Chapter 90: The Kowloon City Clinic

“Divine Doctor!” Liu Dahu, seeing Su Fuling also get out of the car, hurried over to greet her, but when he got close to the Sifang Association people, he stopped and stepped back two paces.

Chen Shan waved his hand, letting the Sifang Association henchmen set up the tables and chairs for the clinic. Then he stepped back to maintain order.

He had already seen that the Gray Fox Association henchmen had also arrived, watching from the side.

These people mingled in Kowloon City, even more arrogant and domineering than the henchmen outside. They must not be allowed to cause trouble.

With the Sifang Association henchmen working, the treatment platform was quickly set up, along with two awnings—one for the patients to wait under, and another where Su Fuling sat to see patients.

This was the first time Kowloon City had seen such a commotion; many people who weren’t even sick came to watch.

Su Fuling said, “If needed, I will continue to come here, so everyone, don’t rush. Let the emergency cases, the elderly, and the children go first.”

Liu Dahu quickly helped organize things. He was the one who had arranged this, so he now had some say among these patients. Of course, that was based on his acquaintance with the divine doctor.

With the Sifang Association people maintaining order on the sidelines, no one dared to cause trouble at this moment.

The patients lined up according to the severity of their visible symptoms.

As they queued, they whispered in amazement, “This divine doctor is so young.”

“But she must be a divine doctor, otherwise she wouldn’t have such a big setup.”

“What do we have to be cheated out of? Just hiring these gang henchmen to work costs a lot of money. If it’s too expensive, we just won’t see her. Didn’t Dahu say it would be very cheap?”

Finally, when it started, everyone stared at Su Fuling, wanting to see how she treated people.

The local doctors here generally knew a bit of both Chinese and Western medicine, but indeed only a bit. So when they saw Su Fuling diagnose a patient’s condition just by taking their pulse, they were all astonished.

Truly a divine doctor.

Divine Doctor Su Fuling’s expression was serious at the moment. The patient was a sixty-year-old grandmother surnamed Dong. She was already half-paralyzed. Fortunately, she was still conscious and could speak clearly. But due to long-term paralysis and malnutrition, she looked very weak.

The key point was that this patient had apparently been treated haphazardly before, and the medication had damaged her internal organs. The last time she had encountered a similar case was with that Mr. Wen, but Mr. Wen’s condition certainly hadn’t been this severe.

Su Fuling said, “First, we need to regulate the liver. In her current state, taking medicine would put a burden on her.”

When Granny Dong heard this, she immediately said, “Ah, so I need treatment for another illness? That means more money, right? Then I won’t get treated.”

Beside her, probably her son, said angrily, “When you have a chance to get treatment, why won’t you? Are you just going to lie in bed and wait to die?”

“Save the money so you can start a family. If I die, I die.” The old woman was very firm.

To her, money was more important than life.

“No, Dad is gone. Do you have to leave too?” Her son wiped his tears and said to Su Fuling, “Divine Doctor, please take a look at my mother. Tell me what treatment is needed and how much it costs. I’ll find a way.”

Granny Dong said, “I won’t get treated. Even if you prescribe medicine, I won’t take it.”

Su Fuling said, “Granny, to be honest, I am very interested in studying your illness. Did Mr. Liu tell you about my rules? If you are willing to cooperate with my treatment plan, I will reduce or waive the medicine fee.” Back in her hometown, there had been similar cases, but at that time Su Fuling’s medical skills were limited and she couldn’t help. Now that she had encountered a case, she wanted to try if she could cure it, so that later she could treat the villagers back home.

Hemiplegia caused by a stroke was, in Su Fuling’s view, a cruel disease. It could slowly drain the life out of an elderly person. Su Fuling hoped she could master the experience of treating such a condition and cure more similar cases in the future.

If she could live, of course she didn’t want to die. Granny Dong immediately said, “Really?”

Su Fuling said, “Of course it’s true.”

Granny Dong immediately expressed her willingness to cooperate.

Su Fuling smiled and said, “Are you afraid of needles? I will need to do acupuncture.” She showed her the acupuncture needles she used.

Those long needles were a bit intimidating, but for someone who had lived in Kowloon City all her life, this was nothing. “Not afraid, not afraid. What’s there to be afraid of? I’m not afraid of pain at all. I’ll take whatever medicine you prescribe.” Granny Dong quickly said, afraid that Su Fuling would change her mind. Encountering such good fortune these days was like a pie falling from the sky.

Su Fuling had Chen Shasha bring over the forms for the patient to fill out and sign. The old woman was illiterate, but her son could write, so he signed on her behalf.

Su Fuling had already looked up several medical records related to stroke the day before. Now, by taking the patient’s pulse and considering all the symptoms, she naturally determined the cause and which medicines to prescribe.

As soon as she finished writing the prescription, 25 Merit Points were credited to her account. Su Fuling breathed a sigh of relief, indicating that the prescription was correct. The treatment effect would depend on how she adjusted and refined it later.

After prescribing the medicine, Su Fuling had people enclose her awning with curtains, then performed acupuncture on the patient. This patient had been paralyzed for too long, so first she needed to stimulate the meridians and activate the collaterals. Since her liver was already damaged, acupuncture would be the main treatment for now. After a week of liver nourishment, medication could begin.

After the acupuncture, she let the patient lie down and continued to let the next patient in.

Granny Dong lay on the mobile bed. At first, she didn’t feel anything, but after a while, she felt some warmth throughout her body. She hadn’t had that feeling in a long time. After becoming paralyzed, many sensations had disappeared. “Dali, Dali, I think I can really feel something!”

Her son Dali, who was watching by her side, heard this and quickly said, “Really, Mom? Does it feel comfortable or painful?”

“Comfortable, of course,” Granny Dong said with a smile. “She really is a divine doctor… Dali, we’ve met a good person.”

Dali happily looked at his mother, then at the divine doctor.

Su Fuling was now treating the second patient. This one didn’t have an illness but an injury. Someone had chopped off one of his hands, and it had become infected.

Su Fuling had prepared for this. She had gotten some anti-inflammatory medicine from her uncle and gave him an injection.

Anyway, here, no one would arrest her. As long as she could treat the illness, that was fine.

Next, she cleaned the wound and bandaged it. Zhao Facai couldn’t bear to look and hid to the side. Chen Shasha, on the other hand, was braver and could lend a hand.

Chen Shasha asked, “Who did you offend to be treated so cruelly?”

The patient with the severed hand was a middle-aged man. “I sell pork. A Gray Fox Association henchman came to buy meat and didn’t pay. I muttered something, and he heard me.”

Su Fuling said, “And for that, you were treated like this?”

“Ah, I definitely won’t do that again,” the patient sighed, as if resigned to his fate.

Su Fuling realized that these gangs were really one more arrogant and cruel than the other.

After bandaging, when it came time to pay, the patient was pleasantly surprised. The divine doctor’s fees were really cheap. If this were inside the city walls, the cost would be more than ten times higher.

Su Fuling said, “You still need to continue anti-inflammatory treatment. Remember to come here for injections and medicine.”

“Definitely, definitely.” The patient left happily, and as he passed by the others, he deliberately showed them his bandaged hand.

Su Fuling noticed that this man had a really good attitude. Of course, from another perspective, it was because he had suffered so much that he probably felt lucky just to be alive.

Su Fuling sighed, not letting herself dwell on it. She still had many more patients to see and couldn’t let it affect her mood.

She checked the time, got up to remove the needles from Granny Dong, and asked, “How do you feel?”

“There’s a warm sensation,” Granny Dong said.

Su Fuling said, “That’s normal. It means the treatment is working. Come here every day from now on.” She realized that she definitely couldn’t finish everything in one day. She would probably have to come every day for a while.

Hearing that Su Fuling would continue to come, the Dong mother and son were naturally overjoyed.

Before carrying Granny Dong away, Dali suddenly knelt down and kowtowed to Su Fuling. Then, before Su Fuling could react, he ran off with his mother on his back.

Su Fuling: “…!!”

She pointed at Dali’s retreating figure, not knowing what to say.

Liu Dahu said, “Divine Doctor, he was just too grateful. Dali is an orphan who was adopted. He doesn’t want to lose his mother.”

Su Fuling sighed. “Tell everyone not to do this. It’s a new society…” She remembered that this place wasn’t in the new society yet. “I come from the Mainland. We don’t do this kind of thing there.”

Seeing that Su Fuling really didn’t like it, Liu Dahu quickly said, “Alright, I’ll go tell everyone.”

Next came the children. Su Fuling now had a good handle on common childhood illnesses. Indeed, her efforts had paid off. After providing free clinics at the Orphanage, she now had plenty of experience.

After the children came the women.

Gynecological diseases were not complicated or severe, but Su Fuling learned from talking to the patients that women here had no place to go for such conditions.

Now that they had met a kind and skilled doctor like Su Fuling, it was a huge help.

“Divine Doctor, can we come to see you again in the future?”

Su Fuling said, “Of course you can.”

“I know some other people who are sick too, and they seem worse.”

Su Fuling knew that in this crowded city, such diseases were not isolated cases. “How about this: I’ll set aside a time to specifically see this type of illness and teach you some preventive knowledge.” Treating the same type of illness in one session would be more efficient.

Those who heard the news quickly ran back to tell more people.

Soon, the line of people waiting to see Su Fuling grew longer and longer. Even those who had been too embarrassed to register earlier came over when they heard the news.

Seeing this scene, some of the Gray Fox Association people nearby couldn’t keep up their composure.

Originally, they had only agreed to let them set up for one day as a favor to the Sifang Association, just going through the motions. But now it looked like this was going to be a long-term arrangement?

That definitely wouldn’t do!

In Kowloon City, besides squeezing the residents through daily necessities, another important source of income was medical fees.

People get sick, and when they do, they need medicine and treatment—expenses that are unavoidable. Through these means, the gangs in Kowloon City could earn back the wages they paid out, many times over.

By these methods, the gangs in Kowloon City held great sway over the residents.

Outsiders looked down on them, but to survive, the residents had to rely on the gangs. Now, an outsider had suddenly appeared to disrupt their rules. That wouldn’t do.

So a henchman with some status from the Gray Fox Association came to deal with Chen Shan. “Only today. You can’t come again after this.”

Chen Shan ignored him. “I can’t decide that.”

“Even if you’re helping your woman, you can’t break the rules.”

Hearing this, Chen Shan slapped him directly.

“Watch your mouth. The divine doctor is a guest of the Sifang Association.” Chen Shan said coldly.

The Gray Fox Association henchman covered his face in disbelief. “You wait!”

Chen Shan saw him run off and naturally directed his henchmen to call for reinforcements.

The person in charge of the Gray Fox Association in Kowloon City was called Brother Datou. Because his head was quite large, when his henchmen found him, he was playing mahjong. Hearing that his men had been beaten, he swept the mahjong table aside. “Daring to hit our people on our turf? That’s slapping my face!”

The beaten henchman was his trusted subordinate, so this matter had to be dealt with. Otherwise, it would be hard to lead the men in the future.

Moreover, the trusted henchman’s reasoning was sound. If they really let this doctor come regularly, how would they make money in the future?

“Let’s go take a look!”

Datou directly led his men to the east gate of the city.

The Sifang Association people had been informed early on to be on standby. Since they were nearby, they came in a swarm, riding over in vans, each holding a weapon.

Su Fuling was in the middle of treating a patient when she suddenly noticed the commotion and knew something was wrong.

Worse, the patients got scared. They stopped seeking treatment, shouting, “The gangs are about to fight! Run!” and then they fled.

Liu Dahu wanted to stop them but couldn’t. He himself was scared. “Divine Doctor, something’s wrong. You should leave quickly.”

Su Fuling looked at the remaining Merit Points she hadn’t yet earned, and her heart ached.

“You all go back first. I’ll come again tomorrow.” She didn’t know what the situation was, but she shouldn’t let people stay and take risks.

She was about to go find Chen Shan when he came over. “Doctor Su, there’s a small problem. They don’t want you to treat people here anymore.”

Su Fuling said, “Why?” That wouldn’t do. In just half a day, she had earned over two hundred Merit Points—twice her usual amount. She had even planned to work overtime today. And there were so many patients; who could bear to abandon them?

Chen Shan naturally explained the interests involved.

Su Fuling: “…” Interests, interests, everywhere it’s interests. These people were already so poor and sick, and still there were those who wanted to exploit them!

Su Fuling was already very dissatisfied, and now she felt angry. She considered herself to have a good temper, but sometimes there were things that were simply unbearable.

“Then let them come.”

She had brought the Sifang Association people precisely to ensure she could treat patients smoothly and avoid trouble. It didn’t mean she was afraid of anyone.

She had seen the world now. First the Longhu Association, and now she wasn’t afraid of some Gray Fox Association. There were so many patients in Kowloon City who needed treatment. Whether for the sake of a doctor’s compassion or for the Merit Points she urgently needed, she would not back down. Of course, all of this was based on having the System as a safety net. She was really starting to like the System more and more.

Chen Shan said, “It might not come to a fight. I’ve called Wen Shu. He should be negotiating.”

At that moment, the Gray Fox Association’s Brother Datou came swaggering over with a large group of people.

Naturally, he noticed Su Fuling beside Chen Shan. Su Fuling’s bearing was outstanding; she stood out even in a crowd. Datou took a couple of extra looks. He secretly regretted that she was with the Sifang Association. A woman like that would make money in movies!

He still had some brains and didn’t say it out loud. After all, his henchman had been slapped because of this matter.

He walked over and said, “Chen Shan, I agreed to let you set up a stall here to see patients, but I didn’t say you could steal our business. Giving you one day was out of respect, not because the Gray Fox Association is backing down. You’re stealing my business; that means you want to fight me. What, do you think the Gray Fox Association is afraid of you?”

Chen Shan said, “There’s nothing to say. In this line of work, we can’t reason things out. But if we’re going to talk about reason, preventing people from treating the sick in Kowloon City is utterly unreasonable. I’ve already informed Wen Shu. He will communicate with your leader.”

“Leader?” Brother Datou picked his teeth. “Heh, you mean Liu Dongli? You think I’m afraid of him?”

Chen Shan said, “Then what do you want?”

“Today, I’ll give you face and not make a big deal out of it. Compensate my men with a sum of money, then pack up and leave. And don’t ever come back!”

Su Fuling said, “Sir, your doctors can’t treat the patients, and you won’t allow those who can to treat them?”

Brother Datou looked at her sideways. “Pretty lady, I’m giving Chen Shan face. You’d better know your place and listen. If this blows up, you’ll be the first to suffer.”

Su Fuling said sternly, “Is that so? Then I insist on coming.”

Seeing Su Fuling so uncooperative, Brother Datou’s face darkened in anger. If it weren’t for the Sifang Association people standing nearby, he would have been rude long ago.

Su Fuling asked the System, “How is it? Does he have any hostility points toward me?”

The Merit System said, “Yes, a lot of hostility. He wants your life.”

Su Fuling thought to herself, these gangs are truly ruthless. After just one exchange, he already wanted her dead. She had previously thought that as a cannon fodder character in the story, she had it rough. Now she realized that in the eyes of these people, ordinary people were all cannon fodder.

Not only did the System sense it, but Wen Shuang and Chen Shan also felt Brother Datou’s malice toward Su Fuling. The two of them stood in front of Su Fuling, looking guarded. Wen Shuang even took out her small knife and played with it in her hand, her eyes fixed on Brother Datou, as if she would throw it at him if he made a move.