Chapter 63
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: The Clinic's Four Heavenly Kings
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A no matter how much he screamed it in his mind, Han Yeowon couldn't read Hwang Sanghun's thoughts.
Hwang Sanghun jotted down Yu Malja's words with a sinking feeling in his chest, like he wanted to burst into tears.
"......Yes. Got it. Let's switch seats. Mrs. Oh Youngsook."
His mind was blank, but the consultation had to go on.
"My right shoulder and arm hurt."
"Do you do any strenuous work?"
"Always. I work at a restaurant. Sigh, really. I shouldn't have believed my husband's promise that I wouldn't even get my hands wet. Ever since I married that man and moved to Busan, I've been doing dishes, chopping on cutting boards, washing vegetables... for 40 years."
After the 37-year saga of her knee pain came the 40-year history of her shoulder issues.
Being the second one helped a bit—he could now somewhat filter the relevant info. About 80 percent was husband-bashing, so there wasn't much on the shoulder itself.
"Next up, Mrs. Son Chunja."
"Yees~."
The third patient sat down beaming from ear to ear.
The other three had been glancing at his face too, but Mrs. Son was the most blatant.
"Where does it hurt?"
"Oh~ I don't have anything particularly hurting."
"......Pardon?"
"Pick somewhere! The doctor's in a bind!"
Thanks to Yu Malja's nudge, Mrs. Son finally remembered a sore spot.
"Ah, my shoulder and back are always stiff."
"When did it start... Never mind. I'll treat you well."
"Good. Thanks! Wow~ You're so handsome."
"......Yes......"
"Tall and handsome like my son~!"
"Thank you."
And finally, the last one.
"Where's it bothering you, Mrs. Kim Oksoon?"
"Every~where."
"Could you list them one by one?"
"Back, shoulder, knee, heel, calf, upper arm, knee......"
Kim Oksoon was the final boss. Everything from head to toe hurt.
Thankfully, he'd seen a few like her even under Han Yeowon's supervision.
His nerves were shot, but the right words flowed out naturally.
"Treating it all at once might be tough. What's the worst spot?"
"My back. Went to another clinic yesterday for acupuncture, but it didn't help."
"Let's start with the back and work our way through."
By the time Hwang Sanghun barely finished the interviews, his mental energy was utterly drained.
After sending the four to the treatment room, the ragged man stared blankly at the haphazardly scribbled charts.
'......What do I do.'
It was just overwhelming.
If it had been Han Yeowon seeing those patients, could she end 40 years of pain?
Hwang Sanghun had zero confidence he'd do better than the other clinics they'd visited the day before.
But as the attending physician, he had to treat them somehow...
Knock knock.
The knock on the consultation room door snapped him out of it.
"Yes, come in."
"Sure~!"
The door swung open brightly, and in walked Han Yeowon herself.
"How did you snag four designated patients at once?! You did amazing!"
Blissfully unaware of his inner turmoil, Han Yeowon beamed and praised him.
"I overheard the interviews from outside. Four must've been a lot, but you stayed so calm and handled it great!"
Outside?
No empathy, no comfort. Not even a charismatic treatment plan like Han Yeowon. Just sitting there like an idiot listening?
Her words made something surge up in his chest.
"......Yeowon, what should I do?"
Hwang Sanghun clenched his eyes tight, barely holding back the tears.
While chatting with patients in my treatment room, I'd kept my ears wide open to Hwang Sanghun's consultation.
'How's he handling it so well? When I first opened my clinic, I'd lose it whenever murim folks caused a scene and flounder mentally.'
Thinking back to my first or second year still makes me dizzy.
Dropped into that world, I wasn't some noble lady from a renowned family, let alone a maid. In a place with no one I knew, all I could do was brew meds and stick needles.
Would modern experience have helped? Starting my career young in the wuxia world, I was clueless amid all those quirky patients.
But Hwang Sanghun nailed it right away, even pulling in unscheduled new patients without being told. How impressive!
......Or so I thought.
Unlike his calm exterior, he'd been agonizing inside.
"Don't stress too much. Those patients know full well 40-year ailments won't vanish in one go."
I try my best to cure them, but patients know what heals and what doesn't.
Truth is, decades-old issues are management territory. Folks like that come for slight pain relief, hopping clinics when new ones pop up.
If they improve? Jackpot. No need for ads.
"But you can treat them. You fixed Mrs. Heo Sunnam."
"Well...... true."
Just a month into solo practice after internship—unfair to compare to me!
"Ask me as you go, take it slow. They'll be back tomorrow and the next day anyway."
"......I couldn't give them faith in a cure."
"Just go in now and give it."
Sticking ten needles in their sore spots might bring them back tomorrow anyway, but no need to dampen his enthusiasm.
I messaged the desk to alert me when my patients arrived, then sat by Hwang Sanghun's desk.
"Gonna help?"
"Of course. Why else have a director? Ask anything, anytime. I'll teach you everything I know."
I had him pull up the charts and planned treatments one by one.
"First, Mrs. Yu Malja."
"Ah, she said her knee hurt 37 years ago after visiting a temple with her mother-in-law..."
"Irrelevant to treatment—and probably not the cause. But note it in the margin and mention it later. She'll love that you remembered."
"Ah."
Hwang Sanghun let out a short "aha" of realization.
"How should I treat?"
I asked.
He'd panicked at the chatty rush but surely knew the treatments already.
"......Too busy noting stories to check properly. Back in the room, check range of motion and tender points like always."
"Right. Press quadriceps tendon, patellar ligament, pes anserinus, medial/lateral collateral ligaments—all sore spots. Herb-inject the worst. Needles everywhere. Oh, check pelvis too."
"Got it."
"Nothing special. Consistency is key—it'll improve for sure. You're spooked 'cause no chronic cases yet. Trust me."
Hwang Sanghun nodded solemnly.
Breaking it down, it was no big deal.
"Mrs. Oh Youngsook's shoulder and arm: check joints, muscles, treat accordingly."
"Yep yep."
"Mrs. Son Chunja...... Loosen major shoulder/back muscles, hit Hegu, Taichong? One meridian each."
"Yes. And mid-treatment, more spots'll hurt."
Only one had truly baffling treatment.
"What about Mrs. Kim Oksoon, everything hurts?"
"Can't fix that with needles."
"......Huh?"
I'd tried everything on such patients before—mostly futile. Even prime acupoints for joints/muscles barely helped.
"Ask, and she'll say no appetite, poor sleep. For real treatment, tonics. Mention meds once, good timing. If no, rotate acupuncture on sore spots. Pain eases a bit anyway."
"Ah......"
"Key: don't let them come daily. Dizziness or fatigue post-treatment? Usually low-vitality folks. Overdo it, and it's harmful."
"Crystal clear. Thanks for explaining so well."
Hwang Sanghun scribbled notes, nodding nonstop.
I patted his shoulder and stood.
"No need to worry. They probably followed Mrs. Heo Sunnam on a whim. Don't come? Fine elsewhere. Keep coming? Loyal fans—solid. Issues? I'll handle. Go all out!"
"I'll do my best."
The moisture vanished from Hwang Sanghun's eyes.
Only blazing passion and confidence shone through.
"Oh my~ Thank you! The director's so kind~."
As expected, the four grannies fawned over Hwang Sanghun's treatment with glee.
The next day.
"Director, hi~."
"We're back!"
The quartet arrived before Mrs. Heo Sunnam—or even Seo Ina, who clocked in at 6:30.
"......Early birds. Wait in the lounge please."
"Of course~. Take your time!"
If Hwang Sanghun, crashing at the clinic, hadn't opened early, they'd have stood outside forever.
"How's the condition today?"
"Knee's much better, so back."
"Felt looser yesterday, but evening work brought it back."
"Ooh~ Morning arrival, spotted the director's southern shirt~!"
"Do my back today."
Per late-arriving Mrs. Heo Sunnam, they planned to switch clinics permanently from their old one.
"Sixties, seventies—such nonsense! Clinic erupts in chatter over how handsome Deputy Director Hwang is!"
"If frequent visits help, regardless of reason, great."
"Pfft. Our director's the best! Told 'em to see him—no listening!"
"Deputy Director Hwang's great too~."
Mrs. Heo Sunnam fumed, but everyone requesting me defeats hiring him.
I was thrilled with Hwang Sanghun pulling more than his weight.
"Director~ Brought my sister~."
Elderly loyalty was high as expected. Two days post-initial, the quartet brought a new referral.
"Thanks for trusting us. I'll treat your sister carefully."
Plus, Kim Oksoon and Son Chunja agreed to meds in a week.
"Director's right. No energy. Whip up good tonics."
"Me too! Wimp out every change of seasons. Spring/fall batches?"
Hwang Sanghun panicked anew at brewing meds but overcame with my help.
"Thanks, Yeowon. Without you, I'd be lost......"
Hwang Sanghun's patients grew steadily; my bank account fattened accordingly.
Unlike before, dodging the bank app subconsciously, checking the growing balance was now a hobby.
A month later.
Hwang Sanghun ditched clinic lodging with his first paycheck.
"Deputy Director Hwang, could you ask the Four Heavenly Kings for just one tea a day?"
"......Got it."
The village hall quartet earned "Four Heavenly Kings" from staff and regulars.
"Thanks~ They ignore us."
"I'll handle it."
Awkward at first with people, he soon got dragged into granny pace but built unflappable mental fortitude.
Roll in a slightly higher-level dungeon, newbie zone feels easy.
I was fully at ease.
Chumi-young's daily evening calls post-Daegu opening tapered off.
We still reviewed weekends, but she handled non-odd cases solo.
"No worries awhile. Save for expansion or till Sanghun finishes a year and goes independent—take it easy."
Thinking that, I opened YouTube after ages.
Algorithm led first to Seo Ina's channel.
Still posting wholesome vlogs for pocket change.
'She's truly diligent.'
Others: motivation channels and games from a year ago.
'Ugh!'
Business booming, but that CEO's face soured my mood—I smashed "Not Interested."
Then browsed game channels for fresh plays.
"Inflation too bad for old games...... Huh?"
Then, an unbelievable title caught my eye.
'Central Plains Online?'
It's out?
24 years... 4 modern years waiting since first PV.
Beloved murim world, stunning graphics, high freedom.
Slated for 3 years ago, delayed endlessly—devs ate "still developing?" flak.
No news last year amid other games—hope dashed.
'Officially launched last week!'
Good grief. How buried in work to miss this?
I jumped up to download.
But no PC.
"......"
Clinic PC? No way.
I ordered a top-spec gaming rig on the spot.
'This is why we grind.'