contract laborer. Shao Jingjing, hurt, took two steps back and nearly bumped into the medicine cabinet. He was saved when Rong Xixue elbowed him, “Be careful.”

 

Shao Jingjing turned and saw Rong Xixue. Though he still wore a cold expression and had previously glared at him, Shao Jingjing had realized that, after spending time with him, he suspected that Rong Xixue might actually be the kindest and most compassionate person in Xiao Qinglong Clinic.

 

So, it was better to build a good relationship with this big shot.

 

Shao Jingjing noticed that Rong Xixue was holding a few plants in each hand and stretched out his own hand, “Teacher Rong, let me help you carry them. Are these for planting in the flower beds?”

 

Rong Xixue immediately dodged, “No need. Don’t touch them.”

 

Shao Jingjing: “It’s no trouble! I don’t charge extra. I only get forty a day.”

 

Rong Xixue: “…”

 

Rong Xixue: “Poisonous.”

 

Shao Jingjing recoiled as if struck by lightning, quickly pulling his hand back. What? Really? But they looked so fresh!

 

Zhou Jinyuan, who had been watching from the side, gave a warning, “It’s true. If you pinch here and there without washing your hands and end up touching your mouth, it’s not just your lips that’ll rot.”

 

These were all Tian Nanxing plants; they were highly toxic.

 

Shao Jingjing: “…Are they all poisonous? What about the other one? The one with fruit, will that rot my mouth too?”

 

Rong Xixue: “No. It’s more poisonous.”

 

Shao Jingjing: “…”

 

The other plant was Strychnine, and its toxicity was even higher. There was a saying, “Eat before the horse, die after the horse,” referring to it, which showed just how deadly it was. Overconsumption could cause poisoning and even death. People wouldn’t eat several fruits unless they were desperate because Strychnine is extremely bitter.

 

Even mild poisoning would be very unpleasant.

 

“Alright, stop making that face. We grew these ourselves, and they’re used in the production process. We won’t leave them for too long. If you’re worried, I’ll tell you a method to avoid poisoning,” Zhou Jinyuan said.

 

Shao Jingjing: “W-What?”

 

Zhou Jinyuan pointed to Rong Xixue and warned, “Stay away from him. He likes to mess with those things.”

 

Shao Jingjing: “…………”

 

After that, Shao Jingjing never dared to get within three meters of Rong Xixue. He hadn’t expected this was the most dangerous person at Xiao Qinglong Clinic—everyone else just deducted wages, but this one was life-threatening!

 

…

 

Zhou Jinyuan had asked Rong Xixue to bring the Strychnine for Jin Chuoxian. Recently, he wanted to invest in some Strychnine, but since Jin Chuoxian’s illness was in his liver, and Strychnine was highly toxic, the preparation and dosage had to be carefully considered.

 

As for Tian Nanxing, that was for Rong Shouyun. After Rong Xixue processed it, he would use it to make a new batch of medicinal patches.

 

Recently, many middle-aged and elderly patients at the clinic had knee osteoarthritis, which was common at that age. The knee joints would be very painful, so Rong Shouyun was planning to make a more targeted medicinal patch.

 

“What do you think… How many grams should we use?” Zhou Jinyuan quietly asked, watching Rong Xixue stir the sand.

 

Actually, according to the standard, Jin Chuoxian’s body wasn’t in particularly good condition, especially his liver, so Strychnine shouldn’t be used frequently or in excess. What they had been taught at school was a daily dosage of 0.3 to 0.6 grams, and it had to be processed first.

 

Rong Xixue glanced at Zhou Jinyuan, “How much do you want to use?”

 

He directly asked, and it was clear that Zhou Jinyuan definitely wanted to increase the dosage.

 

Zhou Jinyuan chuckled twice and made a hand gesture.

 

Rong Xixue pondered, “It’s a bit risky, but the strychnine and brucine in Strychnine have a good inhibitory effect on the growth of HepG2 liver cancer cells…”

 

These two components were the main active ingredients of Strychnine, and also its toxic components.

 

Zhou Jinyuan looked at him expectantly, hoping for the pharmacist’s approval. “I’ve discussed it with Jin Chuoxian, and he has no objections. You can prepare it however you like.”

 

Rong Xixue had already expected this and said helplessly, “Go ahead, but try to combine it with other ingredients to reduce the toxicity.”

 

Zhou Jinyuan laughed twice, “I’ll go get sesame oil for you.”

 

Rong Xixue added the sesame oil, then placed the Strychnine in the mix.

 

Shao Jingjing, who was passing by, only saw them adding oil and Strychnine, and couldn’t help but wonder, “What are you guys doing with poison? Are you trying to be like Shennong, tasting all the herbs?”

 

“Did Shennong cook before tasting? This is for processing—now get back to work!” Zhou Jinyuan said, and Shao Jingjing immediately started shouting about wanting to take a break and ran off, “This is forced labor, damn it!”

 

Zhou Jinyuan leaned close to Rong Xixue’s ear and whispered gossip, “Don’t you think Shao Jingjing is a bit… gay?”

 

Rong Xixue: “…………”

 

“Other than being lazy, a rogue, and idle, he’s actually quite cute. I just observed his usual behavior and thought I could make a little judgment,” Zhou Jinyuan said modestly, “Not necessarily accurate.”

 

Rong Xixue hesitated, “Do you think he’s cute?”

 

“…Isn’t that the wrong focus?” Zhou Jinyuan couldn’t help but ask.

 

Rong Xixue answered, “Because I didn’t expect you to have such judgment skills.”

 

Zhou Jinyuan: “…………”

 

Zhou Jinyuan: “I was just saying it casually!”

 

Mainly, he suspected that Shao Jingjing’s previous flirting with the emergency doctor might indicate a preference, but now it seemed like Jingge had probably lost confidence in white coats while staying at Xiao Qinglong Clinic. It was likely a sad situation.

 

Zhou Jinyuan looked around to make sure no one was paying attention, then snickered, “If I were to go in that direction…”

 

He was still very close to Rong Xixue, who was almost holding his breath, eagerly awaiting his next words.

 

Zhou Jinyuan: “It’d be with Rong Tu. Hahaha, isn’t the Daoist-Buddhist CP very mainstream?”

 

Rong Xixue: “…………”

 

Rong Xixue calmly turned his head, “…Move aside, I’m adding poison.”

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

Hertzfield Records is a large record company group from Country B, established over a hundred years ago and always controlled by the Hertzfield family. It owns many music labels, spanning from classical to pop, with business all over the world.

 

Now, one of the heirs of the Hertzfield family, known as Little Hertzfield, or Xiao Fei for short, runs a major record company within the group.

 

He was drinking coffee in his office when he casually opened an email, and saw that one of his subordinates was reporting:

 

Jin had sent his work.

 

Xiao Fei immediately paused, put down his coffee cup, and instructed the subordinate to bring Jin’s work to his office right away.

 

In this company, when people mentioned “Jin,” they only meant one person: the musician Jin Chuoxian from China.

 

For many years, Jin Chuoxian had maintained a deep and good cooperative relationship with the company, and his works in China were also represented by Hertzfield’s Chinese subsidiary.

 

However, unfortunately, fate was cruel, and Jin fell seriously ill. Xiao Fei had consulted many doctors for him, but in the end, no one could go against death.

 

The last news about Jin was that he had gone to his homeland for traditional Chinese medical treatment and was organizing his “final works.”

 

The company respected his wishes, and as he requested, no one disturbed him. This news was kept under strict confidentiality. Xiao Fei thought that maybe after some time, when they released Jin’s last works, the world would be shocked and mourn the passing of a genius.

 

He had passed like a shooting star, but his light would remain forever.

 

Considering the time, Jin had little left, and Xiao Fei’s mood in the early morning became somewhat heavy.

 

Two minutes later, the subordinate knocked on the door, holding a notebook. “Mr. Hertzfield?”

 

“Come in.” Xiao Fei took a deep breath, “Is this Jin’s work?”

 

He didn’t use the last two words, but they both knew what it was.

 

“Yes,” the subordinate clicked a few times on the laptop. The file had just been downloaded; it was too large. Some of the works used virtual instruments, some were recordings with musicians Jin had hired, and others were his own recordings, with various recording locations.

 

“Let’s begin,” Xiao Fei said.

 

There are a total of sixteen pieces, most of which were composed after Jin was diagnosed.

 

They started listening from the first one, and it felt like they were experiencing Jin’s inner world. His extraordinary musical talent made Xiao Fei and his subordinate empathize deeply. Halfway through, Xiao Fei couldn’t help but take off his glasses and wipe his eyes.

 

This young master was filled with reluctance and love for the world, using music to reminisce and say goodbye.

 

However, when the last piece began to play, both Xiao Fei and his subordinate were stunned.

 

This piece was vastly different. Unlike the previous ones, which had various genres and rich instrumentation, this one was a piano solo. Xiao Fei was certain it was based on folk music, and it clearly carried a unique charm.

 

The slow, ancient rhythm at the beginning brought peace and tranquility, and the melody and emotions progressed layer by layer. The climax felt like being embraced by golden sunlight, filled with beautiful hope and vitality. Its unique rhythm and style made it extraordinarily moving.

 

It was like… like praying to ancient gods and receiving redemption.

 

Music is born out of various religious rituals and ethnic activities, and this piece had a stronger sense of the sacred. You could be certain it carried some kind of spiritual color.

 

Xiao Fei even found it hard to breathe. He gripped the coffee cup tightly, closed his eyes, and listened until the last note fell. Then he suddenly stood up, exclaiming in disbelief, “Did Jin really write this?”

 

Without a doubt, Xiao Fei had a very high level of musical literacy, as his family had been in the industry for over a century.

 

It was this sensitivity that made Xiao Fei question. He wasn’t doubting Jin’s talent, but this piano piece, which Jin had personally recorded, contained a vitality that seemed completely out of place for a terminally ill person!

 

When people hear this piece, it only awakens hope in their hearts, without the slightest trace of regret, fear, nostalgia, or any emotion a person nearing death should have.

 

Especially since Jin was supposed to have little time left—

 

Compared to the previous pieces, this piano composition felt like an emotional rebound, creating two extremes.

 

Even someone without much musical appreciation would be shocked to realize that the previous pieces and the last one came from the same person, from the same period.

 

One was facing death, the other was embracing life. They were entirely different.

 

Upon further inspection, the subordinate noticed that these audio files seemed to come with a black-and-white image, likely the Tai Chi diagram from China, where black and white merge as one, much like… much like the contrasting emotions in this collection of works.

 

What happened to Jin in China? Xiao Fei thought absentmindedly. He didn’t know what happened to Jin, but it must have been something very significant, which led to this work.

 

Xiao Fei had a premonition that once these works were released, another star would shine brightly in the history of Hertzfield.

 

“What’s the name of that last piece? Did it have a name?” Xiao Fei asked. He felt that the piece should be called “Hope,” as it was the perfect title. If it were rearranged into a composition or other forms, he wondered how it would turn out…

 

Normally, if Jin had given it a name, no one would suggest changing it. Unless something unusual happened, that was the piece meant for a global audience.

 

As Xiao Fei was deep in thought, his subordinate glanced at the files and said with some confusion, “Xiao Qinglong Piano Solo?”

 

Xiao Fei was momentarily stunned. Was “Xiao Qinglong” some kind of religious ritual or place? Why was it called “Xiao Qinglong”?

 

.

 

.

 

.

 

Shao Jingjing had some noodles at home, wiped his mouth, and said weakly, “I’ll rest for a bit before going to the clinic. It’s too early, there’s nothing to do anyway.”

 

“Why? It’s such nice weather. If you go over earlier, if there’s no ointment to make, just help Dr. Rong clean up,” Grandma lectured. “You should be diligent, especially when working for the host. Suffering is a blessing.”

 

Shao Jingjing almost spat out his food. “Host…” Well, he worked forty hours a week, so he might really be a long-term worker.

 

Grandma probably really thought of the Xiao Qinglong Clinic as a labor camp and was pushing him out the door.

 

Shao Jingjing dragged his heavy feet to the Xiao Qinglong Clinic. As soon as he entered, he noticed something unusual in the air.

 

“…What is that smell?” Shao Jingjing pinched his nose and asked. It smelled like a strong herbal medicine, dark and overpowering.

 

Rong Shouyun was sitting behind the counter. He glanced at Shao Jingjing and pointed inside. “We’re making medicine. Go help out.”

 

Shao Jingjing was reluctant to go in. “Can you at least tell me what it is? It smells dizzying. I really want to ask for leave!”

 

Normally, when he made ointments, the smell was just the usual kind of herbal scent, unpleasant but not unbearable. But today, the smell was so intense, and he had no idea what kind of new medicine it was.

 

“Leave? Not possible. Don’t even think about it,” Ji Huan immediately refused, the kid who was always thinking about running away. He was busy making anti-cold sachets. “Inside… Dr. Zhou is refining elixirs…”

 

Shao Jingjing: “…………X.”

 

Are you kidding? Refining pills?!

 

Ji Huan’s eyes showed a trace of pity. It seemed like this morning, when he arrived, he heard Zhou Jinyuan mention that the local residents, especially parents, had developed a strong trust in the Xiao Qinglong Pediatric Clinic.

 

With that, they could start their plan…

 

Ji Huan immediately recalled Zhou Jinyuan’s remark from earlier: “Many of my patients took it back and forced their kids to eat it.” After seeing the actual product, he realized that Rong Shouyun and Zhou Jinyuan weren’t exaggerating—the word “forced” was indeed a very vivid description.

 

Because of this, Ji Huan thought that Zhou Jinyuan seemed to be running a fattening program!

 

Shao Jingjing snuck over to the partition and saw Zhou Jinyuan and Rong Xixue sitting inside. One was rolling pills, while the other was packaging the already dried pills into small boxes.

 

The ingredients for the pills came from a pot adorned with the Bagua symbol, filled with a dark, gooey paste. Zhou Jinyuan, wearing disposable gloves, mixed honey into the paste, rolled a large pill, and placed it on a porcelain plate to dry.

 

The smell was coming from there.

 

“What is this…” Shao Jingjing asked. It would be fine if it was just one or two pills, but there was a whole pot of them, and the smell was making his eyes roll.

 

“This is called the Kong Sheng Pillow Pill. It can enhance memory and help with sleep in teenagers,” Zhou Jinyuan explained. “I made it according to ancient texts. The first user relied on it to get into a prestigious university!”

 

Shao Jingjing covered his mouth. “No way!”

 

It’s so big, who can even swallow this? They’ll choke to death before getting into university!

 

Zhou Jinyuan said, “Don’t believe it? Ask Xiao Xue!”

 

Rong Xixue: “…”

 

Shao Jingjing: “…”

 

He gave a strange look at the slightly unnerved Rong Xixue. Damn, it’s you, isn’t it? It’s probably because you’ve been forced to take it before that you’re so interested in these toxic pills.

 

Zhou Jinyuan had also bought a label maker, and each hand-rolled large pill was priced at sixty-six yuan. If you bought it together with the anti-cold sachets or Xiao Qinglong plasters, you’d get a ten percent discount. The pills were large enough that you could eat them yourself at home or break them into smaller pieces. One pill would last at least half a month.

 

…

 

Dr. Zhou from the Xiao Qinglong Clinic had always been the best doctor in the minds of children and teenagers under eighteen in the area. They also really liked the Xiao Qinglong Clinic because it always provided the most comfortable treatments for them.

 

Parents naturally liked it too, as it saved them a lot of trouble. So, when they came to buy anti-cold sachets or other medicine, or when parents passing by noticed the clinic’s new advertisement, “New medicine on sale, helping kids learn,” they couldn’t help but ask about it.

 

Then, the doctors would explain which age groups the medicine was suitable for, what ingredients it contained, and what effects it had.

 

To be honest, similar children’s health products were flooding the market, many of which were expensive and exaggerated in their claims.

 

However, the practical Xiao Qinglong Clinic’s Kong Sheng Pillow Pill was only sixty-six yuan. Its effects sounded useful and realistic, especially considering their medicines were always effective and fast-acting, which felt much more reliable than those on the market.

 

They even made the medicine right in the clinic, and you could see them preparing the ingredients. The smell was unpleasant, but Zhou Jinyuan said he had tried to improve the taste and had added a lot of honey.

 

—Everyone knew that Zhou Jinyuan, if possible, would choose a gentler way to treat his patients without torturing them. Since he said so, he must have really tried his best while still maintaining the medicine’s effectiveness.

 

Well, it was just a little unpleasant, but it was much better than some of the home remedies, so they bought it.

 

That day, countless kids, after their parents brought home the pills, trusted the Xiao Qinglong Clinic and took a bite according to the recommended dosage, only to—

 

“It’s so disgusting! Waaaaaah!”

 

It probably wasn’t that bad, maybe a six out of ten on the unpleasant scale, but when you trust the clinic so much and don’t even have a cup of water ready, that six turned into twelve!

 

…

 

Xiao Liu cried loudly. He was given a big pill for free and, standing in the middle of the clinic, smelled it. Trusting Dr. Zhou, he ate it straight away, instead of breaking it into smaller pieces and swallowing it with water—doing that would make it much easier to swallow.

 

The result? He cried right after eating it.

 

“Why? Waaaaah, why!” Xiao Liu didn’t understand. Why would Xiao Qinglong sell such disgusting pills? He even gave the doctors yogurt, why were they doing this to him?

 

“Drink some water.” Rong Xixue quickly handed Xiao Liu a cup of water.

 

Xiao Liu gulped down a large cup of water, but the taste still lingered in his mouth. He looked up at Zhou Jinyuan and said, “Brother, you’re not going to sell this in the future.”

 

His family ran a supermarket, and products that tasted this bad would never sell again.

 

Zhou Jinyuan replied, “It’s hard to say.”

 

…

 

Indeed, the first batch of “victims” quickly spread the word far and wide. Kids of the same age basically all knew that Xiao Qinglong was selling a dark, huge, disgusting pill, and that no one should buy it.

 

However, since the Kong Sheng Pillow Pill really had a calming effect, once parents heard about it from their neighbors or friends, they would still buy it to try.

 

It was just a pill—how bad could it be? Close your eyes, drink some water, and swallow it!

 

That wasn’t wrong. One pill, no matter how bad it tasted, couldn’t be that hard to swallow. After all, they had been forced to eat worse health supplements and tonics. The first batch of victims had been so shocked by the taste that they exaggerated it many times over.

 

Kids have vivid imaginations, and the story spread, making it seem like the world’s most disgusting medicine, very different from the reputation it had among parents.

 

Especially at the nearby school, because it was close to Xiao Qinglong, most of the students were from the surrounding area. More kids had been forced to eat the large pill, and whenever it came up, they’d exchange nervous glances.

 

Even the teachers at the school knew about it because it appeared too often in compositions and diaries…

 

Such prosperity seemed to prove Zhou Jinyuan’s guess.

 

—Except the kids around here seemed to react even more strongly.

 

.

 

“Hello, I’m an assistant professor from the Rehabilitation Medicine Department of B University, and I’m also the attending physician at its affiliated hospital…” Zhou Jinyuan was reading an email. The sender was a colleague from B Country who held both Western medicine and acupuncture licenses.

 

They hadn’t met before, but Zhou Jinyuan had heard about him from his colleagues. Recently, the sender encountered a patient whose condition didn’t improve with regular acupuncture treatments, so he thought of Zhou Jinyuan, hoping he could offer some guidance.

 

The sender had naturally gotten the email address from a colleague and attached the patient’s medical records.

 

“I hope you can kindly offer some advice…” Zhou Jinyuan muttered the last sentence. The materials were quite detailed, and the patient had paralysis due to a brain injury, similar to several cases Zhou Jinyuan had treated before.

 

As time passed, the number of emails for exchanges and advice from B Country increased. Even though Zhou Jinyuan had left B Country, his academic connections there seemed to have become even closer.

 

For emails like this, Zhou Jinyuan always responded in detail. He organized his thoughts and began to reply, until Irina and her father, Mr. Brown, arrived.

 

“Mr. Brown, you didn’t go to the square today?” Zhou Jinyuan greeted, pausing his email.

 

“I heard that Irina is going to try standing today,” Mr. Brown said. It seemed like he had gained a bit of weight since coming to China.

 

Zhou Jinyuan looked at Irina. “Good, today is a big step. First, we’ll do acupuncture, and then… we’ll start trying to stand. Are you ready?”

 

Irina bit her lower lip, and the rosy color of her lips faded slightly. “Yes.”

 

“Alright, then follow me.” Zhou Jinyuan led them into the treatment room.

 

…

 

On the curb outside the Xiao Qinglong Clinic.

 

Two young people parked their bicycles and leaned in close, discussing.

 

“Do you think we should go in?”

 

“I don’t know, last time it was so late that our faces probably couldn’t be seen clearly. They probably won’t recognize us…”

 

“Who knows? I’m just curious. The Xiao Qinglong Clinic is getting more and more mysterious. It’s pretty impressive now.”

 

As they were talking, a young boy licking an ice lolly suddenly interrupted: “Are you talking about the Xiao Qinglong Clinic?”

 

The two young men exchanged a glance, not intending to respond.

 

The boy sighed. “Sigh, Xiao Qinglong, now everyone’s terrified of it.”

 

After speaking, he walked away with heavy steps.

 

The two young men: “…………”

 

They looked at each other, thinking at the same time, “Damn, it’s so exaggerated! It’s scaring both the old and young now!”

 

So, should they go in?

 

The answer was yes, because the Xiao Qinglong plasters were so effective that nowhere else could compare.

 

At worst, they could do what other guys had said—when they left, they’d help throw the trash for the clinic and the supermarket next door. After all, they were there as customers, so there was no need to be too anxious.

 

With that in mind, they stepped into the Xiao Qinglong Clinic. Upon seeing that the bald man and the baby-faced staff weren’t in the shop, they were relieved, but still dared not act too casually.

 

“We’d like to buy the bone pain plasters!”

 

Ji Huan raised his head and glanced at them. They were back again, with the same respectful tone, almost synchronized in their every move. “Sorry, we’re out of stock for now. Why don’t you come back later? It’s still being made.”

 

This was because Shao Duoduo had just helped purchase a batch for someone, and all the stock had been cleared out. Now, they were rushing to make more, so the timing was unfortunate.

 

“What? It’s still being made? How long will it take?” one of the young men asked regretfully. They had finally gathered the courage to come, only to find there was no stock.

 

“I’ll check,” Ji Huan said, calling out, “Jingjing! Shao Jingjing! Let me ask you—”

 

Shao Jingjing came out of the partition, took off his mask, and asked, “What’s up?”

 

The two young men met his gaze, both startled.

 

“Shao Jingjing?” they asked in unison.

 

Shao Jingjing replied, “…………”

 

“Oh, you know each other?” Ji Huan thought to himself, chuckling. Shao Jingjing even shortened his name when he went out. “They want to buy the plasters. How much longer do you need to make them?”

 

“Xiao Wu” and “Xiao Liu” were even more shocked. “Jing Ge, you… you work here? Did you… stay here on purpose?”

 

“What do you mean, ‘stay here on purpose’? He came by himself,” Zhou Jinyuan, who had just walked out of the treatment room, overheard and said, “I pay Shao Jingjing forty bucks a day.”

 

Xiao Wu couldn’t help but curse inwardly. Forty bucks? That wouldn’t even cover a skewer of barbecue. He remembered it clearly—it was this guy who had shocked Jing Ge that day, claiming to be from the underworld with over a hundred brothers, but who knew he was so stingy.

 

Shao Jingjing immediately felt that the topic was getting dangerous and quickly changed the subject. “You guys should go back for now. I’ll have the plasters delivered to your home later.”

 

“Wow, Jing Ge, you’re so nice?”

 

Zhou Jinyuan glanced at them, and noticed that Shao Jingjing seemed to be sweating a lot, especially after Zhou Jinyuan looked at him twice—his sweat seemed to increase. Zhou Jinyuan poured a cup of water and returned to the treatment room, giving Irina a few sips.

 

“You’ve worked hard today. We’ll continue tomorrow,” Zhou Jinyuan smiled, as Irina had successfully managed to stand with support. She was one step closer to her full recovery.

 

Irina’s eyes were filled with hope. Every day, she felt closer to returning to the stage, and the nightmare of that day felt further away. She nodded. “Yes!”

 

“Let’s go. I’ll walk you out.” Zhou Jinyuan led Irina out, casually collecting the packaging bags for the plaster materials and throwing them into the outside trash can.

 

Xiao Wu and Xiao Liu hadn’t gone far. They were standing by the roadside and noticed Zhou Jinyuan coming out. At first, they couldn’t help but stare at the beautiful foreign girl beside him, but then their gaze shifted to Zhou Jinyuan himself.

 

“What are you staring at?” Zhou Jinyuan could feel their intense gaze.

 

The two men shrank back, then, under Zhou Jinyuan’s watch, Xiao Wu forced a smile and said, “It’s nothing, we were just surprised that you even take the time to throw away the trash, big bro.”

 

“Huh?” Zhou Jinyuan stopped and asked, “Big bro? That’s a first, no one’s ever called me that before.”

 

Usually, they treated him like the younger brother.

 

Xiao Wu didn’t know how to respond at first. Was Zhou Jinyuan being modest? After a moment, he said, “What you’re saying… You’re not the boss of the underworld, are you?”

 

Zhou Jinyuan: “…”

 

Zhou Jinyuan froze for a second. What underworld? What the heck? The only “path” he’d ever been on was the right path!

 

But in that moment, a flash of clarity hit him. It suddenly made sense why people treated them with such respect.

 

So…

 

Zhou Jinyuan turned to the two young men. “Where did you hear I was from the ‘underworld’?”

 

…

 

Shao Jingjing stepped out of the clinic and saw Zhou Jinyuan standing outside, with Xiao Wu and Xiao Liu still there. He couldn’t shake off a bad feeling, and his expression froze.

 

No…

 

“Little thug, come here, I need to ask you something,” Zhou Jinyuan said with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, “Did you tell people I’m the boss of the underworld?”

 

Shao Jingjing stammered, “I… I had too much to drink, and they misunderstood! I said I was into Taoism, with hundreds of Taoists under me!”

 

Xiao Wu and Xiao Liu: “??”

 

Zhou Jinyuan nearly laughed, “So you also tied up your grandma, huh?”

 

“Huh?” Shao Jingjing’s face changed. He didn’t know where that part came from!

 

Shao Jingjing took a deep breath. In fact, he had anticipated this day, and since it had come, he might as well take advantage of it…

 

He took a step back. “Doctor Zhou, I think you should calm down, and we can talk later. I’m innocent, really! I’m taking a break today, so I’ll head home now. I only need twenty for today’s wages. Once you’ve calmed down, we’ll talk!”

 

With that, Shao Jingjing rushed a few steps forward, jumped onto Xiao Wu’s bike, and quickly turned into a nearby alley, pedaling away.

 

Zhou Jinyuan: “?? Shao Jingjing, stop slacking off! Your grandma said you need to report every day!”

 

“Damn!” Xiao Wu cursed, looking at his bike.

 

“Tsk, Jingjing sure is fast,” Xiao Liu remarked.

 

Shao Jingjing, with his keen ears, heard them and blushed as he shouted back, “You sure are quick to change your tune!”

 

He used to call him Jing Ge!

 

Zhou Jinyuan coolly said, “There’s no other way out here, right? I’ll go catch that little guy.”

 

Xiao Wu and Xiao Liu looked around. There was no private car or even a motorcycle in sight. How were they going to chase him? Were they going to chase him on foot?

 

The boss sure was bold.

 

Think he can get away? Zhou Jinyuan looked at Irina in her wheelchair. “Cough, Irina…”