"What happened? What's going on?" Gao-Yuan hurried forward through the crowd.

The young man explained, "It’s...it’s my nephew. We brought him back from the provincial hospital, but he’s not doing well. He’s been taken to the New Life Clinic downstairs, and they told us Dr. Gao might be here at the county hospital. They mentioned you once treated a patient discharged as critically ill from the city hospital, so my sister asked me to come and check.”

With a cautious tone, he asked, “Dr. Gao, just a slight upgrade, right? Think you could handle one from the provincial hospital?”

The county hospital doctors exchanged glances at this. Oh, brother, this isn’t a slight upgrade.

Their county hospital was basic, poor, and rundown, with no X-ray machines, no monitors, no shadowless lamps—just a few general practitioners. The city hospital was significantly better than theirs, and the provincial hospital, being the best in the province, was on another level entirely. It housed several specialists who had trained abroad and top-notch equipment they could only dream of having.

If the provincial hospital couldn't manage, how could their little county hospital possibly handle it?

They hadn't even seen the patient yet, but the doctors already felt a chill down their spines.

Miao Ran glanced at Gao-Yuan. Earlier, even when he had the upper hand, he hadn’t gloated, so she thought she'd repay the favour by addressing the young man, “If the provincial hospital advised you to leave, I assume you’re already prepared for the worst. Don’t get your hopes up, and don’t hold it against any doctor after this.”

Hearing this, the young man’s face fell. “I understand. I know it’s hopeless—it’s just that my nephew is only seven. He hasn’t even had a chance to really see the world yet.”

His words struck a nerve in everyone.

Gao-Yuan nodded. “Go and bring the child up quickly.”

The young man’s eyes lit up. “You’ll treat him?”

Gao-Yuan shook his head. “I don’t know. But I never give up until a patient is truly gone.”

Everyone stared at Gao-Yuan in shock.

Turning to the other county hospital doctors, Gao-Yuan explained, “Earlier, I wasn’t boasting. What I meant was, no matter the severity of a patient’s condition, no matter which hospital might have given up on them, I’ve never given up on any life.”

Everyone was momentarily stunned.

Gao-Yuan fixed his gaze on the young man and spoke firmly, “Bring the patient up, and I’ll see him.”

Inspired by Gao-Yuan’s resolute expression, the young man nodded vigorously and rushed downstairs.

Soon enough, the patient’s parents, carrying the child, followed the young man up, accompanied by Li Runyu, head of the New Life Clinic and the county’s top Chinese medicine doctor.

“Are...you Dr. Gao-Yuan?” The child’s father looked surprised by Gao-Yuan’s youth.

Gao-Yuan nodded slightly. “Bring the child in and lay him on the examination bed.”

The father hurriedly set the child down, his face haggard, barely keeping his composure. “Dr. Gao, my name is Hu Xingyan. This is my son. Please take good care of him.”

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

“Alright.” Gao-Yuan got to work, wasting no time with pleasantries.

Everyone looked on intently as he began his examination.

Li Runyu observed silently, frowning. He knew Gao-Yuan was here after his son went downstairs to fetch the medicine for a stroke patient. Running into this critically ill child, Li had only mentioned it casually, not expecting Gao-Yuan to take on the case. Surprised by his decision, Li hurried to follow them upstairs.

Zhao Huanzhang, overly cautious as always, peeked from behind.

As Gao-Yuan continued his examination, he asked, “How long has he been sick, and how did his symptoms develop?”

The father answered, “It’s been ten days. He suddenly started convulsing around 2 a.m. one night. His body arched stiffly, and his eyes rolled back every five minutes or so.”

“Also, he can’t stand. Whenever he tries, he collapses. We immediately rushed him to the county hospital, and they referred us to the city. So, we caught a coal train to the city hospital, where he was treated in paediatrics for three days.”

“At first, they thought it might be tetanus, but with no visible wounds, they suspected brain or spinal cord issues. They couldn’t figure it out, so they sent us to the provincial hospital. But after three more days there, things only got worse, with more frequent suffocation episodes. They believed he’d been without oxygen too long, that his condition was critical, and even if he survived, he’d be mentally impaired. They recommended we go elsewhere.”

“Returning home felt hopeless, but we heard Dr. Li Runyu here has exceptional skills, so we came. However, Dr. Li wouldn’t take him, and that’s when we heard about you.”

Li Runyu raised an eyebrow.

Gao-Yuan nodded slightly. He had a rough idea now. The boy had been convulsing since being brought in, without a single pause. His breath was faint, and his body was drenched in cold sweat. His face was sallow and lifeless, his lips were blue, and he was listless, incontinent, and limp.

The more Gao-Yuan examined him, the graver his expression became.

Seeing this, Li Runyu couldn’t help but shake his head slightly. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to treat the child; he simply didn’t dare, given the severity of the case.

Gao-Yuan adjusted the child’s neck gently, but it fell limp as soon as he let go.

The mother, wiping her tears, said, “Xiao-Chuan can’t hold his head up anymore.”

“Collapse of the Pillar Bone,” Gao-Yuan muttered, calling out to the boy, who opened his eyes. But his gaze was empty and devoid of life. Taking his pulse, Gao-Yuan found it weak and barely discernible.

Inquiring further, he learned the child had been undernourished from infancy, often sickly.

The father asked anxiously, “Is there any hope?”

Furrowing his brow, Gao-Yuan replied, “The boy has a congenital deficiency, worsened by long illness. After ten days, his vitality is depleted, his blood is exhausted, and he is profusely sweating... on the verge of collapse.

Li Runyu interjected, “Just say it outright—the boy could pass any moment!”

The boy’s parents trembled, their faces growing ashen.

Li Runyu continued, “The collapse of the pillar bone, incontinence—this is a terminal symptom indicating renal failure. His vital essence is gone; how can we treat that? If it had been on the first day, I might have managed. But you insisted on rushing to the county and city hospitals.”

Hearing this, the county hospital doctors were offended; Li Runyu was clearly blaming them.

Tempers flared as the two groups were about to argue again.

“Hmph!” Li Runyu sneered, recalling the disdainful treatment he’d received during his last lecture.

This was the core difference between Gao-Yuan and the others: while Gao-Yuan prioritised unity, they were always eager to compete.

“Stop bickering! We’re trying to save a life!” Gao-Yuan scolded.

As soon as he spoke, the child began convulsing violently again, his back arching, his face turning blue, as he struggled for breath.

Gao-Yuan sprang into action, directing the Western-trained doctors, “Quick! Administer oxygen, now!”

Miao Ran, despite her sharp tongue, was quick to act, setting up the equipment without delay.

Seeing the boy in such a state, his mother broke down in tears.

His father, visibly exhausted, sighed. “Every ten minutes, he convulses just like this. Dr. Gao, is there really any hope for our son?”

Li Runyu scoffed, glancing at Gao-Yuan, “Unless an immortal comes down to save him.”

The boy’s father forced a sad smile. “Dr. Gao, thank you. We don’t expect you to perform miracles. We knew it was hopeless the moment we left the provincial hospital. But as parents, no matter what, we can’t give up on our child.”

Gao-Yuan looked at him seriously. “You’re parents—you won’t give up on your child. And we’re doctors—we’ll never abandon our patients!”

The boy’s father met Gao-Yuan’s gaze.

Without hesitation, Gao-Yuan barked, “Dr. Zhao, Korean ginseng powder, half a mace; musk, one candareen. Dissolve and administer, now!”

“Yes, sir!” Zhao Huanzhang felt a jolt as he hurried to comply, answering as if under military command.