"What about our Internal Medicine department?"
"What about our Orthopedics department?"
"Don't ask!"
Facing the crowd's inquiries, Head Nurse Qin Lan said with obvious impatience, "Except for the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Department, there isn't a single one. Every one of these people is registered for TCM."
"Huh?"
The remaining attending physicians were all stunned.
"That’s not right!" Ma Jianshan snapped out of it, hurriedly asking, "Didn't you just say that the slots for the TCM Department were already full for today? How can they still be registering for it?"
"Exactly!" The other attending physicians turned their gazes toward the head nurse.
"These are all registrations for slots five days from now."
*Chapter 24: The Commissioner Sends a Silk Banner, and the Beautiful Richest Woman Sends... Another One*
"Huh? Five days from now?"
Every attending physician felt a jolt and stood frozen in place.
"You aren't making a mistake, are you? Since when has our hospital had a reservation system? Even if we did, we can only book one day in advance, right?" Ma Jianshan took a deep breath, asking with a smile that looked worse than crying.
"Doctor Lu personally requested the dean for special approval. The TCM slots are booked directly through to five days out. The dean had to order us to work half an hour of overtime, and by the look of things, in another half hour, there won't even be slots left for seven days from now!" Head Nurse Qin Lan was full of pride. The hospital had finally gained a doctor who was young, highly skilled, and most importantly, extremely easy on the eyes. She was sick of looking at the old fogies and the bitter faces of the patients all day long.
"Seven days..." Every attending physician felt another massive shock to their body and soul.
Watching the long line at the registration desk and the smiling patients who had secured their slots, Ma Jianshan suddenly came to his senses: "Wait, five days are already full? Where did so many patients come from in our community?"
"Exactly! Where did all these patients come from?"
"They're from other communities, of course! Why do you think the dean made the registration desk work overtime for half an hour? It’s to hold onto these people! Now, don't block me; I need to go to the bathroom!" Head Nurse Qin Lan impatiently pressed her right hand against her *Changguan* acupoint and hurried toward the restroom.
"O... other communities?"
Ma Jianshan and the doctors from various departments stood where they were like sculptures, left in a disarray in the wind.
"Lu Yi’s influence has spread to other communities?" Ma Jianshan was in total disbelief. "I remember the other communities conducted their own TCM triage today as well. Why aren't these people going to their own local TCM departments?"
The other doctors looked equally bewildered.
*Creeak—*
At that moment, a white police car pulled up at the entrance of the community hall. A serious-looking man in his forties, holding a red cloth scroll, quickly stepped out and walked toward the hall.
"Why is Director Gao here?"
Ma Jianshan and the attending physicians were all filled with doubt. They recognized the director of their street's Security Department, Gao Qiang. Ma Jianshan, in particular, knew him well—Gao Qiang was his long-time patient.
Ma Jianshan’s eyes immediately locked onto the silk banner in Gao Qiang’s hand. His eyes lit up! He had treated Director Gao for hemorrhoids a while back; after a month of the medication he prescribed, he had checked the progress the day before yesterday, and it had almost cleared up.
*Could this be a silk banner for me?!*
Ma Jianshan immediately held his head high. He glanced at the crowd at the registration desk, who were also looking at Gao Qiang with curiosity. *What is Lu Yi compared to me...*
"Working late, everyone?" Gao Qiang gave a casual greeting, then hurriedly asked Ma Jianshan, who was holding his head high like a rooster, "Doctor Ma, has Doctor Lu Yi from the TCM department left yet?"
*What... what?!*
The proud expression on Ma Jianshan’s face froze instantly; his brain stalled. *Here to find Lu Yi?*
The other attending physicians were stunned. Only then did they notice the banner in Gao Qiang’s hand.
"Director Gao, you are here to..." Ma Jianshan lowered his neck back to its normal position, his face turning extremely ugly as he asked.
The entire hall fell silent. The patients waiting in line turned their heads and pricked up their ears.
"It’s nothing major. I’m just delivering a silk banner to Doctor Lu on behalf of Commissioner Wei."
*Boom!*
A simple, understated sentence, yet it landed like a nuclear bomb in the quiet hall!
*Commissioner Wei?*
*Wei Bin, the Commissioner of the Qingshan County Security Department??*
*Delivering a silk banner to Lu Yi?!*
Ma Jianshan swayed, his eyes losing focus. The banner wasn't for him! It wasn't even from Gao Qiang! It was from the much higher-ranking Wei Bin! And it was for Lu Yi!
After finishing his sentence, Gao Qiang glanced at the astonished crowd. With a flick of his wrist, the banner unfurled, clearly displaying two lines of text:
"EXQUISITE MEDICAL SKILLS, BRINGING THE DYING BACK TO LIFE."
To the left, a line of smaller text:
"Presented to: Doctor Lu Yi, TCM Department, Qingyun Street Community Hospital, Qingshan County."
In the bottom right, another line of small text:
"Presented by Wei Bin, Citizen of Qingshan County."
Seeing Wei Bin’s name, everyone’s pupils constricted. It really was from the Security Commissioner, Wei Bin!
Yesterday, the richest woman, Qin Yi, sent a banner. Today, the Security Commissioner, Wei Bin, sent one too! Who exactly is Lu Yi?
Ma Jianshan and the other doctors stared blankly at the banner in front of them, their shock beyond measure.
Gao Qiang held the banner, glancing at the surrounding patients. Not only were they shocked, but he was as well. Commissioner Wei hadn't just asked him to have the banner made; he had specifically instructed him to unfurl it in public! The purpose was simple: first, to thank Lu Yi for curing his illness last night; second, to let everyone know that Lu Yi was under his protection, and to see who dared to touch him!
Before the crowd could recover, another person strode into the hall from the entrance, also holding a silk banner. It was Zhang Liang, the bodyguard who had been by Qin Yi’s side the day before.
"Director Gao is here to deliver a banner to Doctor Lu as well? How coincidental; I’m also here on behalf of Chairwoman Qin Yi."
Zhang Liang smiled at Gao Qiang and unfurled his own banner:
"SKILLS LIKE AN IMMORTAL, A GREAT HEALER FOR ALL."
"Presented to: Doctor Lu Yi, TCM Department, Qingyun Street Community Hospital, Qingshan County."
"Respectfully presented by Qin Yi."
*Boom!*
The second nuclear bomb detonated!
*The richest woman, Qin Yi? Another one?*
The ceiling of the lobby in the Qingshan Community Hospital almost blew off. Everyone stared with wide eyes at the banner in Zhang Liang’s hands. *What the hell is going on?*
Ma Jianshan and the attending physicians felt like they were going insane. Didn't she already send one yesterday? Why send another one today? Are silk banners free? And, richest woman, do you have that many health problems? And they were all cured by Lu Yi?? *Can't you just change doctors?!*
Gao Qiang was also stunned. He looked at the banner in Zhang Liang’s hand with flickering eyes. Yesterday, he had specifically made inquiries to find out who this Lu Yi was, someone who could stir up both Qin Yi and the Commissioner. Only then did he learn that this person had cured Qin Yi and received a banner in public. He had originally thought it was a simple doctor-patient relationship, nothing more than the doctor being a bit handsome.
But with banners arriving two days in a row, this clearly wasn't just about good medical skills or good looks!
*No wonder Commissioner Wei wants to send a banner. I have to be careful not to offend Lu Yi in the future; in fact, I should build a good relationship with him!* Gao Qiang thought to himself.
The patients at the registration desk finally snapped out of their shock, their eyes filled with excitement and resolve. So the rumors were true! His medical skills were so good that even the Security Commissioner sent a banner! Even the richest woman sent two!
*Queue up! We must queue up!* Even if it takes seven days, or ten, or half a month, we’re staying!
The bodies of the people, previously hunched over from the exhaustion of standing in line, suddenly straightened up.
Ma Jianshan and the other doctors watched this scene, their faces turning even darker. They looked at each other, and then watched the backs of Gao Qiang and Zhang Liang as they headed to the TCM office to find Lu Yi. They fell into silence.
"How about..." After a long while, the Oral Medicine attending physician whispered with concern, "We swallow our pride and reconcile with Lu Yi. After all, we work in the same hospital; we see each other every day. And besides..." He thought of the two banners just now, feeling both envious and terrified, "...the man seems to have some serious backing."
At the mention of "backing," the attending physicians all jolted. Ma Jianshan’s pupils trembled. "Let's wait and see, let's wait and see," he said, though his voice lacked conviction.
Suddenly, a thought occurred to him, and a fierce glint flashed in his eyes. He whispered ruthlessly, "Lu Yi is in trouble! Don't forget, it's not just our hospital under revenue pressure; other community hospitals are, too! With so many patients lost, they won't meet their revenue targets, and they’ll definitely come for Lu Yi! Wait and see!"
...
"Brother Lu, I’m here."
The door to the TCM office was pushed open. Lu Yi, who had just finished changing his clothes, looked surprised to see Zhang Liang and Gao Qiang. He paused when he saw the banners in their hands, then a standard, friendly arc appeared on his lips.
...
"Lu Yi, come to my office as soon as you get off work! It's a big deal!"
At 6:00 PM, Lu Yi, who was busy and preparing to leave for the day, received an urgent WeChat voice message from Zhao Jinliang.
*Chapter 25: Hair Regrowth is Simple!*
"You're here."
The moment Lu Yi walked into the dean’s office, Zhao Jinliang stood up and enthusiastically invited him to sit down, even brewing him a cup of black tea.
"So, how was it? Seeing patients all day—are you tired?"
"Not tired."
"Youth is a wonderful thing!" Zhao Jinliang gave a thumbs-up. He self-deprecatingly brushed his fingers over the few strands of hair on his head and said, "Unlike me. I lose hair whenever I stay up late. Look, it’s almost all gone. I can never go back to those days when I was young, handsome, and had a thick head of hair."
"That’s very easy to solve for you," Lu Yi said after taking a sip of tea.
*Mmm, not bad. It tastes like sweet potato!* It reminded him of the roasted sweet potatoes sold by a young couple in the snow outside the back gate of his university.
"Huh?" Zhao Jinliang, who had intended to use self-deprecation to build rapport, froze. He stared at Lu Yi in disbelief. "Easy to solve?!"
Lu Yi nodded.
"How?" Zhao Jinliang’s eyes lit up, his tone urgent. He had been losing hair since he was 23! By now, at 45, he was practically half-bald. If he hadn't spent all his energy and tried every method available over the years, both sides would have been bald long ago! His only wish regarding his hair was that it wouldn't all fall out before he retired. And now, you're telling me there's a way?
The next moment, his eyes filled with excited, nervous hope. He looked at Lu Yi and placed both hands on the table. The "big deal" he had wanted to discuss could wait—his hair was the *real* big deal!
"No need to take your pulse." Lu Yi waved his hand. "Two herbs will do."
He grabbed a notebook and pen from Zhao Jinliang’s desk and wrote:
*"Platycladus orientalis leaves (Cèbǎoyè), 20 grams; Angelica sinensis, 20 grams. Boil for half an hour, drink one bowl."*
He pushed the notebook over. Zhao Jinliang hurried to read it, staring blankly at the two herbs. He didn't react for a moment, unable to believe it. "It’s... just this simple?"
"Just this simple." Lu Yi picked up the teapot and poured himself a cup.
Zhao Jinliang looked down at the paper again. The miracle cure he had spent half his life chasing... was just two herbs?
"Can you explain it to me?" He still found it hard to accept.
"It's very simple." Lu Yi picked up his teacup and drained it. "In TCM, hair is considered the surplus of blood. Thin hair means a lack of blood. Angelica sinensis invigorates and replenishes blood..."
"Wait! Wang Fengnian from the People's Hospital used that on me! My problem is damage to the hair follicles and pores; blood circulation doesn't help!" Zhao Jinliang interrupted.
Lu Yi nodded. "That's why we use Platycladus orientalis leaves."
"I've used that, too! It was popular online a while ago; I even washed my hair with it. It didn't work!" Zhao Jinliang looked at Lu Yi with even more suspicion.
"First of all, you don't wash with it, you drink it. And second..." Lu Yi chuckled, "Are you sure you used the *real* Platycladus orientalis leaves?"
Zhao Jinliang froze, looking puzzled. "Can there be fake Platycladus orientalis leaves? Isn't it a very common Chinese herb? It's just the leaves of the very common arborvitae tree. There’s no value in faking that."
"Fake medicine ruins lives!" Lu Yi emphasized the words "fake medicine"—he would need that later. "The medicinal *Cèbǎoyè* refers to the *side leaves* of the cypress, not just any leaves from the cypress tree!"
Zhao Jinliang was stunned. *The side leaves? What does that mean?*
"Why do these leaves stimulate hair growth?" Lu Yi grabbed the pen and paper again and started drawing. "This is a branch of the cypress tree. This is the main branch, and this is the side branch. This is the normal state of the tree. But sometimes, leaves grow stubbornly between two branches. The leaves that grow there are the *true* medicinal *Cèbǎoyè*."
"Their propensity for hair growth is incredibly powerful. The key to regrowth is that strong, stubborn nature of those specific leaves that forces their way through obstacles!"
"With damaged hair follicles and missing pores, these can make hair grow out of the skin right next to the pores!"
"The leaves currently in pharmacies don't have this characteristic. Without this characteristic, how could they possibly promote hair growth?"
"This... then where am I supposed to find them?" Zhao Jinliang was shocked, having never realized that *only* those specific leaves were the real deal.
"Find a veteran herbalist who knows their stuff to pick them for you, or pick them yourself. You won't find them in the county pharmacies." Lu Yi sighed inwardly. It wasn't that the herbs recorded in ancient books didn't work; it was that later generations had misremembered and passed on errors. The ones in pharmacies had their own uses, but lacked the growth-promoting properties described in ancient texts.
"I'll pick them myself!" Zhao Jinliang gritted his teeth, his eyes shining. He remembered there was an ancient, upright cypress tree in the People's Park!
"If you want the new hair to be dark, add *He Shou Wu* and boil them together." Lu Yi thought for a moment and added it to the prescription.
"After the hair grows out, if you want it to be thick, use duckweed to wash your hair." Lu Yi wrote down the instructions for the duckweed wash and then said with a sincere expression, "Just wash your hair, don't wash any other part of your body—unless you want hair growing everywhere else, too."
*Hair growth, dark and shiny, thick and lush... a one-stop service!*
"Thank you so much! Having you come to our hospital was definitely the best decision I ever made!" Zhao Jinliang stared at the notebook, his eyes bright, as he took a deep breath.
At this point, Lu Yi wrote at the bottom of the page: *"Alum. Boil it in water three times. When it cools slightly, soak your feet in it."*
"Is this for hair growth too?" Zhao Jinliang asked eagerly.
Lu Yi looked at him with a half-smile. "It's for athlete's foot."
Zhao Jinliang’s face stiffened, then a flash of joy crossed his eyes. He took a deep breath and clasped his hands toward Lu Yi.
He put the prescription away as if it were a treasure. He then dumped the tea leaves from his purple clay pot, took out a small box of black tea, and brewed a fresh pot. He washed the cup and sincerely poured Lu Yi another tea. "I called you here urgently right after work because there is a big deal—one that concerns both you and me."
Lu Yi picked up his cup and took a sip. *Mmm, no sweet potato taste this time.*
"You've been seeing patients all day, so you might not know, but today, all six other community clinics in the county conducted their own TCM triage." Zhao Jinliang recalled the photos he’d seen that afternoon and sneered. "But the reality is dismal! The patients in their communities are ignoring them. Not only that, many patients who originally belonged to their clinics have come to our hospital to register for your slots. Now, your slots are booked out for ten days!"
At this, Zhao Jinliang glanced at Lu Yi, who was still sipping his tea, a flash of deep surprise in his eyes. In all his years, he had never heard of a doctor—especially a TCM doctor—whose schedule was booked ten days out.
"Once the deans of those community hospitals saw the situation, they joined forces and went to the Health Department leadership. They want their TCM doctors to have an 'exchange' with you to learn about our unique TCM triage experience."
"The leadership agreed!"
"They’ll be here tomorrow morning."
At this, Zhao Jinliang’s face darkened. He looked straight at Lu Yi and lowered his voice, speaking sternly: "They call it an 'exchange,' but the goal is simple: first, to trample on you; second, to trample on me!"
*Chapter 26: The Arrival of Those Here to Trample Lu Yi*
One second, two seconds...
A full ten seconds passed, yet the expected look of surprise, indignation, or shared animosity never appeared. Lu Yi was still sipping his tea. Zhao Jinliang felt a headache coming on. "If you think it tastes good, I'll give you some later."
"Okay." Lu Yi gave a friendly smile, set down his teacup, and asked, "Why trample on me?"
"It's simple!" Seeing that Lu Yi was finally engaging, Zhao Jinliang immediately said, "The patients from their communities are all coming to find you, so their hospitals have no hope of meeting this year's revenue targets. If they want the patients back, they have to trample on you!"
"Is revenue that important to you deans?" Lu Yi asked, his smile growing.
"It is!" Zhao Jinliang took a deep breath. He felt he needed to spell out the severity of the situation so this guy would take it seriously.
"First, it's important to you! Our community hospital has a finite number of patients. If you want to hit that 2.5 million target, you need a lot of patients. Patients from other clinics are the perfect supplement. Without them, you won't make your quota."
"Second, it is crucial for me and the other deans! Because the other deans and I are competing for the position of Deputy Commissioner of the Health Department! Normally, this position wouldn't be open to someone at our level, but this year the county leadership wants frontline workers to join the Health Department’s leadership ranks. It's a godsend for our careers."
"Right now, there are two hurdles: first, whether we meet the revenue targets set at the start of the year; second, the status of our TCM department construction."
"The TCM triage system you proposed allowed me to take the lead in TCM development. Now that you've snatched their patients, it directly threatens their revenue. So, they must deal with you to deal with me."
"At the exchange meeting, if they trample you, the patients will naturally go back to their clinics, and our 'unique' triage will just become a stepping stone for theirs. I have to say, those old foxes have a very precise strategy!"