Physician’s Odyssey

After humiliating Cao Jiaojiao, that demoness did not show up for a few days to provoke him.

Su Tao was someone who knew how to differentiate black and white. Since Cao Jiaojiao was a woman, he left some leeway for her. If she was a man, he would’ve already taken the extreme measures. For a physician like Su Tao, leaving a hidden and eternal injury in the body of someone without anyone noticing was an easy matter.

Naturally, he was someone with professional integrity, and his medical skills were meant to save lives. So unless he encountered an intolerably disgusting behavior, he wouldn’t resort to such extremes.

He performed another acupuncture session for Cao Dingjun. It was mainly used to trigger the activity in his nervous system. After a few days of Mind Revitalising Soup, his condition was now under control. For Cao Dingjun, he could clearly feel it, since the occasional dizziness he felt in the past has disappeared entirely under Su Tao’s treatment.

Right now, he slept for six to eight hours a day. It has been a long time since he had such a good sleep at his age.

Su Tao’s medical skills weren’t boasted with words, but Cao Dingjun had personally experienced the changes in his body.

“Your body is recovering better than I expected. Today is the last day of my treatment to you, and because your medicine is not something that just anyone can make, I will make an adjustment when I return and see if I can convert it into pellets. In the future, you just have to take a pellet a day, and I will send them over to you periodically.” Su Tao explained as he removed the needles from Cao Dingjun’s body.

As Cao Dingjun sat up and moved his body, he sighed, “Little Su, I have to thank you!”

Waving his hand, Su Tao smiled. “There’s no need for thanks. Just don’t hold anything against doctors in the future, and see a doctor if you’re ill. Especially since I’m practicing TCM, which emphasises on nurturing the body to treat the illness.”

Nodding his head, Cao Dingjun replied, “Don’t worry. I have got through that now. I now know that I can ignore everyone’s words except for a physician’s words.”

Receiving Cao Dingjun’s acknowledgment, Su Tao also felt his mood brighten up. That was humanity. It was satisfying to have someone that didn’t accept you to acknowledge and respect you. If Cao Dingjun was cooperative to the treatment at the beginning, Su Tao would never have gotten his turn.

“Two days ago, Xia Dechun mentioned to me that you’re preparing to participate in the National Healer Candidacy?” Cao Dingjun looked at Su Tao with his eyes burning.

“I’ve still not decided about this matter yet. Not only will it consume time, but it will also consume a lot of my energy.” Su Tao wasn’t being modest. His career has just started, and a few of his plans were just beginning.

Nodding his head, Cao Dingjun promised, “Little Su, you don’t have to be too worried about it. With Sire Shui and I acting as your guarantor, the National Healer Candidacy is just a procedure for you. I know that you have your own career, and the development has been going pretty good. But it will be beneficial for your career by obtaining the National Healer title. After all, your career revolves around TCM, and it will be equivalent to creating a promotion for your career with that title.”

Su Tao could tell that Cao Dingjun was sincere about helping him. Hence, he replied with gratefulness, “Sire Cao, thanks for your guidance. I promise you that I will take the time out to participate in the National Healer Candidacy, but since it’s a competition, I wish to rely on my own ability.”

“You have a moral backbone!” Seeing that Su Tao wasn’t willing to take the shortcut, Cao Dingjun did not feel that he was arrogant but confident. With a straightforward smile, he replied, “Alright, don’t worry about it. Unless someone is trying to make things difficult for you or obstructs you on purpose, Suire Shui and I won’t make a move to interfere with the National Healer Candidacy.”

Despite his tactful words, it was clear that it wasn’t tough for someone of their status to recommend someone to the National Healer team.

Naturally, there was definitely going to be a set of rules, since the National Healers were also classified into different camps. In each year’s candidacy, the various factions would want the talent that they’ve acknowledged to be chosen as a National Healer. Hence, it wouldn’t be easy for Su Tao to make it through the selection by relying purely on his skills.

But in Cao Dingjun’s thoughts, Su Tao has already reached the National Healer’s standards, he only lacks in his background. Hence, he wanted to allow Su Tao to have an attempt at it, and in the crucial moment, he and Sire Shui could join hands and give Su Tao a push.

Genuine gold fears no trial of fire, and if Su Tao managed to get through the selection with his own ability, it would be beneficial to his own development in the future. Otherwise, others would only think of him as someone that takes shortcuts.

After leaving Cao Dingjun’s ward, Su Tao bumped into Cao Huaiqing, and he spoke to the latter about his decision to leave.

Although Cao Huaiqing was worried about his father’s illness, he still respected Su Tao’s choice. However, he didn’t forget to throw out an invitation in the process, “Divine Physician Su, have you ever thought of developing in Minnan Province? With your medical skills, you will definitely make it, and I can promise you that if you’re willing to move over, I’m willing to give you my fullest support!”

With a modest smile, Su Tao replied, “Thank you for your support, Uncle Cao. As I’ve previously mentioned to you, I have a pharmacy left to me by my grandfather, and I have to return to take care of it. But I naturally have the plans to branch out, and I intend to create a branch in Minzhou City in the near future. At that time, I will have to ask for Uncle Cao to take care of me.”

“No problem! I will certainly give you my greatest support if you want to open a branch in Minzhou City.” Despite the disappointment in Cao Huaiqing’s heart from Su Tao’s refusal, he had gained a higher understanding of the latter at this moment. After all, how many people in Minzhou City could reject his invitation?

Since Su Tao could refuse him, it made things clear. Firstly, he wasn’t someone who could be easily swayed by benefits and would follow through his own plans. Secondly, he was someone with capability, and gold will dazzle no matter where you put it.

It wasn’t easy for Su Tao to receive Cao Huaiqing’s promise. After all, the latter was an influential figure in Minnan Province, and someone of his level generally wouldn’t give out a promise so easily. But since he has given out a promise, he would naturally follow through his words.

Putting it in a nutshell, his harvest in Minnan Province was pretty good, despite the twists and turns, where he even had to make a trip over to Sichuan Province to search for herbs. Relying on his medical skills, he won over Cao Dingjun and Cao Huaiqing, causing the Cao Family to owe him one in the process.

Handing a bank card over, Cao Huaiqing smiled. “The password is your birthday! This is the fee for treating my father, and I’ve consulted Sire Shui about this matter. There isn’t much money in it, and it pales in comparison to what you’ve done for my father.”

After a brief pondering, Su Tao received the card and suddenly asked, “Pardon me, but did you bring your wallet with you?”

“I did!” Cao Huaiqing nodded his head after a brief stun.

“Please, let me take a look at your wallet.” Su Tao smiled.

“Here!” Although it was sudden, Cao Huaiqing still retrieved his wallet.

Su Tao’s hand was swift, which Cao Huaiqing was startled as he felt the scene before his eyes blurred.

But it only took a few seconds for him to recover from the shock. By then, the wallet that was taken by Su Tao was soon returned to his hand.

Flashing the two ¥100 notes in his hand, Su Tao smiled. “There’s no need for the card. Although you mentioned that the sum is nothing significant, I still don’t dare to accept it. Otherwise, Sire Shui will reprimand me. You’re right with one thing. The fees must be paid, and I’m taking this ¥200 for my fees.”

When Cao Huaiqing immediately flipped open his wallet, he saw the bank card in it. Shaking his head, he gave a wry smile. “Forget it, then. I did not consider the matter well enough.”

Su Tao received Sire Shui’s recommendation to come over and treat Cao Dingjun. Ultimately, Su Tao was only here because of Sire Shui.

If he had to attach a price tag to Cao Dingjun’s treatment, it would be considered as priceless, since even a National Doctor like Xia Dechun was helpless. Hence, he was being pretty small-minded instead by pricing it with a bank card.

Then again, Cao Huaiqing did not feel unhappy at how Su Tao casually rejected the bank card that contained ¥500,000. It even made him gain a higher evaluation of the latter.

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Su Tao’s journey from the hospital to the airport was a smooth one with the proper arrangement of the Cao Family. It was so much so that even going through the checkpoint was unimpeded and Su Tao took the earliest flight to Qiongjin City.

As the plane set off, Su Tao pulled open the window and saw how the buildings were getting smaller. For some reason, the figure of Cao Jiaojiao briefly flashed in his mind.

His trip to Minnan Province was vital for the Cao Family, since his success and failure concerned the health of Cao Dingjun. However, it was only a brief episode in his life, and Cao Dingjun was only one of his many patients. At best, this patient had a unique status.

The air stewardess walked over and asked, with her face blushed, “May I ask if Mr. Su needs any beverage?”

Su Tao was briefly stunned when he saw the air stewardess’s flickering eyes. He subconsciously knew that he had become someone famous and smiled. “I’ll have a cup of orange juice, then!”

The air stewardess happily nodded her head and handed the cup of orange juice to Su Tao a brief moment later. Aside from that, Su Tao even noticed a small note with a phone number written on it. However, Su Tao did not touch it. He gave two brief looks at it and took two sips of the orange juice.

When the air stewardess returned to clean up the cup, she noticed that Su Tao didn't take her note, so disappointment flashed within her eyes.

This air stewardess was clearly trying to seduce him, but Su Tao wouldn’t even bother to cast a glance at her. After all, they weren’t in the same class, and his image would be affected.

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I guess another minor-arc is done now! Let's go kick Wang Guofeng's butt!

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