Chapter 162
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 162
Chapter Title: Eunyoung's Acupuncture and the Decoction Tour
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"Ah, Dad said he only needed to do consultations today..."
Im Eunyoung glanced at Im Sucheol as she trailed off.
She didn't seem to like getting acupuncture.
"Eunyoung, do you not like needles?"
"It's not that I can't take them!"
Though he'd asked Im Sucheol, it was Im Eunyoung who answered maturely.
"Trust the doctor just this once. I promise it won't hurt at all."
"Dad always says that too... Fine."
Both I and Im Sucheol were firm, so Im Eunyoung nodded without protest.
Of course, her lively personality made her seem younger, but she was past the age of throwing tantrums.
"Do you use acupuncture for excessive sweating too? Like Lieque, or maybe Baihui?"
"Yes, points like that. It works better than you'd think."
Doctors who only used anatomical acupuncture might skip it for this symptom, but general acupuncture could yield decent results with prolonged treatment.
"I'll put them on your head, hands, and feet. Just ten needles."
"Put in as many as needed. I handled thirty a day during my growth pains."
"Ah, Dad!"
"Oho, impressive!"
And I could maximize each needle's effect, creating significant change with just one session.
"Come over here."
I first inserted at points like Lieque, which Im Sucheol had mentioned—effective for clearing heat.
There were many on the hands and feet, corresponding to the Ying-spring points among the Five Shu points.
While Im Eunyoung squeezed her eyes shut, I swiftly completed the insertions.
Smooth.
Like sipping warm water, I let a gentle energy flow in.
The excessive heat, overflowing as sweat, naturally ebbed away.
"Doesn't hurt, right?"
"Yeah, it's fine. It hurts less than when Dad does it."
Oh my, so composed.
After seeing I Jungseop once, all young patients seemed so mature.
"You didn't chat much in the treatment room, did you?"
As I finished and headed back to the consultation room, Im Sucheol, waiting in the lounge, grabbed me.
"Of course not. We got along great."
"Phew, she makes a fuss at home even for a little pain, but she's good out here."
Im Sucheol let out a sigh of relief.
"Oh, by the way. Since you're here, want to see the medicine your daughter will take?"
Today was with Hwang Sanghun, so things were split up nicely.
With only guardians in the lounge, I could spare ten minutes.
"Inae-ssi, I'm heading downstairs briefly. Call me if a patient comes."
"Sure~."
"Oh, is that okay? I won't understand much anyway..."
When I suggested touring the decoction room, Im Sucheol said that but led the way.
After Kim Chunsik and I boasted so much, he was surely curious about our gypsum.
"Just take a look at how we manage it."
I don't know much about appraising mineral drugs by sight, touch, or taste unless I focus my energy.
So I had no real explanation, but showing it should reassure him plenty.
An Juhee worked alone all day on the second floor and might be startled, so I messaged as I went downstairs.
[When? I'll clear out.]
[Now~]
[OMG]
An Juhee flung open the door in a rush.
"Did I come too suddenly? Should I wait out front?"
"No, it's part of the job. Come in."
Should I have given more prep time...?
The decoction room was impeccably clean, as always.
"That doesn't look like decoction. Are you experimenting?"
The difference today: dozens of Petri dishes on the workbench.
Of course, they held powders, pills, candies, and such.
"Trying throat candies. Experimenting to balance efficacy and taste."
"Ooh!"
Im Sucheol was startled.
Hmm, just brute-forcing various herb ratios and testing.
But it sounded cool like that.
"It'll take more time to find a good combo, right?"
"Gamgil Decoction seems promising. No wonder it's used in formulas like Yonggak Powder."
"Candies work too?"
"In my opinion."
An Juhee handed prototypes to me and Im Sucheol.
Indeed. Potent efficacy.
Might differ from energy sense, but... worth giving to Kim Taeyun?
Even 30% of the custom Hyeongseongpajeokhwan would be a win.
"Is all this outgoing medicine?"
Amazed after tasting the candy, Im Sucheol pointed to stacked herbal boxes by the entrance.
"Collecting a few days' worth?"
"No way. Daily shipments. This is from yesterday afternoon to this morning; courier picks up later."
Im Sucheol's jaw dropped.
"Aren't there four branches? Thirty prescriptions a day from four clinics?"
"We have two deputy directors, and the fourth has two directors too—six doctors total."
"Still enormous! And not even specialized..."
From peers at other networks, it was high volume.
"How do you promote? I saw blog, Instagram, YouTube—no flyers or banners?"
"Mostly online. Repeat patients and referrals help."
"Actually, one-third are from Director Han."
An Juhee added at the end.
"Nah, not always. Director Kim is amazing too..."
"Ah, Professor Kim is incredible."
"More importantly, let's watch the medicine prep."
I led Im Sucheol to the storage area.
"Baekho Tang variant, right? Decoction's straightforward."
At my words, An Juhee fluttered the prescription.
"You handle prep and experiments alone?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
An Juhee nodded nonchalantly.
As she set the prescription down, Im Sucheol peeked and asked.
"Okay to show all this?"
"The med guide lists ingredients and explanations anyway."
An Juhee donned gloves and weighed herbs into a bowl.
As she said, nothing special: dump weighed herbs into non-woven bags, run the machine.
Baekho Tang had few ingredients; solo, it'd take under five minutes.
"Ah, that famous gypsum?"
But at Im Sucheol's polite remark.
"Yes! So brilliant, right?"
An Juhee's face lit up.
"Fell for it at first sight. The color's unmatched!"
"...Is it? Sorry, I don't know much..."
"Honestly, I can't tell visually either."
"Feel the grains! That tickly, cool tingle from your fingertips!"
"Ah, sure."
"Juhee-ssi switched suppliers here; other directors rave too."
I tried explaining benefits.
"Rolling it between fingers, the crumbling feel's unique, right?"
But An Juhee kept spouting hard-to-grasp praises.
She geeked out alone usually, so no issue, but with a guest, it felt embarrassing.
"Judging quality that way. Impressive."
Im Sucheol responded politely, but I slightly regretted bringing him.
"Smell this licorice too. It's the world's most perfect scent."
"I see!"
After loading Baekho Tang into the machine, we eyed a few more herbs.
"Thanks for the tour. First time in an off-site decoction room—very impressive."
I had a patient soon, so we wrapped up and headed upstairs.
Not just courtesy—seemed genuine?
Im Sucheol murmured, slightly entranced.
A moment later.
As I finished with the next patient.
"Director, Im Eunyoung's guardian wants another quick word. Okay?"
Im Sucheol requested another meeting.
"Come to the consultation room. More questions?"
"Yes. Might be rude, but... could I ask about dispensing fees and per-herb supply prices to clinics?"
Straight-up, it was rude—asking production costs vs. patient fees.
But his intent to source from our decoction room was clear, so I showed the rate sheet unhesitatingly.
"One sec. We have it set."
An Juhee's Excel had purchase costs from suppliers, with internal/external rates.
I printed the external supply rates.
"...Big difference from my current supplier."
"Costs are high, and we're not expanding much externally, except some products."
Candies for mass production, maybe, but custom decoctions? Not yet.
We'd set rates, but first inquiry.
"What's internal pricing?"
"Secret."
"Busan too far?"
Disappointment showed on Im Sucheol's face.
Wait, he wants in the network?
His new practice was thriving; hadn't expected that.
"Gijang's far from here, different market... Distance rule from existing branches?"
Im Sucheol cut straight.
"No km limit. As long as no existing directors object."
I'd thought casual curiosity; said secret.
Didn't expect real interest.
I pondered briefly.
"I don't mind. But are you seriously considering joining?"
Closest excluding me is Daegu—no objections there.
Me? Another Gijang branch wouldn't steal patients.
SNS inflows spread nicely.
"Sorry for sounding it out. Struck me during the tour—not decided. I'll review and follow up."
Im Sucheol apologized politely.
"No issue. Ask anything about criteria!"
I waved it off.
Didn't show the decoction room to recruit, but it sparked network thoughts?
Im Sucheol had never considered a network when opening his practice.
He even thought peers joining their old network as directors were foolish.
Fixed millions monthly in ad fees, big revenue shares—why bother?
His mentor Kim Chunsik joined one, but as lifelong prof, probably lacked business savvy.
Yet meeting Seongsu Clinic's director and touring the decoction room left him awed.
They were dead serious about herbs, and the med guides on deliveries beat his copy-paste versions.
Felt truly meticulous.
'Five prescriptions a day...'
And high volume.
Beyond money, Im Sucheol wanted to prescribe and treat as much as his knowledge allowed.
Several patients came to mind.
Hadn't pushed meds without 100% certainty—would they have improved?
Han Yeowon aside, if other branches wrote that much, something was up with the network.
Maybe he could too.
'Even revenue shares wouldn't hurt then.'
Im Sucheol agonized.
"Dad, doesn't my face look paler now?"
Seeing his daughter's face, emotion overrode reason.
He'd observed daily, but now complexion visibly improved, sweat reduced.
Pulse stabilized too.
His prescription wasn't wrong, but he couldn't confirm efficacy till now.
And Director Han Yeowon had turned potential failure into success.