Chapter 14: Genuine or a Setup?

The middle-aged woman was momentarily stunned, unable to react immediately.

Zhang Jing quickly reminded her, “Hurry, take the child to the restroom.”

“Oh, oh, oh!” The woman suddenly sprang up from her chair and rushed swiftly toward the bathroom.

About three minutes later, she returned to the clinic holding the little boy’s hand.

As soon as she entered, she excitedly exclaimed, “Doctor, he actually went! The child’s spirit has improved so much—he’s even willing to get up and walk!”

Zhang Jing nodded slightly and told her to go find Gui Cui to get a thermometer to check the boy’s temperature.

The woman happily led the child away.

A few minutes passed.

“Thump, thump, thump...” A flurry of hurried footsteps approached from outside the clinic.

Zhang Jing looked up to see Gui Cui rushing in, holding the thermometer.

“Dr. Zhang... the fever... it’s really gone down!”

Whether from excitement or running too fast, Gui Cui was slightly out of breath as she spoke.

Zhang Jing smiled calmly and said simply, “I knew.”

“You knew?” Gui Cui looked surprised.

She thought to herself: Is this still the gloomy little prince she knew, the one who usually never smiled or spoke much? How could he seem like a completely different person after just one night?

Every gesture of his now exuded confidence and composure, even more so than Huang Biao, the so-called “Five-Clawed Dragon.”

But Huang Biao’s bravado was all for show.

What about Zhang Jing?

Before she could ponder further, the middle-aged woman re-entered the room, holding the child’s hand.

Without a word, she bowed deeply to Zhang Jing.

Zhang Jing quickly stood up to stop her, “Sister, what are you doing?”

“Thank you, doctor. I am truly grateful to you for curing my child. I kept doubting your skill earlier—I was blind as a bat. I’m so sorry, really, I am!”

“Hey, don’t say that. Healing people is my job—it’s nothing to thank me for. I’m still young and it’s natural you were worried about letting me treat him. I completely understand, so don’t feel bad.”

The woman gave a big thumbs-up. “You’re really a good doctor!”

Then she turned to Gui Cui, who was standing nearby, and said, “Young lady, tell me how much I owe you—I’ll pay.”

“The registration fee is 2 yuan, and the medicine is 10 yuan,” Gui Cui replied, then turned to Zhang Jing for confirmation.

“That’s right, a total of 12 yuan,” Zhang Jing nodded.

The woman shook her head vigorously, “No way, it can’t be this cheap. Calculate again, please, calculate again.”

Since working as the cashier in the herbal medicine room, Gui Cui had never encountered a patient who complained the fees were too low.

She was amused, teasing, “Sister, we’re not some shady shop—we really can’t charge more. But you’re welcome to leave a tip if you want.”

The moment Zhang Jing heard this, he sharply rebuked her, “Xiao Cui, don’t talk nonsense!”

Then he turned back to the woman: “Sister, our registration and medicine fees are clearly marked and we won’t overcharge you by a single cent. Please follow our pharmacist Gui to pay the bill, and she’ll give you a receipt.”

“But... but... I feel embarrassed! Just an IV drip at the hospital costs over a hundred yuan, and with tests, I’ve spent over a thousand these past few days.”

“The amount doesn’t matter. What counts is curing the illness.”

“Yes, yes! You don’t care about making money, only about healing. Doctors like you are the true good ones. I’ll be sure to spread the word when I get home.”

Hearing this, Zhang Jing felt deeply gratified.

For a true doctor, what could be more joyous than patient recognition?

The middle-aged woman left with her child, thanking them profusely.

Only Zhang Jing and Gui Cui remained in the clinic.

“Dr. Zhang, was the little boy’s illness really cured just like that?” Gui Cui still found it hard to believe.

“Yes. Though it seemed serious, only one part was off. Once you find the root of the problem, it resolves easily.”

“Well, I don’t understand medicine. But I believe you. I’ll give you the chance—you’ll definitely surpass the ‘Five-Clawed Dragon’ who only knows how to bluff.”

Gui Cui had no interest in diagnostic reasoning. Her only concern was whether Zhang Jing was bluffing at all.

Zhang Jing didn’t follow her line of thought but said honestly, “Director Huang has many years of experience. If he had been on duty today, he would have cured him too.”

“Pfft—yeah, right. Since the clinic opened, apart from managing some chronic gynecological issues, I’ve never seen him cure any acute illness.”

Not wanting to badmouth others behind their backs, Zhang Jing tactfully said, “Xiao Cui, you should get back to work. Be careful, or patients of Dr. Wang will go downstairs to pay and not find you, and you’ll get scolded again.”

Gui Cui made a playful face and dashed off.

But once back in the herbal medicine room, she couldn’t shake the feeling something was off.

After thinking it over, she decided to call Huang Biao.

“Hello, Xiao Cui! What’s the emergency?” came Huang Biao’s weak voice over the phone.

“Director Huang, what are you doing? You sound so tired.”

“Oh... didn’t Boss Ma tell you? I took the day off.”

Huang Biao thought to himself: As an old TCM doctor, catching a cold and having to get IV fluids at the hospital—if everyone knew, it’d be embarrassing. So he deliberately spoke vaguely.

“I knew you took leave, but didn’t hear why.”

“None of your business. Just tell me what’s so urgent.”

“Well, it’s nothing major. Just wanted to tell you it’s a pity you missed a brilliant treatment today.”

“What do you mean? Did Wang Sen finally cure a patient?”

“Not Dr. Wang, Dr. Zhang. The woman had him cover your internal medicine clinic today.”

“Who? Zhang... Zhang Jing? He can treat patients? Don’t joke with me.” Huang Biao chuckled uncontrollably.

“It’s true. I saw it with my own eyes. A little boy had a high fever for nearly a week. After just one dose of medicine, within ten minutes, he was completely better.”

Huang Biao was stunned at first but then guessed what was going on and asked, smiling, “Did the fever really go down? Did you check the temperature?”

“Yes, I checked it myself—36.6 degrees, perfectly normal.”

“What was it before taking the medicine?”

“The mother said it was over 39 degrees.”

“Did you measure it?”

“No, she said they just measured it at home. That wouldn’t be fake, would it?” Gui Cui asked, confused.

“Of course it’s fake! Totally fake! This is obviously a plant hired by Zhang Jing. Can’t you see?” Huang Biao said.

“A plant? No way! I don’t think Zhang Jing is that kind of person.”

Though she said this, Gui Cui wasn’t entirely sure herself.

After all, she had noticed Zhang Jing’s behavior today was clearly different from usual.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so eager to call Huang Biao for confirmation.

“Xiao Cui, you’re too young. You don’t understand the tricks of society. In medicine, hiring plants is very common. Otherwise, do you really think there are so many miracle doctors in small clinics? And why do people line up so early every day? Nine times out of ten, they’re plants, you see?”

“Old doctors like me who don’t engage in bluffing and just focus on medicine are really few nowadays!” Huang Biao began boasting and reminiscing about his seniority once again.