"...Do you think this place can actually cure us?" Inside the clinic area, the people holding the first ten queue numbers were now sitting on the sofas waiting intently. They chatted with each other periodically.
They'd discovered another truth. Those who could become customers here and sit in this spot had to be wealthy enough to afford the treatment fees.
So getting acquainted with each other wasn't a bad thing. Connections were something even more important than money for those with power.
"But Mr. Zhu seemed really rushed when he left... And it didn't look like he got any treatment either."
What made them uncertain after seeing miracles was the manner of Zhu Jinming, the second patient who'd just left.
Quiet doubts started forming. They were intently watching the veteran soldier who'd gone into the examination room about ten minutes ago.
It was certain they weren't lacking money. So when they got sick, they could choose to get the best treatment first. But if even those treatments didn't work, a clinic opened by cultivators like this became their last hope.
"If this place doesn't work... I'm planning to go get treatment in the West."
"Same here. I heard modern medicine over there is really advanced."
"...Do you guys hear something?"
Their conversation was interrupted by a small commotion in the room. Then it went quiet. They saw Hui'er, who'd boldly blocked the door earlier, walk inside holding some kind of box.
"...What's happening?"
They all watched without understanding, but the truth soon became clear.
*Bang!*
The sound of the examination room door opening from inside startled those sitting outside. They all looked at who was walking out from that room.
"That's the old man who just went in, right?"
"Yeah, but why does he look so strange?"
What he said wasn't wrong. Right now that veteran soldier was making an expression like he couldn't believe his own eyes. He braced himself against the wall with his granddaughter helping. His rush earlier made him accidentally make some loud clattering sounds.
"Why is he stumbling like that...?"
"Did the treatment go wrong? He looks weirdly rushed too..."
"...What are you guys even saying?"
"Huh?"
Before they could make various guesses, a bespectacled man was staring at that scene in shock. He trembled with excitement and watched the veteran walking to the clinic counter in a dazed state.
"Don't you guys remember what condition he was in?"
"..."
When someone brought up the point, they realized what he meant. This became even clearer not even a minute later when Hui'er came out pushing a wheelchair and quickly brought it to him with a smiling face.
"Grandpa, you forgot your wheelchair."
Hui'er's voice and the wheelchair she was pushing made him come to his senses. The old man looked down at his own legs that could stand up again, alternating between them and the wheelchair.
"Ha...haha, my legs are healed! I can walk again for real!"
He was releasing years of pent-up frustration, his voice joyful as he slowly stumbled forward to receive the wheelchair from Hui'er's hands himself. The veteran reached out to pat her head once.
"Thank you so much... Please pass on my thanks to the doctor and Miss Bai too... I really owe them my life!"
His words and manner confirmed they weren't imagining things. Before going in, he had clearly entered sitting in a wheelchair!
But when he came back out, the veteran actually walked out of the room on his own two legs! Those in the clinic watched him walk to the counter to pay, laughing the whole way. After paying, the old man was surprised when he received some elixirs in bottles as a bonus—three pills.
"What medicine is this?"
The old man asked Mei Ying, who gave him the medicine, with confusion.
"Your condition's healed, but you still need a bit more nourishment, Grandpa. Those three are Tier 2 Restoration Elixirs. Take one per day before bed and they'll help your legs recover faster."
Zheng Mei Ying explained with a smile. Those elixirs were ones the kids had practiced refining and had already passed Bai Fanxian's standards. So rather than let them clutter Bai Fanxian's storage, it was better to give them to patients according to their conditions.
"...But the agreement didn't include these medicines, right?"
The veteran reached for his credit card again. He was an honest person and absolutely wouldn't accept free things.
"It's fine. Consider it a get-well gift." Mei Ying firmly refused. Her firm refusal made him feel even better about this place.
The old man held that medicine bottle like it was precious, then waved goodbye to the kids acting as nurses before leaving. He decided he'd recommend this clinic to his comrades and acquaintances immediately when he got home.
"Hey... Would you want to trade queue numbers with me?"
Someone said it, though no one knew who. But those inside the clinic were all staring at one man's hands holding number four.
After Liu Yianfei, Zhu Jinming, and that veteran soldier, the next patient in queue was this man with number four.
"No! Didn't you guys just say you wanted to go get treatment in the West!?"
.
.
.
That evening, Bai Fanxian's clinic closed at exactly five o'clock.
What made people most dissatisfied was that besides those who got the ten queue numbers, no one else had a chance to enter the clinic.
Those who'd been waiting since morning looked at each other. They were people who'd hesitated at first. When the clinic opened for entry, those ten had more courage to take the risk of treatment at this expensive newly-opened clinic.
At first, a wave of dissatisfaction was about to form. But shortly after, someone posted a video online.
It was a video of an old man slowly walking on a lawn with an excited expression. Though he walked slowly, each of his steps became steadier and steadier. He stumbled and fell once because he wasn't used to it yet, but laughed loudly and got up to try again.
At first, people didn't understand this video's intent. But when they watched to the end, they found pictures and partial videos of this man who'd relied on a wheelchair for many years.
The person who made this video claimed to be that man's granddaughter. She told a brief history of her grandfather. And she also thanked those who helped her grandfather stand and walk again.
"Thank you so much... At first I was very rude to you all, I really apologize. Grandpa means so much to me. I saw him with a gloomy expression on that wheelchair for so long. You changed his life and our family's life for real.
#MiraculousClinicAtEasternDistrictsEdge"
Her post went viral. Many people shared it in no time. At first they were skeptical. But there were official accounts of several doctors who'd examined and treated him coming out to confirm her story wasn't a lie.
That man really had been in a wheelchair for many years.
And they all wanted to travel to that clinic themselves to talk with whoever did the treatment.
And besides that girl's post, soon there were four or five similar posts. They were all patients who'd received treatment that day and wanted to share their stories and joy with acquaintances. But soon people forwarded it widely along with "#MiraculousClinicAtEasternDistrictsEdge" becoming even more famous.
On the second day, Wu Jia from yesterday had holed up in Bai Fanxian's workshop all night again. If not for the power and strength of cultivators helping, he'd definitely have fainted mid-air countless times already.
"...Isn't this one of the reasons we cultivate?"
His excuse to his female disciple got him nagged many times. But whatever happened, when work time came around again, they all returned to normal.
Today the number of people waiting at the clinic front was even more than yesterday. Especially those who saw yesterday's posts about this clinic. Some of them even rushed to travel from far away places to make it in time.
"...This looks really exhausting."
"Don't worry, Doctor. Today we'll only take ten people as usual. I already talked with Lady Bai Fanxian last night."
Lin Xiaoting comforted him. But she didn't expect their conversation would reach the ears of those waiting in line.
"What? They're only treating ten people?"
"...Isn't that too few?"
"Yesterday was also ten people. You guys just came today."
"But it's understandable. A miraculous place like this limiting the daily number isn't strange."
That last sentence made many people understand. This clinic wasn't like other places. They didn't need to accept patients overflowing with no rest time. Just that tremendous treatment fee was enough for them to live comfortably already.
And thinking about it more made them confident in the treatment. Because the doctor would have enough time for each patient instead of rushing through examinations and prescribing medicine like they'd experienced before.
"...So the problem is"
They all looked toward the entrance door where Hui'er walked out. Right now it was almost time and she had to do the job of opening the door.
"I was here first!"
"I was! I saw you just get here earlier!"
"You two get out. When I arrived, the sun here hadn't even risen yet!"
Major chaos erupted once they realized they might not be one of the ten getting treatment today. But that woman in her fifties standing far away looked anxious but didn't dare compete for position like the others.
She really had come first. She knew the veteran soldier who came for treatment yesterday. Seeing her old friend—who normally relied on a wheelchair—able to get up and walk around the lawn made her happy too.
She was determined to come see the miraculous doctor here. So she rushed to travel here before dawn. Back then there weren't even five people in this area.
She watched the chaotic situation with hopeless feelings. She sighed and was about to head back first. It looked like today she wouldn't have a chance to receive treatment.
She would just come back another day.
She thought that way. But when she turned around, she almost bumped into Huang Zihuan who walked in. The elderly butler bowed his head to apologize and smiled politely to ask:
"Where are you going, ma'am?"
"...I was thinking I should head back today. I heard you only treat ten people per day." She spoke uncomfortably, glancing at the chaos at the door that seemed about to get more violent.
"But ma'am, you arrived fifth... Why would you rush back?"
Huang Zihuan raised his eyebrows in surprise. Suddenly in the sky above, three powers erupted. One was sharp to the point where skin felt like being cut. Another was a feeling like a poisonous insect was staring from a dark corner. And the last was a power of purity. The moment the group of people competing at the door felt this power, they all felt like their minds were purified. They calmed down and turned to look at each other with embarrassment.
"...Could you all please remain calm?"
Liu Yianfei smiled faintly. But the gleam flashing in his eyes—no one could sense even a bit of warmth hidden there!