This young patient held great significance; he was the first case of integrated Chinese and Western medicine treatment at the city hospital.
If this critically ill child could recover, they could replicate Gao-Yuan’s methods for future cases. The road ahead would become much simpler, with far less resistance.
Director Yuan Hai was under immense pressure.
On the contrary, Gao-Yuan, sitting at the heart of the storm, appeared completely at ease.
After two doses of medicine, the child remained feverish and comatose, breathing heavily and rapidly.
Seeing that there was no obvious improvement, Director Yuan Hai felt as though his own breathing was becoming labored. He even began to suspect he was falling ill himself.
Director Zhu looked at Gao-Yuan.
The other doctors also turned to Gao-Yuan.
This time, however, no one dared to question or mock him.
Gao-Yuan stepped forward to check on the child. Although the main symptoms hadn’t improved significantly, the child’s skin was slightly moist, and the convulsions had lessened. The tongue was still red, but the coating had turned faintly yellow, and the pulse remained floating and rapid.
“How is it?” Han Dai asked succinctly, clearly affected by the tense atmosphere.
Gao-Yuan said, “Remove Platycodon and scallion from the original formula. Add one mace of Uncaria to extinguish wind, one mace of radish seed, and eight candareens of stir-fried perilla seed to lower Qi. Let’s try another dose.”
Director Yuan immediately ordered someone to prepare the medicine.
By now, it was already late into the night. Whether the child’s condition would improve would only become clear by the following morning.
One by one, the others left.
On the way back, everyone discussed Gao-Yuan. This country doctor who had appeared out of nowhere was a hot topic.
Director Yuan Hai walked up to Gao-Yuan, wanting to say something—to ask questions or to encourage him—but after a long pause, he could only manage two words: “Keep going.”
Gao-Yuan nodded deeply.
Once most people had left, Dean Li and Wang Hanzhang approached Gao-Yuan. The three exchanged glances, and then they all shook their heads and laughed.
While the city staff were anxious to their limits, they themselves knew that patients transferred to their county hospital had often been in far worse condition than this. And yet, they had saved them all. Compared to those cases, this was nothing.
Dean Li said, “I’m looking forward to seeing their reactions tomorrow.”
Wang Hanzhang pointed at him but couldn’t help laughing too.
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The next day, the same group of Chinese medicine doctors gathered at the city hospital again. Before even entering, they were already discussing.
“Elder Wan, what do you think?”
Everyone looked at Elder Wan.
Elder Wan tapped his cane against the ground with some resignation. “Do I even have the qualifications to say anything anymore?”
The group couldn’t help feeling embarrassed on his behalf. Elder Wan’s lifetime reputation had taken quite the hit at the hands of Gao-Yuan.
Han Dai pushed them, “Stop standing around at the door. Just go up and see what’s going on.”
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With that, everyone moved inside.
At the ward’s entrance, quite a crowd had already gathered. Several city hospital medical staff were waiting there as well. Director Yuan Hai had arrived early and nodded when he saw the group approaching.
Han Dai, as carefree as ever, rushed over and asked, “Director, how is the situation?”
Director Yuan replied, “They’re still examining him inside.”
Han Dai glanced back at the Chinese medicine doctors.
Just then, the door to the ward opened.
Gao-Yuan and Director Zhu walked out, followed by the child’s family, who were all smiling.
The expressions on the family members’ faces sent everyone’s hearts plummeting.
Gao-Yuan looked at the crowd, then at Director Zhu with a questioning glance.
Director Zhu shook his head and gestured to Gao-Yuan, signalling for him to deliver the news.
Gao-Yuan nodded and said to everyone, “The child’s fever is gone, his breathing has stabilised, and he is conscious.”
These simple words swept the crowd like a tidal wave.
Another critically ill child had been saved—another one! They couldn’t help but think back to their own experiences treating similar cases, where they had been left frustrated and overwhelmed, often unable to save the patient.
Yet Gao-Yuan handled these cases as though it were child’s play. Not even a full day had passed, and the child had already turned the corner.
This was simply incredible.
Everyone was stunned.
Elder Wan’s expression darkened and lightened in turns. He was glad he hadn’t argued with Gao-Yuan yesterday about whether the illness had entered the heart layer.
Because, judging by today’s result, Gao-Yuan had been right. If he had stubbornly insisted yesterday, he would have embarrassed himself again today.
Elder Wan felt utterly defeated. From his initial disdain to his continued questioning and now to his awe, he hadn’t realised how much his view of this young doctor from the countryside had changed. Step by step, Gao-Yuan’s exceptional skills had elevated him above them all.
He remembered Dean Li’s advice: Why had he picked a fight with this young man?
Elder Wan deeply regretted it. He’d embarrassed himself repeatedly and gained nothing.
As Elder Wan shook his head, he suddenly realised Gao-Yuan was standing in front of him.
Elder Wan instinctively stepped back, frowning. “What are you trying to do? Are you here to mock me?”
The other Chinese medicine doctors frowned as well.
Han Dai was about to advise Gao-Yuan to be magnanimous when, unexpectedly, Gao-Yuan said, “Elder Wan, I’d like to ask for your help.”
Elder Wan was puzzled. “My help?”
Gao-Yuan nodded. “The child’s recovery so far has been fortunate. But the follow-up treatment is crucial—it will determine whether the child fully recovers. I would very much appreciate your participation and advice. After all, the experience of senior experts like you is something we younger doctors cannot compare to.”
These words left everyone stunned.
Elder Wan looked Gao-Yuan up and down, surprised. “You… what do you mean?”
Gao-Yuan glanced at Han Dai. Had he picked up Han Dai’s bad habit of talking in circles? He asked, “Did I not make myself clear?”
Elder Wan couldn’t believe it. “You want to invite me to participate in the treatment?”
Gao-Yuan shook his head. “I want you to oversee it.”
Elder Wan was truly shocked now. Gao-Yuan clearly held the upper hand, yet instead of mocking him, he humbly invited him to take charge. This, despite Elder Wan having questioned and belittled him so many times before!
Director Yuan Hai was equally surprised.
Wang Hanzhang whispered to Yuan Hai, “Do you feel like your job is being taken over? Like your role could be replaced?”
Director Yuan turned to look at Wang Hanzhang.
Wang Hanzhang smiled bitterly. He had been a “victim” of Gao-Yuan’s skills before too.
Director Yuan couldn’t help but smile bitterly as well.
Elder Wan was moved by Gao-Yuan’s humility and magnanimity. He said, “Doctor Gao, I… I am deeply ashamed but also full of admiration!”
Gao-Yuan looked at Elder Wan, then at Director Zhu, and said earnestly, “For the children.”
Director Zhu nodded solemnly. “For the children!”
Elder Wan straightened up, leaning on his cane. “For the children!”
Director Yuan Hai applauded them. The city’s crisis finally had a solution.
Wang Hanzhang smiled. With Gao-Yuan involved, all problems could eventually be solved.
Director Yuan Hai, deeply comforted, said, “It is truly wonderful to see you all working together. On behalf of all the sick children in the city, I thank you.”
Director Zhu, after a night of contemplation, had gained clarity. He said, “Dr. Gao is right. We should each leverage our strengths. Take that child with adenoviral pneumonia who had been sick for over twenty days—we tried everything and couldn’t help him, but Dr. Gao managed it with just two doses of medicine. We have to admit the advantages of Chinese medicine. At the same time, when it comes to patients requiring life support or emergency care, that is where we have the edge.”
Elder Wan turned to Gao-Yuan and asked, “Dr. Gao, yesterday you mentioned that you know a little about emergency medicine as well?”
Director Zhu looked over curiously.
Gao-Yuan waved his hand modestly. “It’s really just a little—nothing worth mentioning.”
Director Zhu joked, “I was hoping for an opportunity to witness it firsthand.”
Gao-Yuan quickly replied, “Please, no! If I end up making a fool of myself, I’ll have no face left to show in the city.”
The group burst into laughter.
Wang Hanzhang and Dean Li exchanged a knowing glance.
Director Zhu shook his head with a chuckle.
Just then, a sudden, frantic cry echoed from downstairs: “Help! Doctor, help us!”