Chapter 49
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Chunna Lessons and Testicular Pain
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It hadn't been long since we started weekend tutoring sessions, but Chu Miyoung was keeping up surprisingly well, even with the pace that felt a bit rushed.
Thanks to her memorizing her homework more thoroughly than anyone I'd ever taught, we were already nearing the end of our full review of the materia medica.
I didn't know much about the legal side of things, but it seemed like the lawsuit was progressing smoothly.
The stalker had already been indicted and was awaiting his first trial date, and hadn't they said they'd sue headquarters for breach of duty over terminating the network contract with Haneul Clinic?
"There's no way the trial's already over. Did they at least make a settlement offer?"
"Yes! We only sent the formal notice, but they're letting us terminate without any penalties or separate settlement—just straight-up cancellation! Oh, what a relief. If it weren't for the lawyer, I would've lost twenty million won for sure."
"That's really fortunate. If you'd had to pay that out of pocket... Just thinking about it brings tears of blood."
"Ahaha, right?"
It was a relief in every way. She already had a ton of debt from the failed opening, so even a small reduction in burden would help.
"So, you posted the transfer listing right after the cancellation went through?"
Even so, that was fast. Had someone seen my listing at the top of the transfer site and swooped in like I did?
For Busan, the rent was pretty high... No, from a normal perspective, even a few hundred thousand won difference in rent might make a station-area spot more appealing.
"Yes. They told us to change the name and relocate immediately upon termination, so I listed it right away. Since we were moving anyway, better to offload it quick rather than dragging around the old sign."
"True enough."
"I posted it yesterday, and luckily, someone jumped on it right away to take over. They came today, checked it out, stamped the contract, and left!"
Was it really okay to handle a transfer this lightning-fast? ...Thinking that made me understand my friends' reactions when I decided to open my own place. Yeah, I was in a huge rush.
"Glad it worked out. Since you're relocating anyway, maybe go somewhere with cheaper rent, or better yet, set up in a downtown spot like Haeundae."
"I'm aiming for Dongseong-ro in Daegu! Since you're in Busan, Director, it's only natural to go to a different city!"
Daegu? That came out of nowhere.
Our current locations could influence each other, but really, just a couple subway stops away and the commercial districts barely overlap.
Sure, I'd come to Busan out of the blue from Cheonan myself, but Cheonan to Busan to Daegu—what was this, a nationwide tour?
"You don't need to go that far. Do you have the funds lined up for opening again?"
"Oh, yes! Dad's building has a first-floor cafe whose renewal fell through, so I can slide in there."
I'd been worried she'd have to work as an assistant branch director for a while, but... her dad's building?
No wonder she opened big and lived in an apartment. Turns out her family was loaded.
"Ahh, you're quite the heiress."
"Not that much! Dad used his full retirement payout to buy that one place, and the commercial rent is our only income. So, no deposit needed, but we still have to pay rent."
Hmm, got it. That must be burdensome.
Well, talk like that aside, I wasn't really jealous. Earn enough, and I'll buy an apartment or a building too, right?
Back in school, I envied tons of people, but once I'd had it all, I realized how empty it was.
That's why I never even checked how much of my loan was left. Not because it hurt too much to look. Absolutely not!
"Why come to Busan if you had a no-deposit building waiting?"
But that was what bugged me more.
If the commercial district was dead, maybe, but with parents' property in a major city's downtown, why come to a place with no connections?
Chu Miyoung cheerfully explained.
"They said Daegu already has a Haneul Clinic branch, so they picked this spot for me."
"...Ah."
That was too much.
If they were assigning, at least pick a good location! I wondered if the Busan branch building was owned by Director Choi Eunhui, the Cheonan director, or their family. Overly suspicious, maybe.
Anyway, water under the bridge now.
"Where's your dad's building?"
I pulled up a map app and asked. When I opened my clinic, I only knew feng shui basics, but now I had a capitalist sense of good spots, thanks to Hwang Seoyeong's lecture.
"Here it is."
"Oh."
Chu Miyoung searched a cafe and showed the location. Lots of restaurants, cafes, and hospitals nearby—it looked perfect for high foot traffic, like Hwang Seoyeong described.
And right there on the same screen, next block over: Haneul Clinic Daegu Dongseong-ro branch.
"Head-on collision, huh."
"Yeah."
We nodded at each other across the table. Chu Miyoung seemed a bit surprised that another Haneul branch was this close. Not just that one—right across was a 365 Clinic, too.
Prime location meant fierce competition, naturally.
"We're going in to crush them."
I said, pointing to the two clinics.
"Huh? Not that extreme..."
"Charging into a battlefield? Resolve to kill or be killed is basic. If you're gonna slack just 'cause it's your dad's building, better not do it."
"...Yes, sir."
"Outdo those two clinics in every specialized field they boast, every area. Make sure any patient who walks into your clinic never goes anywhere else."
"Got it!"
Strength entered Chu Miyoung's voice. Good— that's how my disciple should be. I'd taught her myself; no way I'd let her lose anywhere.
"Um, then could I start observing next week? The cafe in Dad's building vacates the month after next, so I'll have some time. I want to watch how you do consultations up close!"
"Of course. Two months is cutting it close. Let's do lessons every day from now on."
To justify hiking the tutoring fee—paid after—we needed more sessions.
Today's resolve-building was done; time to maximize every second on lessons.
"Let's start with chunna today. We can discuss herbs after patients come, or I can teach remotely. I'll show you basic techniques—practice often on me and the staff to get comfortable."
"Yes, thank you!"
So far, weekend sessions focused on materia medica, the foundation of prescriptions, so chunna was new.
Her clinic definitely had no chunna bed, right? Meaning she hadn't done it in over a year since opening. How much did she remember from school?
"Try a routine for neck and back. Fix anything off, and I'll add useful techniques."
Truth be told, I don't follow fixed routines for chunna. Just the minimal techniques needed for results. If it heals, who cares about time or flair?
But I couldn't teach her master-level skills yet, so standard routines by body part first. Then specifics by condition or misalignment.
"Uh..."
But Chu Miyoung just fidgeted her lips, doing nothing. Even with me prone on the floor, she hesitated without touching.
"You don't know any?"
"No..."
"Didn't they teach it in school? Not scolding—just don't you remember?"
She couldn't answer again.
"Do curriculums vary that much by school...?"
"That's part of it, but I graduated before chunna got reimbursable, so probably not as much as you. I did some, but never thought I'd use it after, so..."
"No practice, huh."
"Yes. We didn't even test on it."
Chunna reimbursement... 2019? With 20 years of memories in between, it felt ancient.
Chu Miyoung looked young, so I hadn't realized the age and class gap.
"I'm a bit older in school terms? Traveled after graduation, then only worked at Haneul Clinic, so years flew by with nothing to show."
"You'll learn now."
No big deal if she forgot. Maybe better than bad habits.
Why's a routine a routine? Memorizing order we could do today; muscle memory was separate.
"You know how to check pelvic tilt?"
I rushed into basic maneuvers.
"Uh, matching leg lengths?"
"Yes. Try on me."
"No bed—how to drop...?"
"Technique first, then tools. Old days, did it on wooden beds. Just try. Check leg length; shorter side means pelvis hiked up. Hand on PSIS there... wham!"
She placed her hand awkwardly, but naturally couldn't apply force right.
I had her prone and demonstrated.
"Contact precisely here."
"Yes."
"Half-hearted jolts are just show. Correct firmly. Like this."
Snap!
I drove my body weight through my hand, shoving the pelvis down.
"Eek!"
"That's a real drop."
"S-so hard?"
True story. Old Chinese chunna, chiropractic abroad—all did it like this. Jiggling 20 times on auto-drop machines? When would it ever correct?
After 20 years straightening spines by hand and inner power without machines, hand-feel suited me better.
"Again. Long road ahead. Master this quick, then straight-back correction... Oh, and I'll teach quadratus lumborum and erector spinae releases. For pain patients, muscle work often beats spinal alignment."
Mountain of things to teach.
I was eager, but unlike memorization she nailed, hands-on lagged.
Lack of exercise? She struggled loading weight through arms.
Eventually, Saturday ended without teaching everything; Sunday continued chunna routine lectures.
A few days later.
Having swiftly offloaded the transfer and become jobless, Chu Miyoung showed up at Hwamok Clinic right at opening time for observation.
"This is Director Chu Miyoung. She'll be observing here for a while."
"Yes!"
I'd worried it'd be awkward meeting her ex-employer, but Seol Yuhee beamed welcomingly.
"Haneul Clinic director...?"
"Haha, that's me."
"Director, what in the world have you been up to?"
Instead, Seo Inae looked baffled.
Oh, had I not mentioned opening branch #2? Come to think, Seo Inae suggested checking Haneul Clinic, leading to this connection.
"That's how it went."
I summed up events in one phrase. Stalker saga could wait.
Time to prep for clinic.
At 7 sharp, with software set, I sat comfortably in my chair. Chu Miyoung stood straight behind like a student, awaiting patients.
"Perfect—first new patient right away."
She knew charts, but I showed her the screen anyway, explaining pre-consult process.
"Huh?"
Normally, my cursor would highlight the pain spot. Front desk notes it after asking: [Neck], [Shoulder, right waist], [left ankle], etc.
But today:
[Only tell the director.]
First of its kind.
With an observer here, first patient's not ordinary?
Patient: Myeong Junsik, 53-year-old male.
I noted name and age, then called him in.
"Mr. Myeong Junsik, hello. Have a seat here. What's bothering you today?"
Nothing special about my opening line for consults.
No pain location known, so ask first.
But even plain question made Myeong Junsik's eyes tremble. He glanced at me, scanned Chu Miyoung top to bottom behind, then spoke.
"Are there only female Korean medicine doctors here?"
"Yes. That's right."
He seemed about to stand and leave.
"......"
Pretty novel situation.
Before fame, murim thugs dismissed me as woman. No one dared on Tang family turf. In modern times, no rudeness mid-consult like this.
At worst, grannies: "Oh, a lady director?"
"What's hurting?"
I asked again, tone slightly cooler.
Myeong Junsik flinched at the displeasure, lips flapping long before whispering ant-like:
"Well... my testicles hurt."
Ah.
...Sorry for misunderstanding.
Makes sense seeking a male doctor.