Chapter 107
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 107
Chapter Title: PK Group's Honorary Chairman
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PK Group's Honorary Chairman Choi Gwijae.
She was a legend in the business world, having built the company from the ground up alongside her husband, Park Jangjin.
From a factory girl working a sewing machine in a textile plant to the head of a massive conglomerate—every step of her journey was a challenge conquered and a triumph earned.
Of course, she had now accomplished most of what she set out to do.
The rough seas of her prime, when she forged her empire, and the lonely days after losing her husband were all behind her.
Her life's compass had turned toward the sunset, yet her spirit for challenges showed no signs of slowing.
Half-marathon.
This was the latest pursuit that had captured Choi Gwijae's heart.
In her early sixties—a young age, relatively speaking—after her husband passed away from illness, she had thrown herself into health management with fervor.
She strictly followed a diabetic diet despite only mildly elevated blood sugar and tried every exercise touted as beneficial.
But nothing ignited the human spirit of challenge quite like running, and especially marathons, right?
The ecstasy of pushing past your limits with stamina and willpower, enduring labored breaths and a heart ready to burst—those who hadn't experienced it could never truly understand the allure.
"Mother, you're incredible!"
"Congratulations!"
"Tch, cut the flattery. You'll just draw unwanted attention."
Pathetic kids and grandkids.
Even after stepping down as chairman and declaring her retirement, she still held most of the shares. Greedy heirs hoping for inheritance often trailed her hobbies like this, trying to curry favor.
"Get lost!"
In any case, Choi Gwijae completed the half-marathon.
She chased away her family and returned home, retiring comfortably to bed.
Her body ached all over, but muscle soreness was just the marathon's inevitable reward.
That night, she dreamed of her old days for the first time in ages.
Her childhood... back when they lived in a tiled-roof house.
Her great-uncle had poured the family fortune into the independence movement, leaving them with nothing, but they'd once been respected local landowners.
A big family living together across four generations. A healthy body and spirit that never tired, no matter how much she ran in the courtyard.
Having built her own vast wealth, Choi Gwijae had bought up all the land around that old tiled house and built her current mansion there.
But those days were gone forever.
Her live-in children and grandchildren only knew how to fawn insincerely, and her aging body screamed in pain after even a short run.
"Damn it!"
The dream only fueled her anger.
What the hell were those kids and grandkids doing?
They should be burning their youthful prime, yet here they were, chasing an old lady to her marathon just to grovel.
She needed to give them a proper scolding.
The sun was up now—she'd gather the whole family and give them a piece of her mind.
So Choi Gwijae bolted upright.
"Kyaack!"
The moment she took her first step, her leg gave out.
She'd twisted her hip joint.
"Grandma, are you okay?"
"Where does it hurt? How many fingers do you see?"
"Should we take you to the ER?!"
Family and servants rushed in at her scream.
"Get out! All of you, leave!"
Choi Gwijae bellowed from the floor where she'd collapsed.
ER? Were they insane? As if she'd give the press something to gossip about her being on death's door.
I visited Park Seonyoon's house with him.
It wasn't some chaebol mansion from an anime with massive gardens and party halls, but it was a lavish three-story standalone house flashier than the rich homes in Cheongdam-dong dramas.
"Sorry in advance. If my grandma acts rude, just let it slide."
She apparently had a notoriously prickly personality, so Park Seonyoon kept apologizing and seeking my understanding.
"Don't worry. I get along great with elders like her."
"Haha, yeah, I figured. All the grandmas and grandpas at the clinic love you, Director."
Park Seonyoon let out a deep sigh.
"She was always so confident about her health, so this big injury came as a shock. She keeps trying to get out of bed, insisting she can walk, so the family's taking turns watching her."
"Aigoo."
I could imagine.
Those brimming with warrior pride, always arrogant, never listen after getting hurt. Part of me wanted to seal their pressure points and chain them down.
"She's pushing ninety. Even with great care, some things are inevitable."
"Yeah. And right after the marathon, of all times."
"A marathon at her age? The chairwoman really is in a league of her own."
Not just after—probably because it was right after, when her muscles were fatigued.
Muscle relaxation leading to a hip twist?
Or maybe a pre-existing condition.
I'd have to examine her closely to know.
Knock knock.
Park Seonyoon knocked, and we entered Honorary Chairman Choi Gwijae's room.
"Aiiing, nothing goes right!"
Thwack!
Chairman Choi was whacking a middle-aged man's head with her cane.
...Her son? Park Seonyoon's dad or uncle? Probably a president or VP at one of the affiliates.
Witnessing the assault scene out of nowhere was jarring.
"Grandma, the director's here!"
Even as a chaebol grandma, seeing her scold her son made her no different from our clinic's regulars.
Hell, even when they tried to act dignified, I was used to it.
I'd dealt with the elders from the Great Sichuan Tang Family who refused to bow before my master or me.
No need to tense up just because the patient was loaded.
"Hello, Madam Chairman. Park Executive asked me to check on you. May I examine you?"
Retired honorary chairman or not, "Madam Chairman" should suffice.
I kept a polite distance and bowed respectfully.
"Ah, you're the Korean medicine doctor Seonyoon mentioned. Come in."
Unlike the flustered middle-aged man beside her, she greeted me courteously.
"It's been ages since I had acupuncture. Back when my husband was alive, a doctor friend of his treated me often."
She waved her hand dismissively, shooing her son away.
Park Seonyoon glanced for permission to leave, but she allowed him to stay.
"Glad you're comfortable with needles. Must've been a shock with the sudden injury. I'll take good care of you."
"Yes. It's not too bad, but I'm worried about walking long-term."
I approached and lifted the blanket.
I'd brought various tools—acupuncture, electroacupuncture, pharmacoacupuncture—but only console-type ultrasound, so I'd rely on physical exams.
Should've bought a portable one knowing house calls might come up.
"Try flexing your knee outward into a figure-four position."
"Okay."
I started with a light Patrick's test.
Lying supine, figure-four position—hip flexed, abducted, externally rotated—stabilizing the opposite pelvis at the ASIS (anterior superior iliac spine), then gently pressing the knee of the tested leg.
Pain in the sacroiliac joint suggests SI joint inflammation, sacral issues, or ankylosing spondylitis; groin pain points to iliopsoas or hip problems.
Squeeze.
As expected, when I pressed her knee, Chairman Choi grimaced.
"Where does it hurt? Can you point?"
Choi Gwijae pointed to the inner right thigh.
Close to the groin... but a bit lower than typical hip sprain pain.
"Not here?"
"Hm."
She just nodded when I pressed the greater trochanter, common for hip inflammation.
"Here?"
"Eek!"
A bit lower, pressing the gracilis tendon attachment, and she yelped in severe pain.
"So the pain's here and along the inner thigh?"
Confirming by pressing the inner thigh adductors, she nodded vigorously.
"Yes. Groin and inner thigh."
Just pinpointing the tender spots tired her out. She wiped sweat from her forehead.
"Not your typical hip sprain spot. Looks like the gracilis muscle is the main culprit from the twist. Overactivation of adductors during the marathon tensed them up, destabilizing the pelvis and making it easy to tweak."
I pulled up an anatomy app on my phone to show her.
"Right here—the gracilis."
"I see. How long for treatment? When can I walk normally?"
With permission, I pressed the pectineus, one of the hip adductors.
Tight knots there.
"Eup!"
"Your walking issue seems from the pectineus contracting hard, sapping leg strength. Loosen this, and you'll walk fine. Hold off on running a bit longer, though."
And releasing muscles wasn't hard.
"Let's treat it now. Relax and lie comfortably."
I took out 6cm needles long enough to reach the pectineus.
Needling directly at the tight spots and pain points.
"Oh!"
"Mm!"
"Mmm~."
A severely contracted muscle would feel great with one needle.
"Haha, Grandma. Feels good?"
"Yes, good job bringing him. Hm!"
But hearing Park Seonyoon make similar noises was amusing.
Genetic? No family rule against moaning, surely.
Using short prick—insert and remove immediately—with good qi, the muscles loosened.
Disinfected and rechecked adductors; fibers softened.
"Try standing."
"Right now?"
Park Seonyoon startled, ready to help, but she shoved him away with her cane and stood alone.
"Oh! Much better for walking."
After groaning all day unable to walk, a dozen needles fixed it?
Amazed, she paced the room.
Her room dwarfed most living rooms—perfect to test gait pain.
"Doesn't hurt much if I don't spread my legs!"
"Glad to hear."
"Really, such a relief. Worried I'd be sidelined for days. Thank you."
"Must've been scary. Muscle issue fixed quick, but let's fully treat any ligament sprain too. You plan to keep running."
Choi Gwijae kept marveling, rubbing the formerly painful spot.
"Way better than that old friend's doc..."
"Grandma!"
I smiled knowing who she meant; Park Seonyoon blushed.
"Haha, still rest up. If you want more exercise."
Unlike ignoring her kids' pleas, she followed my advice obediently, lying back.
"Right. Next marathon to prep for."
Almost felt bad compared to oblivious murim folks.
I re-pressed gracilis and pectineus.
"Massage more with your hands. Come to the clinic for full treatment when you can. Or nearby if it's far."
"No, it's quick by car. Walking's fine now—I'll visit. Truly grateful."
Thought it'd take days of house calls; she planned clinic visits starting tomorrow.
Makes sense with a chauffeur.
"What miracle made you useful for once?"
She whipped toward Park Seonyoon, tone shifting.
He took it in stride.
"Thanks for the praise, Grandma. Grateful Director came too."
"Nah, you helped me more."
I waved it off, praising him.
Beaten down at home, huh.
...But equally by all kids and grandkids, probably.
"Any other aches? Let's treat fully while I'm here."
Post-marathon, knees, ankles, back likely hurt.
With hefty house call fee promised, felt wrong to leave.
"Other spots? Well..."
She frowned.
Something on her mind. I leaned in attentively.
But her gaze flicked to Park Seonyoon, and...
"......"
She clammed up.
Ah, hiding from grandson?
"If something's bothering you, feel free to tell me at the clinic."
I backed off without prying.
She waved it off as fine, so I bowed and left with Park Seonyoon.
Hmm~ One case solved.
I declined dinner, pocket heavier, and headed home.
Three days later.
Honorary Chairman Choi Gwijae graced our clinic.