Chapter 1988: line with translation of chapter title

While they were chatting, the door of the private room was pushed open.

A middle-aged man in ordinary blue cloth clothing, thin build, with a long beard, walked in.

"Director Pan, long time no see!" the middle-aged man said, clasping his hands.

"What's with all the politeness toward me?" Director Pan stood up and said, "This is Master Wang Dao, you..."

"Just call me whatever, each to their own." Wang Daoist, though preoccupied, behaved casually: "Just call me Brother; don't call me Daoist, master, or immortal—it makes me sick to hear it."

Zheng Ren had a good impression of him.

"This is Zheng Ren, this is Su Yun..." Director Pan introduced them all around, saying, "Usually on the phone I just brag to you; this time meeting, Zheng Ren's medical team surely has a grand plan of doing good and accumulating virtue."

"Oh?" Wang Daoist became interested, he also acted casually, declined Su Yun's offer to yield, and casually sat at a spot near the entrance close to the vegetable aisle.

"For the surgery livestream, if you have truly penniless people on your end, just send them to find Zheng Ren."

"Livestream?" Wang Daoist startled, then his expression turned solemn, he asked sternly: "May I ask, young sir, are you Zheng Ren, the boss of 912?"

Zheng Ren smiled and nodded, feeling a bit surprised inside. Isn't it said that Xinglin Yuan requires a practitioner's license to register? How does Wang Daoist know too?

Could it be that he also obtained a medical license?

He holds both a medical license and a Daoist certificate in hand...

Zheng Ren also didn't know whether a Daoist needs registration, his mind wandering.

"Boss Zheng, what a coincidence!" Wang Daoist said: "I've always heard Director Pan mention that his disciple in 912 is named Zheng Ren. I also only knew that the practitioner in the surgery livestream room is called Boss Zheng; I never expected it to be the same person. Long admired, long admired!"

While saying this, Wang Daoist's expression was somewhat odd; Zheng Ren noticed and felt there was more behind his words.

But I'm just a small doctor—is he looking for me to treat his illness?

"Brother Wang, you're being too polite," Zheng Ren laughed.

Calling Wang Daoist "Brother Wang" feels a bit awkward.

But he isn't even wearing a Daoist robe, just a sweat shirt, very casual and unrestrained; my fussing over such details only falls into cliché.

"Boss Zheng's surgery livestream room is benevolent and brings great benefit; my words are not mere politeness."

"Don't be so restrained, drink, drink!" Director Pan, knowing Zheng Ren would find it hard to continue such talk, began organizing drinks.

Although I can't drink myself, watching others drink can also satisfy my craving.

Wang Daoist wanted to speak but held back; out of respect for Director Pan, he still poured wine first, preparing to make small talk.

"Little Wang, where are you planning to wander after coming down the mountain this time?" Director Pan asked.

"Sigh, I have no mind for wandering; my son is about to fail, I'm rushing to the imperial capital to see what's going on. I've been hearing you say your disciple is in the capital, so I wanted to ask for his number to go there... and just happened to meet you—this is fate." Wang Daoist blurted out everything he wanted to say in one breath.

At this moment, Director Pan had already lifted his head, he couldn't bother with subtlety.

"Not doing well?"

"Your son?"

Zheng Ren and Su Yun both whispered at the same time; their points of concern have always been different.

"How old is your son? I remember you got married quite late."

"He's not in college?" Wang Daoist's worry deepened: "He was fine a week ago, but now reportedly he's hospitalized."

"What's going on?" Zheng Ren asked.

Wang Daoist's expression turned solemn; he didn't speak, but first stood up and bowed deeply to Zheng Ren.

"Er..."

Zheng Ren quickly jumped up, shifting his angle to dodge.

He didn't dare stand so nonchalantly before Wang Daoist.

He is an elder who peers with Director Pan as equals, and although a Daoist, he is a medical-school graduate Daoist; Zheng Ren greatly admires his conduct and deeds.

"Little Wang, if you have something to say, speak; don't scare my little brat with such solemnity." Director Pan smoothed things over.

Wang Daoist straightened his waist, took a deep sigh, and said: "Director Pan, Boss Zheng, I... shall I start from the beginning?"

"Please, please speak; I wouldn't dare to have you do that." Zheng Ren said with a smile.

Su Yun felt somewhat disdainful; isn't this the perfect moment to show off? How could our boss be so timid!

One look at this person and you know he has a request, yet our boss is such a buzzkill, missing this great opportunity—life feels meaningless.

Wang Daoist sat down, thought for a few breaths, then gave a bitter smile.

"Director Pan knows, my family's run-down Daoist temple is hereditary." Wang Daoist said: "Before liberation, when we went to Manchuria, my ancestors already came here. Speaking of ancestors, they were famous figures with names, but we all graduated from medical college, have some education—those are just feudal superstition."

Zheng Ren smiled.

"Some books have been passed down in the family; I've disliked them since childhood—all traditional characters, tiring to read."

"But after all, teaching by example, learning a bit of the heavenly stems and earthly branches, yin-yang five elements, Liu Ren and Seven Luminaries and such traditional culture also lets incense-worshippers feel our little Daoist temple has some foundation."

Wang Daoist began to narrate, but these things have little to do with his son.

Zheng Ren listened attentively; he didn't find it boring. As long as it concerned patients, Boss Zheng took it seriously.

What Wang Daoist said sounded like gossip to others, but to Zheng Ren it was family history and possibly past medical history.

"Though I also count as having a son late in life, my son is nothing like me. From childhood he was gifted and even more fond of traditional culture; he always sneaks a look at those books." Saying this, Wang Daoist gave a bitter smile.

"The ancient books in the house—I've kept them hidden since my son could understand, not letting him look. After all, I don't know them; even if I'm half a doctor, I wouldn't understand those things. No one teaches; if we stir up something like qi deviation, it'd be pointless. Besides, they don't help with the college entrance exam."

Everyone at the table was somewhat puzzled—what's going on? Even ancient books wouldn't endanger one's life just by reading them.

"Isn't he in college? He came back once during May Day to see me. I was also happy; father and son drank under the big poplar tree—that was delightful. Life like this is enough."

"After he went back to school, I didn't notice. Yesterday his classmate called me; he couldn't utter a sentence, his whole spirit gone, looks like..." Wang Daoist said, voice choking, but he still had a request for Zheng Ren, so he quickly composed his sorrow and steadied his emotions.

"When I looked, sure enough a volume of ancient book was missing. Later I asked him, and indeed it was stolen by this little brat."

"Ancient book? What does it contain?" Zheng Ren asked.

"The wall-penetrating technique of the Yingshan Daoist—do you know about it, Boss Zheng?" Wang Daoist asked.

"I've seen it in an animated cartoon." Zheng Ren chuckled.

"My son took away a volume of Daoist arts; I estimate he is practicing the forbidden speech technique." Wang Daoshi said with a worried, bitter face: "Nobody teaches this stuff; you just learn it on your own—it's strange if nothing goes wrong. It's all my fault, all my fault..."

……

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Note: It's not feudal superstition, it's still an illness, so I won't let everyone guess. It's a minor illness, but when it flares up it can be deadly. The day before yesterday I read the chapter of the senior book friend, who said that having diarrhea for about five years is really suffering, and one resents the doctors, but now it's better. To be honest, saying this makes me unable to sleep at night. I got up early, searched the database, asked classmates and the Teacher, and found two cases. Please show more understanding, after all doctors aren't gods; the simpler the minor ailment, the harder the diagnosis... Anyway, after finishing writing and updating, I'll briefly explain in this single chapter.