Chapter 79
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: Sales Showdown
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Chu Miyoung had settled quite well in Daegu.
Patients kept pouring in steadily, leaving her so swamped she could barely catch her breath—but this was exactly what she'd longed for all these years.
Compared to those suffocating days with no patients in sight, or the anxiety of wondering if they'd ever get better when they did show up, her heart felt utterly at peace now.
"Great job, everyone, this month too!"
Unlike the days when she racked her brain over deficits, she now had plenty left over even after generous payroll and rent.
Her father had warned of a tax bomb next May, but that was a problem for future her.
Right now, Chu Miyoung simply reveled in the mounting workload each day.
Crack!
It was especially true when performing the chuna therapy Han Yeowon had taught her.
That satisfying thrust and crackle even sent a thrill through her.
"Your turtle neck posture has improved a lot, hasn't it?"
The changes were immediate and visible, which meant sky-high patient satisfaction.
"Yes! Sitting up straight feels the most comfortable now, doesn't it? And I got an X-ray the other day—they said it's looking good!"
"Let's keep up the treatments and exercises to maintain it."
With over ten complex chuna cases a day, her body was starting to ache.
Chu Miyoung powered through her packed schedule while getting her own PT sessions.
She thought she'd safely planted her roots in Daegu.
"This is the place that's so great at chuna, right~?"
She never imagined she'd deal with turf wars like this.
"...Director Lee Han-sol?"
A man in his forties led the way, followed by a man and woman in their late twenties to early thirties as they entered the clinic.
The man in the middle was Lee Han-sol, director of the Haneul Clinic Daegu Dongseong-ro branch next block over.
She didn't know his two companions, but she recognized Lee Han-sol's face and name.
When Chu Miyoung first expressed interest in opening a branch in Daegu, he'd opposed it—and she'd checked their homepage while scouting the area with Han Yeowon.
"I was curious just how good it is~. My back's killing me from sticking needles all day~."
Not even hiding that they were spying—this was blatant.
It screamed "we're here to steal your techniques and systems," enough to piss off anyone.
'They're patients, technically... Can't just kick them out.'
After a moment's hesitation on whether to turn them away, Chu Miyoung flipped to positive mode.
Han Yeowon had started out spying on each other too, and it turned into a great connection. Treat them with her best, and maybe it'd work out?
"As you know, when standing sideways, the gravity line should run from earlobe to acromion, L3 vertebra, slightly behind the hip joint, slightly behind the knee, and slightly in front of the ankle bone. Director Lee, you've got severe anterior lumbar slippage. I'll focus on correcting that alongside pain relief."
Chu Miyoung didn't show a hint of displeasure.
Instead, she gave her all to treating Lee Han-sol and his two companions.
"How's it feel?"
"Huh, my back doesn't hurt anymore?"
His companions—no, the sub-directors. The young man and woman were obviously from Haneul Clinic Daegu Dongseong-ro.
The male sub-director, either oblivious or genuine, marveled at the relief.
"I'm... still about the same."
The female sub-director, by contrast, crossed her arms and eyed the director.
"...".
Director Lee Han-sol just glared at Chu Miyoung wordlessly.
Then he paid and left.
His once-protruding gut was now tucked in with a straight back—proof the correction had taken hold, at least temporarily.
A few more sessions with exercises could've made it stick! But pushing steady treatment on Lee Han-sol would've been weird.
Chu Miyoung sent them off with a warm smile.
'What is this, Team Rocket?'
At this point, she just thought they were a bit rude.
A minor annoyance to vent about to friends and move on.
But that was Chu Miyoung's naive oversight.
The day after Lee Han-sol's visit, a patient complained about rude staff.
The employee apologized, but she spent a full thirty minutes ranting at the desk, souring the mood for everyone else. In the end, Chu Miyoung bowed her head and escorted her out.
Rude service? Guess she won't come back.
Wishful thinking.
"Why isn't there any dodder tea?"
"Pardon? Did we run out of dodder tea?"
"What do you mean, ask me? You people need to manage your stock properly!"
That same patient showed up the next day, picking a ridiculous fight over dodder tea.
What is this, a cafe? We've got green tea and coffee! Drink whatever!
And the next day.
"You know I like dodder tea, so you didn't restock on purpose, right?"
They'd ordered more right after the complaint, but it hadn't arrived yet.
She timed her visit for peak hours and threw another hour-long tantrum at the desk.
So they stocked up the next day.
"Ah~ I haven't finished mine yet. I'll take it to the treatment room."
"Take your time finishing it, then come in~."
"Just do physio now. I'll sip it slowly."
"No drinks in the treatment room, so please...".
"I said I'm taking it!"
She forced her way in with it.
Then.
"How am I supposed to reach my arm with this here? These are expensive clothes!"
She dumped it spectacularly.
She'd set the paper cup by her head during physio and "accidentally" knocked it with her elbow.
No normal person acts like this.
It was deliberate sabotage even a mastermind might struggle to pull off so clumsily.
Then one of Chu Miyoung's regulars brought news.
"Director, have you ever forced chuna on a fracture patient?"
"What? No way. I haven't even seen a fracture case lately."
"Check this post on the local cafe!"
After hours, Chu Miyoung logged into the cafe her patient mentioned.
Haneul Clinic was promoting there, giving away coffee gift icons.
Chu Miyoung stuck to Instagram and blogs, so cafe marketing was new to her.
They paid admins for promo posts, which were standard fare.
The problem was the comments.
[They do such a great job here~! Unlike Seongsu Clinic next door that forces meds and chuna no matter what—only the bare minimum needed!]
Right! They told my dad to take meds for cirrhosis no matter what and freaked me out
I had a neck disc issue, but their bone-cracking chuna made it worse.
It was outrageous.
What kind of blatant lies were these?
Every word was false. Not a single patient had refused meds over cirrhosis since opening, and she never did thrusts on disc patients.
What nonsense? They're the best at chuna in all of Daegu!
Paid promo, tone it down ;;;
A few patients defended her, but gauging the image damage was impossible.
'...Huh?'
Then she noticed the first commenter's profile pic looked familiar.
Chu Miyoung zoomed in.
"That crazy bitch!"
It was the dodder tea villain's face.
The curse flew out unbidden.
"What the hell is her problem? What's her grudge against me?!"
Chu Miyoung vented a stream of profanity into the air for a good while.
And the next day.
"Acu sessions are supposed to be twenty minutes, right? Mine ended at eighteen today? I've been timing it! Because I spilled dodder tea yesterday—you're messing with me on purpose, aren't you?"
"I'm sorry. One moment, let me handle the people waiting behind you..."
"I'm talking to you—where are you looking?!"
The staffer burst into tears.
They couldn't block her or she'd flip out over denied treatment.
Chu Miyoung comforted her tearful employee, who wanted to quit over this, and clocked out late.
After wrapping up, she headed to the public lot ten minutes away where she'd parked.
The older buildings nearby lacked ample underground parking.
Then she spotted a familiar silhouette.
The dodder tea villain's back.
"Honey~ I had such a tough day~!"
The man she called "honey" was...
"You did great, honey."
Lee Han-sol.
Crunch!
Reason snapped.
"What kind of pathetic stunt is this?"
Chu Miyoung charged up and yelled right in their faces.
Married? She posted her face openly on the local cafe and parked together without a care.
"No idea what you're talking about~?"
The dodder tea villain played dumb despite the outburst.
Rage boiled over. Chu Miyoung wanted to grab her collar and shake.
"Quit the sneaky crap from behind my back. Let's settle this fair and square—one of us leaves town!"
Bam!
She punched the car without thinking.
"Settle it?"
Lee Han-sol scowled back.
Lee Han-sol had been openly stirring trouble at Seongsu Clinic these past few days.
Ever since they opened next block over, his revenue had tanked hard.
Haneul Clinic's bread-and-butter was diet meds, but their Instagram push had slashed new patients.
Chronic pain and correction chuna cases? All poached. No new word-of-mouth either.
Running 7 days a week, 365 meant paying two sub-directors—barely breaking even after salaries.
Still dodging red ink by a hair, but how long?
He needed action.
'Drive them out.'
Scare off patients, stress the director and staff to breaking.
Lee Han-sol committed and mobilized everyone, himself included.
Now, Chu Miyoung's stress seemed maxed out.
'Fair and square, huh.'
She'd suggested a bet: loser leaves.
He'd hoped she'd burn out first, but this wasn't bad either.
Stalemate meant he'd close anyway. Lose, and it's a wash.
Of course, no intention of losing. Lee Han-sol spun his wheels fast.
What could he win for sure?
"Sounds good. Just what I wanted. What event?"
He flashed a casual smile.
"...Treatment skills?"
"What, gather incurables and see who cures 'em?"
She'd thrown out "fair fight" on impulse.
Lee Han-sol's sarcasm twisted her face.
"...Not very objective."
"Sales are skill, right? One month sales showdown."
She hadn't thought it through anyway.
Seizing her rage-clouded moment, he flipped it to his advantage.
"...You do seven days a week?"
"Next month works. You go seven too. Can't drop ours."
Chu Miyoung paused to think.
Lee Han-sol pressed.
"Scared you'll lose?"
"As if. Fine, sales it is. But delete every damn comment. You, your wife, two subs, all your cronies—stay the hell away from my clinic! No more negativity!"
Chu Miyoung took the bait.
"Honey, you sure?"
"Of course. Three docs here—we can't lose on sales."
Lee Han-sol smiled contentedly and got in his car.
"Fine, bring it. One month of hell beats this sneaky bullshit!"
Chu Miyoung strode off, someone in mind, head high.
- Betting the clinic's a bit much...? Should I just sue for defamation and sabotage?
Chu Miyoung spoke in a slightly embarrassed tone about her rash decision.
- It'll be fine, right?! I'm way better than them, so they're pulling this crap 'cause they're barely hanging on!
- Hmmm.
- Sales... of all things?
Kim Chunsik, who'd been raging along with her story, suddenly clammed up.
Hwang Sanghun averted his eyes too.
"Ooh~ Bold as brass! That's the spirit—gotta have that fire!"
Unlike them, I laughed heartily and clapped.
That's my disciple—step up like that!
How else to handle cowards stabbing from behind?