Li Runyu had been feeling restless lately.
Ever since the man named Gao-Yuan appeared, Li Runyu's life trajectory seemed to have been irrevocably altered.
Previously, he was the undisputed top doctor in the county, admired and respected by all.
A common saying among the locals was, "Only after passing through Li Runyu’s hands can you walk the Yellow Springs road." It meant that only when Li Runyu declared someone beyond saving could they prepare for death.
Li Runyu had always taken pride in this phrase. It perfectly encapsulated his position as the number one doctor in the county. However, in recent times, another line had been appended to it: "If you fall into the gates of hell, call Gao-Yuan to save you."
There was little Li Runyu could do to contest this. Gao-Yuan’s accomplishments were simply too overwhelming. Several patients he had deemed unsalvageable had been miraculously rescued by Gao-Yuan.
This, of course, made Gao-Yuan seem superior to him, a notion that gnawed incessantly at Li Runyu’s pride.
Li Runyu couldn't fathom how such a formidable competitor had suddenly emerged. It even led him to reflect on his own practice. If he had taken a chance on those cases with only a 40–50% probability of success, could he have saved them too?
For years, Li Runyu had carefully guarded his reputation, avoiding any situation that might tarnish his impeccable record. But Gao-Yuan’s meteoric rise forced him to question his own limitations. The more he thought about it, the more agitated he became.
Gao-Yuan now posed a serious threat to his position as the top doctor in the county.
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“Doctor Li, Doctor Li...” The junior doctor called out several times before Li Runyu snapped out of his thoughts.
“Huh?” Li Runyu responded, barely masking his irritation.
The junior doctor gestured at the prescription slip in Li Runyu’s hand. “What’s wrong, sir?”
Looking down, Li Runyu realised he had crumpled the prescription into a ball. With a sigh, he tossed it aside. “It’s nothing.”
The junior doctor hesitated before cautiously saying, “Is it because of Gao-Yuan?”
Li Runyu shot him a sharp look.
The junior doctor awkwardly chuckled. “I couldn’t help overhearing some gossip...”
Annoyed, Li Runyu turned his head away.
Trying his luck, the junior doctor whispered, “Doctor Li, I have an idea. If Gao-Yuan excels at treating critical illnesses, let him have that domain. You, sir, are unparalleled in handling complex and rare diseases. As long as you maintain that edge, you’ll still outshine him.”
Li Runyu glanced at the junior doctor. “If you’ve got nothing better to do, go prepare the medicinal herbs.”
Seeing that his advice wasn’t well-received, the junior doctor changed his approach. “If you’re determined to compete with him in critical care, just wait. Fame is hard to build but easy to destroy. No one succeeds every time. Just let him do his thing; the moment he fails, the higher the pedestal, the harder the fall.”
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Hearing this, a spark lit in Li Runyu’s eyes. He had avoided high-risk cases to protect his reputation. Now that Gao-Yuan’s reputation eclipsed his, a single mistake could indeed bring him crashing down.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Li Runyu’s mouth.
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Just then, a new patient arrived at the clinic.
“Is Doctor Li Runyu here?” a father carrying a frail child cautiously asked.
“Yes?” Li Runyu turned his attention to them.
The father, humble and deferential, approached. “Doctor Li, please take a look at my child.”
Li Runyu stood up and asked, “Put the child down. What’s wrong?”
The mother helped carefully lay the child on the consultation table. The father, visibly exhausted, said, “Acute leukaemia.”
“What?” Li Runyu was stunned. Looking at the child, who was emaciated to the point of being unrecognisable, he saw lifeless eyes and a face devoid of vitality, bearing the unmistakable mark of death.
“When did this start?” Li Runyu asked.
“About a month ago,” the father replied. “We spent the month undergoing chemotherapy at the provincial hospital, but they told us there was nothing more they could do and discharged us. Doctor Li, you’re the best doctor in our county. Please, we beg you to try.”
The father’s words were calm, yet his voice betrayed deep fatigue.
After a thorough examination, Li Runyu concluded that the child’s chances of survival were less than 20%. This was not a case he would take on.
With a heavy heart he shook his head.
Seeing this, the parents looked utterly defeated. The father murmured, “They say you must see Doctor Li Runyu before you tread the Yellow Springs road. If even you can’t help...
Tears filled his eyes, though he didn’t cry aloud, his silent grief palpable.
The sight made Li Runyu uncomfortable.
The father exhaled deeply and pleaded, “Doctor Li, could you at least prescribe something to make his last days more bearable? So he can eat a little of what he wants? We’d be forever grateful.”
The mother also gazed at him imploringly.
Unable to endure their desperate stares, Li Runyu turned away, took a deep breath, and quickly spun back. “Go to Zhangzhuang Clinic and find Gao-Yuan.”
“Who?” the parents asked, confused by the unfamiliar name.
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After they left, Li Runyu felt an inexplicable mix of emotions.
The junior doctor approached, grinning. “Now, we can watch him make a mistake.”
“Get lost,” Li Runyu snapped, his frustration boiling over.
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At Zhangzhuang Clinic, Gao-Yuan was teaching the new health workers. Most of them had little formal education, with only two having completed middle school.
“Traditional Chinese medicine diagnoses illness by observing external signs, as any internal imbalance will manifest outwardly. This is why TCM developed the four diagnostic methods: observation, listening and smelling, inquiry, and pulse-taking.
He jumped straight into practical knowledge, teaching diagnostic techniques, prescriptions, and treatment of common ailments.
The health workers eagerly took notes, their enthusiasm palpable. Among them was Li Shengli, who had some prior experience as a half-trained doctor.
Meanwhile the other clinic doctors exchanged puzzled glances.
“What can he possibly train them into?” Shen Congyun asked Zhao Huanzhang.
Zhao shrugged. “When I studied, my master had me copy prescriptions and memorise texts for over a year before teaching diagnostics or treatments. This method of skipping basics seems reckless.”
Liu Sanquan interjected, “Maybe he’s not expecting them to handle complex cases.”
The others exchanged looks, realising there might be truth to this.
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As the lesson ended, a burly health worker, Wan Jinliang, approached Gao-Yuan. “Doctor Gao, you’ve taught us a lot about minor illnesses. When will you teach us to treat serious ones?”
Gao-Yuan chuckled. “You haven’t learnt to walk and already want to run?”
Embarrassed, Wan scratched his head. “It’s just that you’re incredible. When you saved my wife, it felt like a miracle. We all want to learn from you so we can help others in desperate situations.”
The others nodded eagerly, their eyes brimming with admiration.
Gao-Yuan smiled but shook his head. “Focus on the basics. For severe cases, always refer them to better-equipped clinics or hospitals. Never hesitate to acknowledge when others are more capable.”
Wan hesitated, then asked, “Doctor Gao, people often compare you and Doctor Li Runyu. Who do you think is better?”
The room grew quiet, everyone awaiting his answer.
“Out, all of you,” Gao-Yuan waved them off with mock exasperation.
Just then, a man entered, carrying a frail child. “Excuse me, is Doctor Gao-Yuan here? Doctor Li Runyu sent us, saying you might be able to help our child.”