Chapter 87

Su Fuling returned to the Medical Clinic after lunch and learned that patients had been waiting for a long time.

“Bring the child to the consultation room so I can take a look.”

The child’s parents looked at Su Fuling, somewhat at a loss.

Zhao Facai said, “Aren’t you waiting for the Doctor? This is my master. Hurry up and take the child to my master for a checkup—don’t delay the illness.”

The child’s father said, “This is the Doctor? She looks so young.”

“What’s wrong with being young? I’m this old, and I’m still my master’s apprentice. Do you want me to take a look instead?”

“…” That made sense. Besides, Doctor Qiao Zhinan had recommended her. A doctor like Doctor Qiao Zhinan, who studied abroad, surely wouldn’t lie.

The couple quickly carried the child inside.

Chen Shasha handed Su Fuling the patient record she had already filled out. It listed the child’s name, age, guardian’s name, etc. The child was called Liu Xiaohu, only six years old.

As soon as Su Fuling saw the child, she knew what illness it was. She had treated a similar case before and had even done a pathological study.

She carefully examined the child’s pulse and physical condition, then asked the parents about the child’s usual behavior.

She diagnosed it as ascites due to liver disease.

Liu Xiaohu’s parents looked worried. Xiaohu’s mother asked cautiously, “Doctor, can it be cured?”

Su Fuling said, “We can try.”

Hearing this, the parents stared at Su Fuling in surprise. They had expected a negative answer…

The child’s mother asked, “Doctor, will it cost a lot of money?”

Su Fuling said, “Some.”

The child’s father quickly asked, “About how much?”

Su Fuling could tell from their clothes and demeanor that they were poor. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have brought a child with such a serious condition to a small Medical Clinic. Normally, for something this severe, they would have gone to a hospital first.

“About three thousand Hong Kong dollars.” This illness required a lot of medication and a long treatment period, so it couldn’t be cured with just tens or hundreds of dollars.

“Ah?”

Xiaohu’s parents were overjoyed, because the money they had scraped together was exactly three thousand.

Xiaohu’s father pulled out a handkerchief-wrapped bundle of cash. “We have it, Doctor. We have money for treatment.”

Su Fuling looked at the neatly stacked bills of various denominations and said, “No rush. The medication fee can be paid in installments. We won’t need that much right away. Also, our Medical Clinic happens to have a research project for your child’s condition. If you’re willing, you can enroll the child in the project, and half the medical expenses will be waived.”

Hearing this, the couple was even more delighted.

Xiaohu’s father asked, “Will this research have any negative effects on the child’s illness?”

Zhao Facai chimed in, “My master wouldn’t harm anyone. She’s just finding a way to save you money. She’s already studied your child’s case.”

Su Fuling said, “I mainly want to continue studying pediatric cases like this. If you cooperate well, I can waive even more.”

Hearing this, Xiaohu’s parents realized they had truly met a kind person.

Xiaohu’s mother said excitedly, “We’ve really met our benefactor this time. No wonder Doctor Qiao Zhinan recommended us to come here. You really are a miracle doctor.”

Su Fuling: “…Doctor Qiao Zhinan?”

“That’s Doctor George,” the child’s father explained. “We saw an ad and went to see Doctor Qiao Zhinan, but he didn’t take us. He said it couldn’t be cured, and then he recommended us to come to you, the miracle doctor.”

Su Fuling thought: That George Clinic actually spoke well of me?

She smiled and asked, “What did he say about me?”

“He only said good things.” The father quickly explained, afraid of misunderstanding. Then he repeated everything Doctor Qiao Zhinan had said.

Su Fuling could easily guess Doctor Qiao Zhinan’s intentions. He thought these patients were poor and troublesome, so he pushed them onto her. That was great—she needed exactly this kind of referral. But Doctor Qiao Zhinan spent all his time on these petty schemes instead of improving his medical skills. No wonder Granny Sun called him a quack.

Su Fuling asked, “Did you receive any treatment from him? I need to know so we don’t overlap and waste money.”

The couple both shook their heads. Xiaohu’s mother said, “Doctor Qiao Zhinan said Xiaohu’s illness was hard to treat and didn’t treat him.”

Su Fuling thought to herself that at least Doctor Qiao Zhinan had some conscience left—he didn’t cheat them out of their life-saving money. She was happy to have him refer more patients, so she didn’t bother exposing his little trick. After all, when George referred people, he had to first praise her medical skills, saving her the headache of earning patients’ trust.

Since Su Fuling already had experience treating this disease, it was much easier this time. The only consideration was the child’s young age, so the dosage needed adjustment.

Also, Chinese medicine is bitter, so she had to remind the parents to make sure the child took it.

“Take the medicine for seven days, and come for a follow-up every other day. If all goes well after seven days, I’ll do Acupuncture as supplementary treatment.”

“Thank you, miracle doctor! Thank you, miracle doctor!”

The couple kept thanking her.

Su Fuling said, “Just call me Doctor Su. I’m not a miracle doctor—I just happened to have treated this disease before.”

Hearing this, Xiaohu’s mother said, “Anyone who can cure our Xiaohu is a miracle doctor. Even Doctor Qiao Zhinan said it couldn’t be cured.”

Zhao Facai said, “That’s right, my master is a miracle doctor.”

Su Fuling: “…”

After seeing the family off, Chen Shasha came over. “Doctor Su, can that child really be cured?”

Su Fuling said, “Yes.” She had already received 20 Merit Points from them.

Chen Shasha said, “Actually, I suspect they came from Kowloon City.”

Zhao Facai said, “Ah, Kowloon City? Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

Chen Shasha said, “I’m only guessing, and it doesn’t make a difference either way. We can’t refuse to treat the child, can we?”

Su Fuling asked, “What’s the matter?”

Zhao Facai said, “Kowloon City is a lawless zone with all kinds of people. If you don’t cure someone, they might come and smash your shop one day, and then disappear back into the city—you wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.”

Su Fuling laughed. “Is that so? What’s there to fear? Can someone really smash a shop here?”

“I’m worried it might cause you trouble,” Zhao Facai said.

Su Fuling said, “So should I refuse to treat people because of that? Alright, go back to work.” She finally understood how Doctor Qiao Zhinan had managed to keep his conscience—he was afraid of being retaliated against if he cheated people out of their money.

Wen Shuang had been standing silently by the side the whole time, not saying a word or asking anything. She was just quietly observing. She found that Doctor Su didn’t seem particularly special at all. In fact, she was completely different from the typical Jianghu type.

Could this Doctor Su really be someone who could control life and death? Was she the one that Grandpa had mentioned, who made the leader of the Longhu Association wish he were dead?

She seemed like someone who could show kindness to the poor people of Kowloon City.

Meanwhile, Liu Xiaohu’s parents left full of hope.

Xiaohu’s father said, “Good thing they didn’t ask where we live. Doctor Qiao Zhinan asked, and then he didn’t want to treat Xiaohu.”

Xiaohu’s mother said, “Yeah, but we still have to thank Doctor Qiao Zhinan for recommending us to Doctor Su.”

When the family passed by George Clinic, they deliberately went in to thank Doctor Qiao Zhinan.

Qiao Zhinan was seeing a patient. When he saw the couple happily carrying the child to thank him, he asked, “What? You’re saying she can cure it?”

His mouth stiffened. “You two, you haven’t been scammed, have you? Some doctors will do anything for money. Does she even have a license?”

Xiaohu’s father’s smile froze. “Doctor Qiao Zhinan, weren’t you the one who recommended us to go there? And now you’re saying this?”

Qiao Zhinan said, “I only heard about her. I’ve never actually seen her work. Anyway, don’t let yourself be cheated out of your money.”

Xiaohu’s father had been very grateful to him, but now his heart turned cold. He realized Doctor Qiao Zhinan hadn’t really been trying to help. As for Doctor Su cheating them—Doctor Su had quoted a reasonable price and even offered to waive fees. And she hadn’t charged anything yet; she would only ask for payment after seeing results. She was a good person.

“Regardless, thank you, Doctor Qiao Zhinan. But Doctor Su is a good person. Her treatment is indeed cheap, and her medical skills are excellent. We will continue to receive treatment from Doctor Su.”

With that, the family left.

Qiao Zhinan: “…” What kind of mind-control soup did that quack Chinese doctor give them?

A patient waiting in the lobby chased after them and asked, “Hey, you just said there’s a doctor who’s cheap and skilled—is that true?”

Xiaohu’s father said, “Anyway, the doctor said my son’s illness can be treated. The fees are much cheaper than here. I don’t know anything else.”

The person quickly asked for the address. These days, it was too hard to find a doctor who was both cheap and skilled. George Clinic looked impressive, but the fees were really expensive.

The services here are indeed very attentive, but people come to see a doctor, not to enjoy themselves. They even charge a tea fee—no matter how you think about it, it’s not worth it.

So Su Fuling found that in the afternoon, the Medical Clinic had more patients than usual. And they came from other districts. Patients who would cross districts to see a doctor naturally had complicated conditions. She worked all afternoon and earned 22 more Merit Points than usual.

After finishing work, Su Fuling finally had time to drink some health tea and prepare to leave.

Chen Shasha and Zhao Facai had already started cleaning up the Medical Clinic. Wen Shuang was still sitting like a statue.

Su Fuling was about to tell her they could go home when suddenly Wen Shuang stood up, facing the door, her whole demeanor turning wary.

Su Fuling: “…” She looked outside and saw Chen Shan arriving, followed by a person carrying a box, standing at the door.

Chen Shan walked over with a serious expression. “Doctor Su, Wang Jinhu sent someone to apologize. Do you want to see him?”

Su Fuling said, “What’s his game now?”

“He said that yesterday his man offended you. As soon as he found out, he tracked the man down and punished him. Today he sent a gift to see if you are satisfied with the result. If you are not satisfied, he can continue to punish him.”

Zhao Facai said, “Is it that Hu Er from yesterday? He suddenly went crazy and knelt down kowtowing to my master. Really scary.”

Zhao Facai then asked, “What gift did he send?” Was his master’s charity account about to get another deposit? He curiously walked over to see the gift.

The person carrying the box opened it for him to see.

Zhao Facai eagerly stuck his head in for a look, then screamed and hid behind Su Fuling, gagging.

Chen Shasha said, “What is it?” She also went to look, and though she wasn’t scared, she found it disgusting. “Why is it a hand?”

Chen Shan said, “It’s Hu Er’s hand.”

Even though Su Fuling hadn’t seen it, just hearing about it made her feel sick. She had no sympathy for such vicious gangsters, but this method was indeed disturbing. And they had sent it to her to look at—she had reason to suspect they were deliberately trying to disgust her.

“Take it back. I don’t want this gift. Don’t dirty my place.”

Su Fuling directly dismissed them.

The person holding the box left without a word, carrying the box. Wang Jinhu had instructed him not to say anything more, just to follow Doctor Su’s orders.

After the man left with the box, Zhao Facai came out from behind Su Fuling, clutching his chest. “So disgusting. These people are so ruthless even to their own.”

Chen Shasha said, “The Longhu Association is notorious for being heartless. How else would they have such a bad reputation among the Harbor City gangs? Wang Jinhu has taken in countless sworn sons. If one is disposed of, there are plenty more to take his place.”

Chen Shan said, “Doctor Su, should we put pressure on the Longhu Association?”

Su Fuling said, “No need. Why give them any attention? Let them keep guessing.”

Chen Shan nodded and left with Chen Shasha for the day.

Su Fuling asked Wen Shuang, “Aren’t you leaving together?”

“I need to escort Doctor Su home. I’ll also rent a place near Doctor Su’s home.”

Su Fuling: “…No need to go to so much trouble. I’m not in any danger in Yau Ma Tei. Usually, just follow me when I leave Yau Ma Tei. Ah Shuang, you’re young—you should have your own private time and space. Go have fun, don’t be so serious.”

She had noticed that this girl was really dedicated. She could stay quietly for so long without a sound.

Wen Shuang said, “Doctor Su, I cannot allow any mistakes in my work.”

Su Fuling: “…Alright.”

On the way back, Su Fuling asked her how she had detected the anomaly so quickly.

Wen Shuang said, “By footsteps. People who know martial arts walk differently from others. I know Doctor Su also knows some martial arts.”

Su Fuling laughed. “Just for fitness. Your hearing is that good?”

Wen Shuang nodded. “Grandpa adopted me because of my good hearing. People with good hearing can live longer in the Jianghu.”

Su Fuling thought to herself, Everyone has their own motives.

When they got closer to Su’s home, Su Fuling ran into some acquaintances who greeted her.

Everyone already knew she was going to buy a house! They all congratulated her on becoming a homeowner and praised her as the most money-making young person in Yau Ma Tei.

Su Fuling: “…”

Su Fuling smiled.

Wen Shuang said, “Doctor Su, are you buying a house? We can arrange it.” Grandpa said to be sharp and know Doctor Su’s needs, to solve problems for her.

Su Fuling said, “No need. I have my own plans.”

Wen Shuang said, “Doctor Su, someone of your status should live in a better district.” This place really didn’t match Doctor Su’s status. In her understanding, people strive and become powerful in order to live a good life. Even Grandpa was no exception.

Su Fuling looked at her and smiled. “What status? I’m just an ordinary person. I like this kind of lively atmosphere. I love the lights of thousands of homes and the neighbors.”

Wen Shuang: “…” This Doctor Su was indeed hard to read.

It wasn’t until Su Fuling entered her home that the dedicated Wen Shuang left.

When Su Fuling got home, she heard Su Jueming chatting with Granny Sun. This familiar scene… last time it was about renting a house.

No wonder everyone knew she was buying a house.

When Granny Sun saw Su Fuling return, she immediately started boasting about the property she had found.

Although this one had the best environment, other houses had advantages too, like a lower price.

Su Jueming said, “Ah Ling, do you want to switch to a cheaper one?” Save where you can. A doctor doesn’t often run into wealthy patients who are generous enough to pay.

Su Fuling thought it was unnecessary. First, she had enough money; second, she didn’t want to move again.

Since this house had a better environment, she would stick with it. “Let’s try to buy this one. If the owner won’t sell, we’ll consider others.”

Granny Sun said, “Ah Ling has good taste. If you have money, of course you should live better. But Ah Ling, don’t show it too much, or it’ll be hard to negotiate the price.” Then she added, “You’d better not go. Your aunt and I will handle the price negotiation. You just sign and pay.”

Su Jueming said, “Why can’t I go?”

Granny Sun said, “You’re too clueless. What use would you be?”

Su Jueming: “…”

After settling the matter, Granny Sun left. Su Fuling laughed and said, “Little uncle, how does everyone know I’m buying a house?”

“I asked Granny Sun about houses, and she had to ask around. So word got out. Besides, it’s no big deal. If you really buy it, everyone will know anyway.”

After so many years as old acquaintances, nothing stays secret.

Su Fuling said, “It’s just a bit embarrassing when people congratulate me.”

Su Jueming said proudly, “What’s there to be embarrassed about? They’re praising your ability. Before, everyone knew Ah Jing could make money; now it’s you. Making money is glorious and brings face. Because of you, I’m envied by countless people every day.”

Su Fuling smiled helplessly. Truly, every place is different.

Meanwhile, Wen Shuang returned home and was about to tell Wen Shu about Su Fuling’s house purchase.

But before she could speak, Wen Shu stopped her.

“Don’t tell me anything about what happens around Doctor Su. Don’t tell anyone either.”

Wen Shuang looked at him silently.

Wen Shu said, “Since I sent you to Doctor Su’s side, just do your best for her. Unless Doctor Su agrees, don’t discuss her affairs with anyone else.”

He pointed to an ancient Daoist book in his hand. “There are gods three feet above your head. If you have a second thought, it will be known. Ah Shuang, cherish the opportunity to be by Doctor Su’s side.”

Though Wen Shuang didn’t understand, she nodded. “Grandpa, I understand.”

Watching Wen Shuang leave, Wen Shu gently put down the ancient book and sighed with emotion. Doctor Su’s abilities were truly beyond imagination.

That Hu Er had only had a momentary thought of offending her, and Doctor Su had guided and punished him.

Wen Shu felt he should read more ancient Daoist books and cultivate his mind. Otherwise, he wouldn’t dare to meet Doctor Su’s face again.

On the other side, in the Longhu Association, Wang Jinhu was addressing Hu Er, who was kneeling below. “Ah Hu, Doctor Su is not satisfied. This matter still needs to be resolved.”

Hu Er, usually arrogant and favored by Wang Jinhu, was now crying with snot and tears. “Godfather, godfather, let me go.”

“Letting you go would be harming you. Only if Doctor Su is satisfied will you have a chance to live. Otherwise, you can’t control your own thoughts—what if you point a gun at Doctor Su again?”

Wang Jinhu looked at Hu Er and thought to himself that it was just Hu Er’s bad luck. If he had actually shot and killed Doctor Su, that would have been too… terrible. He quickly suppressed the bad thought that was about to surface, afraid that someone might know what he was thinking.

“Without the other hand, you can let go of any evil thoughts. As they say, ‘Drop the butcher’s knife and become a Buddha.’ Doctor Su will see your sincerity.”

Wang Jinhu thought that if it weren’t for the current need for manpower and the need to avoid suspicion among his remaining sworn sons, he wouldn’t bother explaining so much. He could just shoot Hu Er dead. After all, he had already cut off one of his hands—how could he keep him around? One day he might be bitten back. He knew he was raising wolf cubs. He couldn’t kill Hu Er now to avoid panic, but he could completely disable him.

Once disabled, the man would have no way to live. The Jianghu has no place for cripples.

He nodded to his sworn son Hu San.

Hu San expressionlessly cut off Hu Er’s left hand as well.

With a piercing scream, Hu Er’s hands, which had done so much evil, were finally gone.

This matter was considered over, but Wang Jinhu knew that many things were far from over.

He didn’t want to give Su Fuling a chance to act against him, so he decided to transform some of his businesses.

This transformation was easy—many gangs wanted a piece of the profitable businesses. He could just swap these businesses with others.

And maybe, this would divert Doctor Su’s attention elsewhere, giving the Longhu Association some breathing room.

Su Fuling was searching for medical texts in the System, trying to improve the formula for Shixiang Tendon-Softening Powder. She thought, since the drug had been modified through a wuxia world’s methods, maybe she could find other wuxia world pharmaceutical methods to change the formula, making it colorless and odorless.

Looking at the titles of various learning videos in the System, Su Fuling’s heart raced with desire.

She wanted to learn everything! But she held back.

Because she wanted to level up. Now that she was encountering more and more diseases, she could rely on the System’s functions to improve her prescribing skills through trial and error, but for Acupuncture, reading books alone wasn’t enough. She needed to level up to get guidance from a master. She was already at the intermediate level. The next level was advanced, which would grant one-on-one master guidance courses.

Hold on, hold on!

Su Fuling admonished herself and continued searching for the knowledge she needed. She searched for a long time until her eyes were dizzy. She turned over in the System and sighed, “System, you have too many resources here. I can’t find the course I need. It’s so hard, so hard.” This was truly a sweet pain.

The Merit System said, “Host can use the search function.”

Su Fuling said, “…What is search? Looking for things?”

The Merit System said, “Just input the knowledge information you want in that box, and this System will recommend it.”

Su Fuling said, “…How do I input information?”

The Merit System glitched for a moment, as if finally accepting that its host was not from the future, but a local who knew nothing.

The Merit System simply told her to directly say what she wanted to find, and it would help her search.

Su Fuling tried saying “pharmaceutical knowledge.”

A bunch of related resources really appeared. She smiled in surprise and said, “This is useful. System, why didn’t you say so earlier?”

The Merit System said, “Host did not proactively make a request.”

Su Fuling: “…” She didn’t even know about these things—how could she make a request?