Wang Youqing looked at Lu Xuan as if he were looking at a stranger.
"What's wrong?"
"Uncle, looking at me with that look makes me a bit uneasy."
Lu Xuan's body stiffened.
Wang Youqing stared at Lu Xuan for a while before sighing and saying, "Lu, everyone's been speculating more and more about you recently. They all say you have a family tradition in this field. It's not just me saying this, everyone does, even the director thinks so. Aren't you going to admit it?"
"Uncle, my family is just an ordinary one. My parents run a small grocery store, and my grandparents are farmers who work the land. How can I convince you?" Lu Xuan spread his hands, his expression increasingly helpless.
Wang Youqing pursed his lips, showing an expression that said "I understand". "I know, for a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner like you with family heritage, it's normal not to reveal your identity due to strict family rules.
But you should think for yourself. Having ability is good, but in this society, having ability alone doesn't guarantee you a better future.
Sometimes, you also need the backing of status.
I don't doubt your ability. Everyone has seen it lately. Someone as skilled in traditional Chinese medicine as you shouldn't be stuck at a health center. You should be standing on a broader stage to showcase yourself, so your knowledge can bring more benefits to patients.
The health center is a good place for me to settle down until retirement, but it's not suitable for you.
You have ability, you have connections, you can look for help from your family and aim for the city, or even the province.
I heard from the director about your aspirations; I was touched and didn't expect you to have such grand ambitions at such a young age. But have you thought about it? You can't achieve your aspirations at a health center; you need not only capability but also the backing of status and position.
Otherwise, wanting to change the current status of traditional Chinese medicine and expand its influence will just be empty talk."
Initially, Lu Xuan was thinking about how to explain to the other party that he really didn't come from a family with medical heritage. But after hearing Wang Youqing's heartfelt words, he fell silent.
He knew that the reality is often even harsher than what Wang Youqing described.
The current state of traditional Chinese medicine is worrisome; it's a widely acknowledged fact.
Over the years, from the government down to ordinary people, there have been endeavors to rejuvenate traditional Chinese medicine.
However, things don't always go as planned. The intentions are good, but often they are not well implemented, leading to the increasingly awkward situation traditional Chinese medicine is in today.
Traditional Chinese medicine is becoming increasingly Westernized, increasingly alienated, and increasingly losing its "Chinese" essence.
Nowadays, especially in the selection of training modes for traditional Chinese medicine, it's going down a mistaken path. The Western-style training mode has caused traditional Chinese medicine education to decline.
It's not that the Western training mode is bad; it's just that the facts over the years have proved it unsuitable for traditional Chinese medicine.
To change this is easier said than done.
An individual finds it hard to resist the mainstream.
A lone arm can't wrestle a thigh.
Unless, one day, his status can influence the mainstream or even change it.
Is it possible?
Had it been half a month ago, Lu Xuan would have thought it impossible. But now, he saw a glimmer of hope.
Lu Xuan raised his hand, lightly touching the pendant on his chest with his fingers.
This is hope.
"Uncle, you're right. I'll think it over carefully."
Lu Xuan looked up and smiled: "But this matter can't be rushed. After all, I just arrived at the health center. Even if I want to leave, I should make some achievements first."
"Lu, I know you have your own ideas, but as someone who's been through this, I hope you think it through and don't waste too much time at the health center."
Wang Youqing sighed, suddenly seeing Lu Xuan's movement and curiously asked, "When did you get that pendant? I didn't see you wearing it last week. Where did you buy it? It's quite nice!"
"A friend gave it to me when I graduated from high school. I saw it recently and decided to wear it." Lu Xuan found it hard to explain the pendant's purpose in detail.
Hearing this, Wang Youqing showed a reminiscent expression: "Speaking of high school classmates, after graduation, everyone went their separate ways. The few I was particularly close to back then, I haven't contacted them in years."
With a sigh, Wang Youqing patted Lu Xuan on the shoulder: "Let's go, let's grab something to eat nearby and walk around. Cheng and the others have to go home first, when they arrive, we'll head over."
"Alright."
The door to Lu Xuan's clinic closed, and the two of them went down to the second floor together.
As they stepped out of the elevator, they heard noises coming from the registration hall.
"Ms. Wu, we're officially off duty now, as you can see, my computer's already turned off. Maybe you could come back tomorrow, would that be okay?" Yuan Na showed the other person the computer screen with a helpless expression.
"Had it just been the end of the day, I wouldn't mind you registering, but we've been off duty for a while now. Dr. Lu is probably home by now; we can't possibly ask him to come back again, right?"
"Doctor, could you call Dr. Lu for me? I texted him before, but he might not have seen it. If it were a minor ailment, I wouldn't bother, but you see..."
Ms. Wu pleaded, tears in her eyes.
Yuan Na sighed internally. Had it been someone else, she wouldn't even bother. It was almost half an hour after work hours, and she was still hanging around here mainly because she had plans for supper. Otherwise, she would have left already, but then she encountered this situation.
Seeing the redness in Ms. Wu's eyes, Yuan Na finally couldn't harden her heart, "Alright, I'll ask for you, but I'm not sure if Dr. Lu is available to come over."
"Thank you!"
"Thank you so much!"
Ms. Wu showed immense gratitude.
Yuan Na sat down helplessly, just about to look up Lu Xuan's contact when she heard a voice from the elevator area: "What's going on?"
"Dr. Lu, you haven't gone home yet?"
Yuan Na was taken aback for a moment, then explained, "Ms. Wu brought her husband and wanted you to have another look, Dr. Lu. I thought you'd gone already, so I suggested she come back tomorrow. Since you're here, I'll boot up and register her."
"Health insurance card."
"No need for registration, let's not waste money. I'll just check the pulse. If medication is needed, it won't be too late to register then."
Lu Xuan immediately said, striding quickly over to Zhang Song, soothing Ms. Wu with a glance before turning his focus to Zhang Song.
Zhang Song looked much better than before. His once ashen complexion had turned rosy, indicating he was out of danger.
However, Lu Xuan did not speak but placed his hand on Zhang Song's pulse once more, quietly feeling it.
As Lu Xuan took Zhang Song's pulse, everyone held their breath, the registration hall was eerily quiet as most people had left for the day.
"The pulse?"
As soon as Lu Xuan touched it, he was stunned; Zhang Song's pulse was barely perceptible.
There was something before. Lu Xuan took a deep breath and applied a little more pressure, pressing down heavily.
This time, Lu Xuan finally felt Zhang Song's pulse and let out a sigh of relief.
But even though he could feel the pulse, it was still very weak, extremely fine.
The pulse was deep and weak, a combination of deep pulse and weak pulse, difficult to detect with a light touch, requiring firm pressure to feel.
This kind of pulse indicates qi and blood deficiency, multiple organ failure, deficiency and damage, and internal issues, a combination of many problems.
Zhang Song had already suffered multiple organ damage, and after several days of rescue work, he could barely eat, so qi and blood weakness was normal. These aren't things that can be recovered quickly; they require gradual recuperation.
However, this wasn't what Lu Xuan was focusing on.
Lu Xuan was delighted to find that Zhang Song's "sparrow pecking pulse" had disappeared, indicating that the patient was out of life-threatening danger.
Lu Xuan removed his hand, smiling as he looked at Ms. Wu: "He's out of danger now; he just needs to rest and recuperate for a while."
"Dr. Lu, you mean... my husband has recovered?" Ms. Wu could hardly believe her ears.
Lu Xuan nodded: "Yes, he's just weak now due to recovering from a serious illness. Just have him rest well at home; if there's any issue, feel free to contact me directly."
Upon receiving Lu Xuan's confirmation, Ms. Wu wept with joy, profusely thanking him before wheeling Zhang Song out of the health center.
Watching the two leave, only then did Wang Youqing regain his senses, the look in his eyes mixed with shock. Did you really save someone who had been given a 'death notice' by City First Hospital?
"Zhang Song... Is he really okay now?"
Wang Youqing swallowed, the way he looked at Lu Xuan turned a bit peculiar.
Could someone in their twenties really achieve this?
Even if Lu Xuan's family had elders who practiced medicine and were superb at it, it would still be unlikely!
At least, until he met Lu Xuan, he had never encountered nor even heard of anything like it.