"The focus should be on Lu Yi's photo, and the photo of the huge queue!"
"And the sign on the desk!"
"Take pictures and send them to me immediately! I need to make a presentation!"
After arranging all this, Zhao Jinliang took a deep breath to calm his mood, his mouth splitting into a grin from ear to ear.
A TCM talent has finally come to our hospital! Tomorrow, I must make a glowing report to the leadership!
……
An hour passed.
Two hours passed.
Three hours passed.
With 6:00 PM and the end of the workday fast approaching, the doctors from all departments finally lost their patience. They had suffered through an entire afternoon without seeing a single patient!
This wasn't triage at all; Lu Yi was completely intercepting the patient flow!
And he didn't leave a single one for anyone else!
"We can't let Lu Yi keep this up! If things go on like this, none of us in any department will get a bonus!"
Ma Jianshan, a surgeon who was most likely to secure a bonus, gritted his teeth and said, "This is only the first day, and there are six more days to go!"
"I'm going to see the director. We have to stop Lu Yi! Who's coming with me?"
"I am! Let's go, together."
"Together!"
……
"Director, you have to stop Lu Yi!"
"If you let Lu Yi keep doing triage at the entrance like this, nobody will hit their revenue targets this year, and the hospital won't reach its goals either!"
The door to the director's office was shoved open with a bang, and the attending physicians from all departments swarmed in!
Zhao Jinliang, who was happily browsing the newly minted presentation, raised his head in confusion and looked at the crowd.
Chapter 10: Forcing an Increase in the Revenue Target
"Lu Yi has intercepted all of our patients."
Ma Jianshan, the attending surgeon, said with suppressed fury, "Since 2:30 this afternoon, my surgery department hasn't had a single patient!"
"My dental department hasn't had any either!"
"Neither has my internal medicine department!"
Not a single patient?
Zhao Jinliang hurriedly stood up and looked out the window. Outside was still a massive queue, and it was clear that even though the workday had ended, the enthusiasm and eager anticipation on the faces of the people waiting in line hadn't diminished at all.
"This..."
He had only thought Lu Yi's medical skills would keep a portion of the patients, but he never expected him to scoop up all of them!
"We can't let this continue! If you let him keep doing this, apart from the TCM department, none of our departments will be able to meet our revenue targets. And if we fail, the hospital will definitely fail too!"
Ma Jianshan continued angrily.
Revenue?
At this, Zhao Jinliang finally calmed down. He picked up his phone directly and made a call, asking, "Old Li, what's Lu Yi's revenue for this afternoon?"
"It hasn't been tallied yet, people have just kept coming to fill prescriptions! Director, please hurry and tell Lu Yi to stop! I can't take much more of this, there are just too many people getting medicine!"
"Old Li, I see there aren't that many people left."
Looking at the endless queue, Zhao Jinliang lied without changing his expression, "Just hang in there a bit longer. We're here to serve the people, after all."
With that, he hung up the phone directly, then raised his camera to take a picture of Lu Yi, who was still taking pulses and writing prescriptions.
After snapping the photo, he came back to his senses, frowned, and said, "The revenue figures aren't out yet. Why doesn't everyone come back tomorrow morning?"
"No way! I'm waiting right here for the revenue numbers. I want to see how much revenue a single TCM department can pull in this afternoon, and whether the hospital's entire revenue target depends on just his department!"
Ma Jianshan sat right down on the sofa.
The other attending physicians also sat on the sofas or pulled up chairs. They weren't leaving today. No matter what, they were going to wait for the revenue figures and use them to slap Lu Yi in the face and force him to stop triage!
It could absolutely not go on for seven days!
Helpless, Zhao Jinliang looked at the crowd and had no choice but to wait with them.
"Director, you wanted to see me?"
At 8:00 PM, Lu Yi pushed open the door and walked in.
Swish!
More than a dozen aggressive, hostile gazes instantly focused on Lu Yi's face.
Seeing Lu Yi's healthy, rosy complexion, everyone was momentarily stunned.
Utter disbelief filled their faces.
When doctors treat patients up to a certain quantity, energy depletion causes brain function to stall, leaving their minds numb and their complexions looking terrible.
This guy had clearly been seeing patients from 2:30 PM until 8:00 PM—a full five and a half hours—and yet his complexion was still this good?!
"Bang!"
At that moment, a thoroughly exhausted Doctor Li shoved the door open with great effort, dragged his weary feet inside, and cast an immediate, hostile glare at Lu Yi.
"Director, the tally is done. Doctor Lu saw a total of 298 people this afternoon."
How many?!
The aggressive momentum in the office stalled instantly.
298 people, five and a half hours—an average of 54 people an hour, nearly one person every minute!
The attending physicians from all departments and Zhao Jinliang stared at Lu Yi in disbelief. Were you practicing medicine or handing out autographs?
"What's the revenue?"
Ma Jianshan, the surgeon, snapped back to his senses, his face gloomy as he hurriedly asked.
"31,365 yuan."
Doctor Li glanced at Zhao Jinliang, and upon receiving a nod, spoke up.
Nearly three hundred people and only thirty thousand?
Ma Jianshan immediately wore a sneering expression, and the other attending physicians started sneering as well.
"Doctor Lu, you cannot continue triage tomorrow."
Ma Jianshan said.
"Why?"
Lu Yi's expression darkened as he asked, shifting his gaze to Director Zhao Jinliang. Wasn't the agreement for seven days of triage?
"Because your triage is severely hindering the revenue of our other departments!"
Ma Jianshan shouted coldly, "All the patients went to you this afternoon, and you only brought in thirty thousand! Even if you bring in sixty thousand a day, give you a whole year and you still won't meet the hospital's annual revenue target of twenty million! Don't let yourself hold us back, and don't hold back the entire hospital!"
"I'm only doing six and a half days of triage. It doesn't interfere with your revenue at other times."
Lu Yi's brows furrowed even deeper.
"That still won't do!"
Ma Jianshan refused flatly and coldly.
If things were like this after just half a day, if it really went on for seven consecutive days, wouldn't the whole of Qingshan County only know that the Qingyun Street Community Hospital had a TCM department, and remain completely unaware of their departments?!
How were they supposed to make money then?
Ignoring them, Lu Yi looked straight at Director Zhao Jinliang. Was the director's word just blowing hot air?
"Ahem!"
Zhao Jinliang coughed and said, "The TCM department needs to break the ice and get patients, and the hospital needs to improve its departmental construction while also meeting its revenue targets. How about this, let's stop arguing and each take a step back: Lu Yi will do triage for three more days."
"No way!"
Before Lu Yi could speak, Ma Jianshan shouted coldly again.
Giving you face and you don't want it!
Zhao Jinliang's expression sank instantly.
He was already preparing to submit a report on Lu Yi's specialized TCM triage method.
This was no longer a matter of whether they could meet revenue targets; this was about the achievements of the TCM department's development at the Qingyun Street Community Hospital under his leadership!
If the specialized TCM triage only lasted half a day, it wouldn't even count as an achievement worth a fart—how could he possibly have the nerve to present it at tomorrow's meeting?
Was he supposed to say this was a measure he had pondered over for a long time, only to implement it for a mere half a day?
"How many days do you want Lu Yi to do triage?"
Zhao Jinliang asked coldly.
Ma Jianshan glanced at the others, and as they nodded, he said with a serious expression, "One day. We've discussed it."
One day?
Zhao Jinliang's brows furrowed tightly.
"Furthermore, the revenue target for the TCM department needs to change."
Ma Jianshan looked coldly at Lu Yi.
"As for the target of fifty million, our other nine departments have already completed thirty million, and the TCM department hasn't contributed a single bit to that!"
"The remaining twenty million is something all departments have to split equally with the TCM department—that's not fair to us!"
"Our demand isn't high: the TCM department's revenue for the next three months must be increased to 2.5 million before anyone gets a bonus!"
Ma Jianshan turned to look at Lu Yi and said flatly, "If you agree, we agree to let you do triage for one more day tomorrow!"
"If you don't agree, then don't even think about doing a single day of triage!"
"Do you all think I'm young and easy to bully?"
Looking at Ma Jianshan and the attending physicians from all departments, Lu Yi suddenly smiled and asked.
Ma Jianshan said indifferently, "We aren't bullying anyone; we're just being reasonable."
"What if I think it's unreasonable?"
Lu Yi asked curiously.
"If you think it's unreasonable, then there's nothing we can do."
Ma Jianshan said, "But if you stubbornly insist on continuing triage, and the director agrees, we'll resign."
Resign?
Zhao Jinliang's heart skipped a beat, and the words on the tip of his tongue were swallowed back down.
The smile vanished from Lu Yi's face, replaced by an expression of extreme chilliness.
He looked at all the doctors, then turned to Director Zhao Jinliang. Although the director's expression was extremely ugly, he remained silent the entire time.
Clearly, with so many departmental doctors banding together, even the director had to give way!
And it was equally clear that if he also used resignation to fight back, and both sides resigned, Zhao Jinliang would definitely keep them, not him.
If he didn't stay, the five hundred thousand needed by the end of the year would fall through.
Very well!
A flower-like smile bloomed on Lu Yi's face once again as he asked, "Any other demands?"
"None."
Ma Jianshan said solemnly.
"Good, then I agree to only do one day of triage, and I also agree to raise the TCM department's revenue target to 2.5 million. However!"
Lu Yi's voice was soft yet brooked no argument, "I demand double the bonus for any revenue exceeding 2.5 million! Otherwise, you all can keep living in your delusions, because I won't agree to a single condition!"
"Not only will I not agree, but I'll also do triage at the entrance for three months! If you don't agree, I'll resign, and then..."
Lu Yi's voice suddenly turned bone-chilling: "I'll offer free clinics at the hospital entrance for three months. Let's see which of you gets a bonus then!"
A chilling pressure!
The temperature in the entire office dropped by several degrees instantly because of Lu Yi's words.
The expressions of Ma Jianshan and the other attending physicians turned ugly in a flash. If Lu Yi really did offer free clinics at the hospital entrance for three months just like he did this afternoon, the whole hospital would be finished, and their bonuses would be completely gone!
But... double the bonuses?
Ma Jianshan and the others hurriedly exchanged glances, communicating rapidly with their eyes.
And instantly, they reached a consensus!
They had nothing to panic about!
They had decided the 2.5 million figure was completely impossible for Lu Yi to achieve back when they started discussing it at 6:00 PM. Setting this figure was just meant to teach this newcomer a profound lesson!
They just hadn't expected this guy, under their coercion, to actually have his mind addled enough to want double the bonuses.
Had he lost his mind?
Zhao Jinliang raised his head and looked at Lu Yi in surprise. He hadn't expected Lu Yi to make a demand for double bonuses—was he really that confident he could hit 2.5 million?
A moment later, Ma Jianshan decisively said, "Fine."
A sharp glint flashed across his eyes immediately. "However, our bonuses must be doubled as well!"
"That's your business. I hope you don't live to regret it."
Lu Yi's expression returned to calm.
One day?
The county town wasn't that big; another day of triage would be more than enough to spread his reputation far and wide!
Seeing Lu Yi's confident and arrogant demeanor, Ma Jianshan gave a cold snort and looked at Zhao Jinliang, "Director, do you agree to this arrangement?"
"Does whether I agree or not even matter?"
Zhao Jinliang sneered, feeling extremely stifled inside.
Double bonuses weren't out of the question—it wasn't his money being paid out for bonuses anyway. What made him feel aggrieved and stifled was that these fellows clearly didn't take him, the director, seriously at all!
Suppressing the anger in his heart, he said, "I'll ask this one last time: this is the plan you all set. Is there anyone here who disagrees with it?"
Everyone remained silent, indicating their consent.
"Good! Since there are no objections, it's settled. This is the last time the agreement changes. Once this is settled, if anyone goes back on their word again, don't blame me for falling out with you!"
"All of you, go home and do whatever you were supposed to do!"
Zhao Jinliang stood up and walked out.
Ma Jianshan and the others glanced at Lu Yi and left with a sense of fulfilled satisfaction.
Lu Yi walked out of the hospital and looked calmly up at the starry sky.
"Soon you'll all find out that your biggest mistake was letting me do triage for one more day."
He had never planned to rely on ordinary residents to hit his revenue targets anyway, so adding or not adding that five hundred thousand made no difference.
At that moment.
Amidst the evening sky, several wisps of true qi danced like fireflies, tracing a long line through the air and shooting straight toward him.
Arriving at Lu Yi's side, they plunged directly into his body!
Lu Yi's eyes widened.
This is... the true qi from the pathogenic aura of those patients who took their medicine home to decoct this afternoon and got better?!
I don't even need to collect it personally?
Chapter 11: A Woman in Her Thirties Who is a Beautiful Boss
"Well, that saves me some trouble."
Feeling the unprecedented fullness in his dantian!
A trace of pleasant surprise appeared in Lu Yi's eyes.
It seemed that as long as the patients were cured, no matter where they were, the true qi refined from their pathogenic aura would automatically fly back into his body!
Lu Yi glanced at the pedestrians across the street, noticing they didn't seem to have seen that scene at all. With a faint smile, he walked toward the distant night market.
Meanwhile.
In a building filled with training equipment.
Zhang Liang looked a bit pale as he forced himself to sit upright on the sofa. On the coffee table before him sat a bowl with lingering medicine dregs.
An hour after finishing that bowl of medicine, he had relieved his bladder four times and his bowels three times!
Suddenly, Zhang Liang's expression changed again, and he sprang up and dashed toward the bathroom. A moment later, the sound of the toilet flushing rang out.
Zhang Liang walked out pulling up his pants, his eyes full of surprise—this time after using the bathroom, his toothache had vanished completely!
This toothache that had plagued him for a full three years, recurring constantly despite countless painkillers he had taken, had never responded with such speed!
Pondering for a moment, Zhang Liang immediately pulled out his phone and made a call.
"Boss, I've found a remarkably skilled TCM doctor. Tiantian has seen so many Western doctors, we might as well consider trying traditional Chinese medicine!"
"TCM? We've already seen TCM doctors; they couldn't cure it."
A soft, sponge-like female voice came from the other end of the phone.
Just as Zhang Liang was about to speak again, he heard a youthful, pleasant voice from the phone.
"Auntie, we really can let a doctor take a look. If one TCM doctor doesn't work, maybe we can have another one try. I actually ran into a pretty good TCM doctor this morning..."
"All right, bring him over then."
……
"Doctor Lu, where are you now?"
Just as Lu Yi sat down at a noodle stall in the night market, he received a phone call and recognized the voice as the capable-looking flat-topped man from the afternoon.
"Night market, the first noodle stall."
"Wait for me, I'll be there in five minutes!"
Five minutes later, as Lu Yi was eating a freshly served, steaming bowl of shredded pork noodles, a black Maybach pulled up and stopped abruptly right in front of the stall amid the envious gazes of the night market pedestrians.
With a solemn expression, Zhang Liang strode out of the car and walked straight toward Lu Yi under the watchful eyes of the surrounding crowd.
He's looking for that drop-dead gorgeous young man eating noodles?
"My tooth is cured."
Zhang Liang sat down opposite Lu Yi, and those were his very first words.
Then he pulled a thick envelope straight out of his pocket and pushed it across the table toward Lu Yi.
"Doctor Lu, this is the consultation fee. There's a patient who needs your help with a diagnosis."
Lu Yi slurped up a mouthful of noodles, wiped his mouth with a paper napkin, stood up, and said, "Let's go."
Zhang Liang hastily stood up and said, "Take the money first."
"Let's talk after the treatment. If she's cured, I'll accept whatever amount is proper; if she's not cured, taking even a single cent of mine would be too much."
Lu Yi said flatly.
Hearing this, Zhang Liang paused for a moment, then hurriedly said, "The patient isn't in a rush, eat your meal before we go."
"Treating the disease comes first; skipping a meal isn't a big deal. Let's go."
Lu Yi walked toward the Maybach.
These noodles really were a bit hard to swallow; he'd have to find a different place next time.
Looking at Lu Yi's back, Zhang Liang was momentarily at a loss for words, but a sudden feeling of awe welled up in his heart.
"Whether you can cure her or not, I'm treating you to a good meal afterwards!"
Zhang Liang said loudly and earnestly, then quickly followed, pulled open the rear passenger door for Lu Yi, and even thoughtfully raised a hand to shield the top of the door frame for him.
The scene, which looked like something straight out of television, left the surrounding onlookers dumbfounded.
Just who... was this young man who had been eating noodles just now?
The car drove along the mountain-encircling road of Qingshan County all the way to the banks of Qingyun Lake, which covered thousands of acres at the foot of Mount Qingshan.
Under the moonlight, a dozen villas built against the mountain wrapped around the northern side of Qingyun Lake, twinkling with lights.
Saluted by the security guards, the car drove into the villa area and went straight to a Chinese-style courtyard villa nestled right against the lake.
Zhang Liang parked the car, opened the door for Lu Yi, and guided him into the villa's courtyard.
The courtyard was very large, built in a Suzhou garden style, complete with bizarre rockeries, wooden pavilions, lotus ponds, and colorful koi fish.
Glancing around the surrounding environment, Lu Yi suddenly asked, "The illness I need to look at is related to emotions? Contracted three years ago?"
"How did you know?"
Zhang Liang paused in his steps, turning his head to look at Lu Yi in surprise.
Pointing at the surrounding environment, Lu Yi said, "This environmental design helps soothe emotions. Judging by the traces of the renovation, it was custom-designed and remodeled by an expert at least three years ago."
"Impressive!"
Zhang Liang said with heartfelt admiration, his voice then dropping to a low tone, "It's depression, and it really did start three years ago. My boss spent millions having someone design this courtyard."
With that, he stared expectantly at Lu Yi: "Can depression be cured?"
"It can be cured."
Lu Yi nodded and asked, "Your boss?"
"Yes! You can think of me as a bodyguard."
Lu Yi looked at Zhang Liang and smiled. With internal qi that thick—not much weaker than his own inner qi before it converted into true qi—this guy was far more than just a bodyguard.
Following Zhang Liang into the villa, Lu Yi swept his gaze over the interior environment.
The decor was in a Chinese style, and various antique collectibles sat on solid wood shelves around the living room.
A beautiful woman wearing a white shirt, with skin as white as silk, exquisite makeup, and short hair, sat in the center of a sandalwood sofa.
She looked to be in her thirties, but time had left no trace whatsoever on her face; her figure was exceptionally well-maintained, and her entire being radiated the aura of a mature, fully ripened woman.
Sitting on the sofa beside her was another woman, even prettier than she was.
When Lu Yi looked over, he saw to his surprise that it was Lin Chuqing, the psychologist who had given him his psychological test that morning.
By now she had taken off her white coat, and her whole person exuded a youthful energy as she sat quietly there like a swaying lily on a grassland.
Sitting on the sofa on the other side of the beautiful woman was an elegant middle-aged man who bore some resemblance to Lin Chuqing, though his brow carried a stern expression.
The moment Lu Yi walked in, the gazes of all three locked onto him instantly.
Seeing that it was Lu Yi, a trace of surprise flashed in Lin Chuqing's eyes.
"Who is this?"
The beautiful woman stood up from the sofa, fully displaying her impeccably maintained, graceful figure, and looked at Zhang Liang in confusion.