Medicinal Guide

Chapter 11 Medicinal Guide

The afternoon tour was rather uninteresting.

Afterwards, a junior staff member from the Science and Education Department explained the relevant precautions for the exam at 8:00 AM the next morning.

Most of the other reserve trainees were somewhat apprehensive, and a few of them looked at Ji Xiang with strange expressions.

They're all young people; who doesn't have a competitive spirit?

Especially the son of Dean Zhao, whose gaze towards Ji Xiang was clearly different.

During their internships in the department, some students would stay in the department for a whole month to see who could endure the longest.

The purpose was to make a good impression on the supervising teacher so that I could go on stage when I left the department.

So the fact that Ji Xiang was directly called away by the professor of surgery today is something to be envious of.

As Ji Xiang left, someone said dismissively, "I wonder what his family's relationship is with the Second Hospital."

"He's probably a second-generation doctor; look how arrogant he is."

"Is there any benefit to this?"

A naive student adjusted his glasses and asked.

"Benefits? The benefits are huge. If the older generation is capable enough, they can get their names included more often when publishing SCI articles, tsk tsk."

My mouth was already watering with envy.

"It seems to be the same in other disciplines; marrying your mentor naturally has all sorts of advantages."

"Keep your voice down, or if the teacher hears you, you'll get a zero tomorrow."

"Is that true?"

Although he said that, the man's voice lowered.

Some things are better left unsaid; it's just that my parents can't write SCI papers.

Hearing what others said, Zhao Tianjiao felt a surge of pride amidst his frustration.

His family has already arranged everything for him, and his academic paper in a journal with the prefix "China" is ready for publication as a co-first author.

However, Zhao Tianjiao always kept his family's instructions in mind—keep a low profile and never let your father down.

"Tianjiao, how did your family arrange things for you?" someone asked.

"No arrangements have been made," Zhao Tianjiao said modestly and humbly. "You're all talking about those big shots; my family doesn't have that kind of ability."

"I don't believe it."

As they were talking, Zhao Tianjiao saw Ji Xiang walk over to the shared bikes, "pick up" a flashy bike, get on, and leave.

"Wow... Ji Xiang likes this?"

"This car... hahaha, it's so damn girly!"

"Yeah, are there shared bikes like this? I'd like to try it too."

Zhao Tianjiao's family told him to keep a low profile, but someone else stood out from the crowd and stole all the limelight.

At this moment, a classmate said that Ji Xiang was a bit effeminate, and Zhao Tianjiao found this very pleasant to hear.

"Maybe he just likes this." Zhao Tianjiao felt uncomfortable just thinking about Ji Xiang's 1.88-meter-tall back. He turned and left. "Doing a few small things in the operating room with the teacher is nothing, but getting the worst score on the exam would be embarrassing for adults."

……

……

When Ji Xiang returned home, the old man was wearing an apron and chatting with a woman in her fifties.

"Ji Xiang is back," the middle-aged woman greeted him warmly.

"Aunt Chen," Ji Xiang said.

"You two chat first, I'll go check on the braised pork in the pot." Ji Xiang's father quickly made an excuse to leave, giving Ji Xiang a wink.

Ji Xiang's father, happy Jing, doesn't even have a nanny at home. A part-time cleaner comes to clean the house on a regular schedule every day.

It was within Ji Xiang's expectations that he would flee at this time.

"Xiao Ji, I heard you went to the Second Affiliated Hospital," Aunt Chen said with a smile. "Your family is about to start eating, I won't disturb you, just say what you need to say."

"..."

A bad feeling crept over me.

Ji Xiang scratched his head. "Aunt Chen, I'm just a resident trainee, doing odd jobs. Besides, I'm not even considered a resident trainee anymore. If I don't pass the exam tomorrow..."

"Look at what you're saying."

Ji Xiang was interrupted by Aunt Chen.

"Why is it so hard to ask you to do something? Just like your father."

"..." Ji Xiang was speechless, so he could only smile and say, "Aunt Chen, what is it?"

"I have a relative who contracted a strange illness. They went to many large hospitals, but nothing worked. Later, they consulted a traditional Chinese medicine doctor, who prescribed some medicine."

"Oh, it's good that the medicine is prescribed. Is it effective? Western medicine can't cure many diseases, but traditional Chinese medicine can. However, you have to find a reliable traditional Chinese medicine doctor," Ji Xiang said perfunctorily.

"The medicine is easy to get, but the medicinal guide is more difficult to obtain." Aunt Chen sighed softly, but her eyes remained fixed on Ji Xiang.

"A medicinal guide?"

"They said it's necessary to remove the stones in my kidneys."

"!!!"

"I recently managed to get some kidney stones, but the treatment wasn't very effective. I consulted an old traditional Chinese medicine doctor, who said the stones were too small for the medicine to be effective."

"Aunt Chen." Ji Xiang was both amused and exasperated. He never expected that his neighbor would come looking for him for such an absurd reason.

"You need to see a legitimate traditional Chinese medicine doctor. Nowadays, many swindlers pretend to be TCM doctors, which has ruined the reputation of TCM."

"They are legitimate traditional Chinese medicine practitioners with ancient prescriptions passed down in their family for over a thousand years, and they only pass them down to sons, not daughters."

Passed down only to sons, not daughters?

Ji Xiang didn't believe such words at all.

And using kidney stones as a medicinal ingredient... there really are all sorts of things in this world.

Some people dare to say it, and some people actually dare to believe it.

They don't even believe it, yet they actually dare to put it in their mouths.

Not only did they put it in their mouths, they even dared to swallow it.

Doesn't he know that kidney stones are soaked in urine? Soaked for so many years, from childhood to adulthood, they're so deeply ingrained that the flavor can't even be described.

What's the difference between eating this thing in one bite and eating a stone?

Ji Xiang stared blankly at Aunt Chen, his mind filled with thoughts of kidney stones. His silence greatly displeased Aunt Chen.

"Xiao Ji, this is called Shi Lin. Everyone has already found out." Aunt Chen said with a frown, "We've been neighbors for many years. I've practically watched you grow up. You wouldn't refuse to help with such a small thing, would you?"

"Aunt Chen, what are you saying?" Ji Xiang's head was throbbing. "I have an exam tomorrow, I don't know if I'll be able to go to the hospital."

"You've always been a good student, how could you not get into the hospital?" Aunt Chen pressed on relentlessly.

"If I ever get my hands on a crusher, I'll try to keep one."

Helpless, Ji Xiang could only offer a perfunctory reply. At that moment, he understood the meaning behind the look his grandfather had given him.

Aunt Chen chatted for a few more minutes before taking her leave after Ji Xiang's father politely invited her to stay for dinner.

"Dad, what are Aunt Chen and the others thinking?" Ji Xiang asked helplessly.

"The hospital couldn't cure it, so we're looking for folk remedies everywhere." Ji Xiang's father was quite philosophical about it. He wiped his hands on his apron and said, "Let's eat."

"But you can't eat kidney stones, can you?"

"There's nothing we can do. If the First or Second Affiliated Hospital could cure it, who would want to suffer from kidney stones? We're just out of options. By the way, you have an exam tomorrow; how's your preparation going?"

"I'm fine," Ji Xiang said matter-of-factly. "Dad, what illness does Aunt Chen's relative have?"

"I don't know." Ji Xiang's father took off his apron, and the two of them sat down at the table.

"Want a sip?" Ji Xiang's father asked.

"Did it go up today?" Ji Xiang asked curiously.

"It has nothing to do with whether it goes up or down," Ji Xiang's father said. "You're all grown up now, it's time for you to go to work."

"I won't drink it, I still need to study tonight." Ji Xiang was thinking about the system space and declined his father's invitation.

Ji Xiang's father didn't mind, chatting casually with Ji Xiang while pouring himself a drink.

"Dad, you seem a little too happy today."

"Do you remember what you said when you were little?" Ji Xiang's father asked with a smile, but he didn't keep him in suspense and continued, "Once on your birthday, your wish was to have a hundred yuan of pocket money every day."

"..."

"At the time, I was really afraid that you would only earn three thousand a month in the future."

"..."

"Although your family doesn't rely on you to earn money, in the business world, being able to make money is a skill. I heard that the salary for resident trainees is not low?"

Ji Xiang scratched his head, not expecting that his father was thinking about this.

"Your mom said she'd call you tonight, and she also reminded me to make sure you don't work too much overtime."

"My opinion doesn't count, Dad. Does Mom even want me to succeed?" Ji Xiang asked.

"You have a share in the family business fund. The interest alone will be enough for you to live on every month," Ji Xiang's father said calmly. "Your mother is afraid you'll get into trouble. Having a proper job and keeping you tied up is enough. As for me, I hope you'll make a name for yourself."

"Dad, how much money is in the startup fund?"

"Your uncle withdrew the money to start a business in 2001; it's said to be 1.5 million."

Ji Xiang had no concept of money and was not interested in it. He chatted casually with his father, picked up his rice bowl, and ate three large bowls of rice with braised pork.

Ji Xiang's father ate slowly and deliberately. As a middle-aged man, he couldn't eat like a young person without any restrictions.

Although the rock sugar used in the braised pork, combined with my careful cooking, makes it not too greasy, it will definitely feel too heavy if you take a few bites in a row.

At his age, he wouldn't experience any emotional fluctuations while watching donkey hoof repairs.

After finishing his meal, Ji Xiang, though eager to check out the system space, still spent over an hour chatting with the old man.

After picking up the dishes and cleaning up, Ji Xiang washed up and went to bed early.

After closing his eyes and concentrating several times, Ji Xiang entered that mysterious state and arrived at the system's operating room.

In the corridor of the operating room, a system NPC stood with his hands behind his back and his waist bent at the door of the operating room.

"They're here."

"You're here!" Ji Xiang strode over enthusiastically. "Teacher, I performed 12 anesthesias today without needing any booster shots!"

"Not bad, but that's normal," the system NPC said slowly.

"Teacher, I want to learn more surgeries." Ji Xiang rubbed his hands excitedly, eager to try.

"Okay." The system NPC patted Ji Xiang on the shoulder. "Then today I'll teach you how to do it..."

Ji Xiang was somewhat excited.

Although there aren't many emergency cases in the urology department, procedures like adrenal tumors and kidney transplants are all major surgeries!

He was full of anticipation for the future, like a little animal.

"Then today I'll teach you how to perform a circumcision using a suture device," the system NPC said.

"..."

Why the hell can't we stop making leather bags?!

Ji Xiang felt a lump in his throat, his heart filled with frustration.

"Don't you want to learn?" The system NPC saw through Ji Xiang's thoughts and asked with a smile.

Ji Xiang nodded.

He wanted to learn more advanced surgical techniques; what was the point of such a trivial procedure as cutting open a circumcision?

"Circumcision with a suture device is the most common procedure performed now," the system NPC said to Ji Xiang in a hoarse voice.

"Is there anything else?"

"The surgery time is short. Without the LV4 speed boost, it usually takes a doctor about 30 minutes to complete a manual suturing procedure. But with a suture machine, it only takes about 10 minutes. For doctors with fast hands, it can be as short as 5 minutes."

Ji Xiang didn't think about the number of patients at all. He temporarily gave up his yearning for more difficult procedures and looked at the system NPC with shining eyes.

More surgeries mean more experience points, which in turn means the completion of long-term main quests.

Although it was a task that Ji Xiang thought was completely unreliable.

"Let's begin now."

The system NPC walked into the operating room with his hands behind his back.

(End of this chapter)