Taoist Doctor - Chapter 53

The whole pot of soup was mainly made for Irina, so after Shao Jingjing and Ji Huan were allowed to have a small bowl each, it was all gone. They could only eat cabbage while watching Irina eat with longing eyes.

 

The most infuriating part was that Rong Shouyun had to preach to them with a radiant expression: “Why follow Taoism? You can see you can’t even eat enough. It’s better to follow me. I’ll teach you to be free from worldly desires, and eating cabbage can be just as joyful.”

 

The two of them: “…”

 

Zhou Jinyuan said disdainfully, “Shut up, stop stealing business.”

 

Irina’s appetite wasn’t large, so she couldn’t eat anymore after getting full. She treated this as a staple, but normally wouldn’t eat so much in one meal.

 

Zhou Jinyuan said, “Not bad, right? Next time, I’ll stew some pigeon or duck for you. The stuff you usually eat looks way too dry.”

 

He couldn’t stand it—a girl, and a patient at that, eating such dry food all the time.

 

Irina’s tears suddenly started to fall.

 

Mr. Brown, who was still eating, got worried and put down his chopsticks. “Irina, are you okay?”

 

He began to reflect—was the food he prepared really that “dry”? But Irina had grown up eating like this at home.

 

Her eating habits were long-established. Even though Mr. Brown liked Dr. Zhou’s chicken, he couldn’t give up his sandwiches.

 

Zhou Jinyuan was startled—was it that bad?

 

“I’m fine… Thank you, Dr. Zhou.” Irina’s deep green eyes were filled with sorrow, making everyone present feel sorry for her. Just how plain had her usual meals been? Chicken was delicious, but this seemed a bit much.

 

“I’m just a bit troubled. I’m worried that if I keep eating like this, my legs might recover, but my figure might prevent me from performing on stage, or even leaving China.”

 

The others: “…”

 

Such a genuine concern. It made sense too. Earlier, Shao Jingjing had reminded Irina to maintain her figure. But it also showed that Irina truly enjoyed the meal; after just one, she was already concerned about her career, afraid of falling from grace.

 

“I thought it was something serious. As long as you don’t binge, you won’t lose your shape.” Zhou Jinyuan felt relieved. As long as it wasn’t a worsening of Irina’s emotional state, it was fine. Irina was indeed more sensitive than others right now.

 

“If you’re really worried, I’ll give you a few acupuncture sessions for weight loss to help boost your metabolism. If you ever miss it when you go back, there must be Chinese restaurants in L City too…”

 

But Irina didn’t hear the latter part. Her body stiffened, and she said incredulously, “Acupuncture… can help with weight loss?”

 

Zhou Jinyuan looked puzzled. “Have you not walked around Haizhou since you arrived? The streets are full of ads for acupuncture weight-loss packages. How could I not know how to do that?”

 

Not only could he do it, but he could definitely do it better than most.

 

Irina: “But you never mentioned it!”

 

“You never asked, and you didn’t need it before.” Zhou Jinyuan shrugged. “I know so much; I can’t just hand out a flyer introducing everything I can do the moment we meet.”

 

Irina: “…”

 

Although acupuncture is only supplementary, if Irina wants to perform, it will certainly require rehabilitation exercises and workouts. But hearing Zhou Jinyuan say that, Irina at least felt a bit more encouraged to continue her treatment.

 

It was also at this moment that Director He, who had been wandering aimlessly in the next room, finally hesitantly stepped into Xiaoqinglong. Seeing the meat in the Bagua cauldron, he exclaimed in shock, “So you really were making chicken here?”

 

“Oh my, why didn’t I think it was you guys right next door making chicken? The smell made me lose my appetite for the lunchbox!” Director He clapped his hands in complaint.

 

He had tried hard to ignore the delicious aroma, but people kept saying, “What smells so good?” which made him itch with curiosity. He barely ate a few bites of his meal, searching to see who was making soup.

 

“Director He? This is medicinal food I made for a patient, and it’s all gone.” Zhou Jinyuan looked at him with surprise, thinking his reaction was a bit exaggerated.

 

Director He was even more stunned—it was actually Dr. Xiao Zhou who made it?

 

Actually, Director He’s exaggerated expression was mainly because, despite his search, he never thought it would be Xiaoqinglong. He even passed by earlier, seeing them eating with a big pot on the table—that pot was used to make Kong Sheng’s Zhongdan medicine, a well-known item in the community.

 

The pot, which could now be used to stew chicken, was handled by the same person. It was like two extremes. No one in the community would believe it if they heard.

 

“What, all gone?” Director He was slow to react again. It was all eaten up, and he sighed regretfully. “Will you make more later? Can you sell it…”

 

Zhou Jinyuan chuckled apologetically. “No, Director He, it’s for patients. We’re not a restaurant.”

 

He had only asked Shao Jingjing to buy one chicken.

 

Director He sighed and walked away with his hands behind his back.

 

A while later, two more people came in, “We heard from Director He that you were cooking chicken here. Are you selling?”

 

Zhou Jinyuan: “…It’s medicinal food! Not for sale, for patients only.”

 

There was no way Zhou Jinyuan could cook for people every day. Ji Huan and the others were only lucky because of Irina.

 

“Do you have to get sick to eat your food then?” One visitor asked regretfully. “What kind of illness, I wonder if I can get it?”

 

Irina turned around and said in perfect Chinese, “Paralysis.”

 

Visitor: “…”

 

Never mind, goodbye.

 

Before lunch was over, several waves of people came to ask, causing business at the nearby restaurant to dip temporarily until they finished eating.

 

Zhou Jinyuan went to wash and scrub the Bagua cauldron. When he came back out, Ji Huan said, “Someone just came by asking if the dish had a name, if it was steamed or stewed, so they’d have something to dream about if they couldn’t eat it themselves.”

 

“It doesn’t have a name. I’ve always called it Sanqi, Baishao Steamed Chicken.” Zhou Jinyuan thought for a moment. He really had no knack for naming things, always going for something simple and straightforward.

 

Ji Huan smiled wryly, “Jing-ge did come up with something…”

 

Zhou Jinyuan: “Hmm?”

 

.

 

The drizzle fell lightly as Rong Xixue, finished with his classes, walked into the clinic. His gaze landed on Zhou Jinyuan, and their eyes met. Zhou Jinyuan raised an eyebrow in greeting.

 

But Rong Xixue frowned, “Why did someone at the door ask if there was ‘Immortal Chicken’ for sale tonight? What is ‘Immortal Chicken’?”

 

Zhou Jinyuan gestured. “Go ask Shao Jingjing. He named the steamed chicken medicinal dish, which I made today for Irina.”

 

He thought the name was fine, as long as it didn’t imply an immortal made the chicken…

 

“Fusheng Wuliang Tianzun. I thought this chicken could only exist in heaven, so I called it ‘Immortal Chicken.’ It’s the most fitting.” Shao Jingjing said with a serene expression.

 

Rong Xixue paused: “…Fusheng Wuliang Tianzun?”

 

Shao Jingjing: “Oh, I have already converted to the Three Treasures. For the sake of eating chicken.”

 

He planned to get a conversion certificate the next day.

 

Rong Xixue: “…”

 

He had only been away for half a day, and Xiao Qinglong Clinic already had a new resident, with a strong trend towards transforming into a local eatery.

 

At this moment, outside the Xiao Qinglong Clinic.

 

A red car drove up, the door opened, and Shao Duoduo got out of the driver’s seat, shielding himself from the light drizzle with his hand.

 

Only then did a young man step out of the passenger seat. His skin was rather pale, his features handsome, but there were two dark circles under his eyes. With his dark hair and eye color contrasting sharply with his fair skin, it made him look even paler.

 

He walked with a lazy gait, hands in his pockets, and tilted his chin at Shao Duoduo, “Are you sure you got the right place? Where’s the clinic?”

 

“It’s right there.” Shao Duoduo, playing the chauffeur role, closed his friend’s car door. “My brother works there. Let’s go, Ah Meng.”

 

Lu Meng looked at the tiny clinic sandwiched between a supermarket and a restaurant, with a name that was particularly odd. “Why didn’t you find a bigger place for your brother?”

 

He’d heard from Shao Duoduo that his brother worked at a clinic, so he’d assumed it would be at least a two or three-story private clinic. Instead, he saw a small roadside shop.

 

“You don’t get it. Don’t be fooled by its size. Our whole company now uses their ointment patches, and even the big shots among our partners use them,” Shao Duoduo said. “Besides, only the doctors here can handle my brother.”

 

He and Lu Meng had been online friends for years before meeting in person. Today, Lu Meng finally had some free time, and after hearing that Lu Meng had been diagnosed with radial nerve damage, he remembered that his brother seemed to have suffered the same before. Though it was caused by drinking, it seemed worse than Lu Meng’s condition, as he couldn’t move at the time.

 

That was during Shao Duoduo’s busiest period. He was so swamped that he hadn’t been home for days, totally lost in work, and didn’t remember the specifics of how it got better.

 

By the time he found out, Shao Jingjing was already fine. There was no surgery involved, and his brother spoke about it quite casually. Now, there seemed to be no issues with his movements.

 

Since Lu Meng was coming over as a guest, and they were already on the road, and the clinic was not far from where his brother worked, they decided to go straight there. That way, Lu Meng could ask Shao Jingjing about his recovery situation, which might serve as a reference.

 

Shao Duoduo entered the clinic first, not seeing his brother. He was probably working inside since he hadn’t answered his calls earlier. “Hello, Dr. Rong, is my brother here?”

 

He couldn’t tell the difference between doctor and pharmacist, so seeing Rong Xixue, he also called him “doctor.”

 

“He’s inside,” Rong Xixue said, glancing at the man following behind Shao Duoduo, who clearly looked like a long-time night owl.

 

But instead of Shao Jingjing, Zhou Jinyuan was the one who came out first, walking from the treatment room. “He’s helping clean up the moxa sticks; he’ll be out soon. It’s rare for you to have time to visit, Duoduo.”

 

Zhou Jinyuan was always friendly towards Shao Duoduo. Although they didn’t meet often because of Shao’s busy work schedule, Shao Duoduo was probably the clinic’s biggest ointment distributor in the business district… He brought in a lot of orders.

 

He also noticed the person beside him. The man’s complexion was too pale, so Zhou couldn’t help but habitually observe him to see if he was ill.

 

While others looked at Lu Meng, his eyes roamed the clinic, from the stacks of ointments to the Bagua diagram taped to the counter and the string of beads on the table. This clinic was… full of superstitious elements!

 

And it wasn’t even the stylish kind of superstition, but the poor man’s variety!

 

“Oh, I’m just here to ask where Jingjing had his radial nerve injury treated before,” Shao Duoduo said.

 

“Radial nerve injury? I treated it. He was drunk at the time,” Zhou Jinyuan replied. Shao Jingjing originally went to the emergency room, and Zhou had just happened to be there, so he gave him his first acupuncture session on the spot.

 

Just then, Shao Jingjing came out with a patient who had just finished a massage session. The patient, still immersed in the extreme relaxation brought by the “Xiao Qinglong Foot Spa,” had a look of utter bliss.

 

“Ah, thank you, Dr. Zhou. That was amazing. When are you working next during the day? I’ll book you again~”

 

Zhou Jinyuan: “…Next Wednesday.”

 

Lu Meng: “??”

 

What the hell? They’re using a tilde to express how good it felt?

 

Isn’t this supposed to be a clinic? Bagua diagrams aside, why is there such a different vibe here?

 

Everyone else seemed used to it. After all, the name “Xiao Qinglong Foot Spa” wasn’t just for show.

 

Shao Jingjing confirmed that Zhou Jinyuan was indeed the one who treated him. “I’ve been working every day since then, and my hand hasn’t had any issues.”

 

Only now did Shao Duoduo vaguely recall his first visit to Xiao Qinglong when Shao Jingjing had been discussing acupuncture with Zhou Jinyuan. However, at that time, his attention was all on Rong Shouyun, so his memories weren’t very clear.

 

Shao Duoduo gave Lu Meng a questioning look.

 

Lu Meng hesitated a bit. He had originally come to ask Shao Jingjing about his recovery because he was considering which treatment method to choose, and whether surgery was necessary.

 

It was a good thing to run into Shao Jingjing’s attending physician directly, but this doctor and the whole establishment seemed a bit… mystical!

 

“What, does your friend have a radial nerve injury too?” Zhou Jinyuan had seen countless patients. Judging from the complexion and the conversation, he was almost certain the person beside him had an injury. “What’s the cause?”

 

Radial nerve injuries could come from various causes, like alcohol poisoning, as in Shao Jingjing’s case, or chronic lead poisoning, inflammation, improper upper limb positioning, etc.

 

“It’s because of his job. Long hours of keyboard and mouse use… it hurts, really affects his work. Last month, it was confirmed as a radial nerve injury.” Lu Meng, realizing that he had been seen through, answered.

 

Zhou Jinyuan began his diagnostic mode. “What’s your occupation?”

 

Shao Duoduo said, “He’s a professional eSports player.”

 

That’s right, Lu Meng’s job was one that many older folks couldn’t quite understand—like Shao’s grandmother, who always thought Lu Meng worked in an internet cafe—the eSports industry. Not only that, but his team had just clinched the championship in the recently concluded season.

 

However, Lu Meng had been enduring the pain throughout the competition, making this championship hard-earned.

 

“Oh, no wonder. When did the pain start? Have you had any treatment?” Zhou Jinyuan, who had seen many programmers and writers with hand and wrist pain at the Third Hospital, asked.

 

Many esports players also experience repetitive strain injuries, such as tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, and other labor-related conditions.

 

Lu Meng, however, noticed Zhou Jinyuan’s hands. At first, he was skeptical about the atmosphere of this place.

 

But Zhou Jinyuan’s habit of recording medical cases was impressive—his hands were beautiful, slender, fair, and his handwriting was elegant and powerful. Even Lu Meng, who was often praised by fans for his beautiful hands, couldn’t help but admire them.

 

Because of this, Lu Meng’s attitude became more serious. He replied, “It started at the beginning of the year. Since then, the club arranged physical therapy for me, but it only alleviated the symptoms a bit. They confirmed it was radial nerve damage. I just finished a period of work, so I’m considering whether to take advantage of this break to have surgery. I’m still hesitant.”

 

As Lu Meng spoke, Zhou Jinyuan had already grabbed his hand and squeezed it a few times. From his fingers, wrist, all the way up to his arm, he focused on pressing the pain points of the thenar, hypothenar, and the base of the palm—

 

“!” In an instant, Lu Meng understood why the previous patient looked like they had just received a full-body massage.

 

Besides the radial nerve damage, Lu Meng’s hand had been overworked in other areas as well, although not as severely.

 

With just a few presses from Zhou Jinyuan, he felt his hand go from aching and swollen to utterly relaxed!

 

No previous physical therapy, no treatment devices had ever felt this satisfying—he felt like his soul was being squeezed out!

 

Just as Zhou Jinyuan let go, Lu Meng sighed with a sense of loss. Before Zhou Jinyuan could speak, Lu Meng couldn’t help but ask, “With my condition, you can cure me, right?”

 

His heart was beating fast; he had a strong premonition—no, it wasn’t just a premonition. Just based on those few presses earlier, Zhou Jinyuan was already far superior to any doctor or therapist he had met.

 

Even if a full recovery wasn’t possible, getting this kind of massage after training would make him feel like he was in heaven!

 

“Of course, there’s no need for surgery. A course of acupuncture will do the trick,” Zhou Jinyuan said confidently, having already grasped the essentials.

 

He wasn’t surprised at Lu Meng’s sudden eagerness. Let’s put it this way, once he had massaged a patient, it was rare for them not to come back and sign up for more sessions…

 

“I mean a full recovery, because I’ll need to continue training and competing afterward. I’m afraid it might affect my performance,” Lu Meng said, a bit concerned. Although Zhou Jinyuan’s technique had already won him over, he still had some doubts. After all, he had considered various treatment options, and most doctors recommended surgery. Of course, Zhou Jinyuan was different from most doctors.

 

“To be honest, the pain is quite severe, and sometimes I push through purely by willpower. Considering my future work, if there’s a difference in effectiveness, I might still consider surgery.”

 

At this point, Ailina entered in her electric wheelchair, greeting Zhou Jinyuan, “Yesterday, I stood by myself at home for ten minutes.”

 

“Great, very good.” Zhou Jinyuan gave her a thumbs-up.

 

Ailina then navigated herself to the treatment room, waiting as if she owned the place.

 

Lu Meng: “Uh…?”

 

“Mm, just like you’re thinking. Her previous nerve damage was much more severe than yours,” Zhou Jinyuan explained. It wasn’t radial nerve damage but something that had left her paralyzed.

 

So, compared to Ailina’s condition… forget it, there was no comparison.

 

In fact, in his eyes, Lu Meng’s situation was only slightly worse than Director He’s, both falling within the easy-to-treat category.

 

Zhou Jinyuan started pressing Lu Meng’s hand again, leaving him in a daze, eyes half-closed. “The answer to your question isn’t with me, it’s with you. I can guarantee a full recovery, but you need to take care of yourself, soak your hands in Chinese medicine, keep them active, and relax. Only then will it be sustainable.”

 

Seeing Zhou Jinyuan treating a patient who had once been paralyzed, Lu Meng was left speechless. If this didn’t count as competence, he didn’t know what would.

 

“Alright, alright. Wait a minute, I need to call the club first. This is a bit sudden, I need to report it,” Lu Meng said, thinking he had originally just wanted to get some advice from a fellow patient. Who knew he would end up being completely convinced, body and soul.

 

Zhou Jinyuan watched as Lu Meng made the call, explaining something to the club. The person on the other end seemed to have some objections, so Lu Meng glanced at Zhou Jinyuan and said, “My friend works here. Yeah, it’s a private clinic—but it’s incredibly effective!

 

“…No, I’m not being reckless. I spoke with the doctor, and I think this non-surgical approach is good too. Wait, what are you suggesting now? I’ve never even heard of that place being reputable in this area. The therapist you found before was supposed to be famous, and that didn’t work either.”

 

Zhou Jinyuan could tell that Lu Meng’s team was trying to recommend another doctor to him, but Lu Meng seemed determined to receive treatment here.

 

If the club’s recommended doctor was local to Haizhou, Zhou Jinyuan thought that, given his understanding of the local medical field since arriving in Haizhou, no one here could snatch a patient from him.

 

Zhou Jinyuan even gently encouraged him, “It’s okay, take your time to discuss it with them. It’s all for your own good.”

 

Lu Meng nodded gratefully, then covered his phone and said to Zhou Jinyuan, “I think you’re way better than those so-called famous doctors.”

 

Zhou Jinyuan smiled faintly, “Hehe.”

 

“…” Shao Duoduo watched as Lu Meng went from skeptical about the superstitious atmosphere to completely convinced by Zhou Jinyuan’s massage skills. Now, he was even singing his praises. It was truly a proud moment, except that Zhou Jinyuan’s smile gave him a slight chill.

 

Just then, Lu Meng was arguing over the phone, “No surgery?? I’ve never heard of it. Come on, isn’t the Third Hospital most famous for its hair loss department? Why would I go to Dr. Zhou when I don’t even have hair loss issues!”

 

“Cough, cough, cough!!” Zhou Jinyuan burst into a violent coughing fit.

 

Damn, I just shot myself in the foot!

 

Lu Meng and Shao Duoduo glanced at him in confusion, not understanding what had just happened. What was the matter with Dr. Zhou? Did he get so worked up about competing with the Third Hospital’s experts?

 

Rong Xixue took out his phone, navigated to the Third Hospital’s official WeChat page, selected the Traditional Chinese Medicine department’s specialist registration, scrolled to Zhou Jinyuan’s page, and handed it to Lu Meng.

 

Lu Meng was still arguing with the club, insisting on staying at Xiaoqinglong and not going to the hair loss clinic, “What? He cured paralysis? No, my doctor can do that too…”

 

He glanced at Rong Xixue’s phone inadvertently, then looked again, “………………”

 

“Hello? Lu Meng? Do you know how hard it is to get an appointment with Dr. Zhou?? You think you can just avoid going if you don’t want to? Let me tell you, we were still trying to pull strings to get you scheduled!”

 

Lu Meng: “No need, I think I’ve already got an appointment with Dr. Zhou = =”

 

Author’s note: Rong activates his Baldness Skill: Radiant Buddha Light.

 

Effect: Joyfully eating cabbage.