Chapter 77: Rende Hall

Chapter 77: Rende Hall

"Master, it seems like you've started a hospital," Ye Xiaoxiao walked in behind Song Guangjing.

The staff here didn’t recognize Song Guangjing well, but seeing Song Xiaoguang following behind, they could probably guess who he was, and they worked very diligently.

"It’s not quite a hospital yet, but this is the headquarters of our Rende Hall. I wanted to show you around," Song Guangjing usually didn’t manage the affairs here.

For a period, Rende Hall was nationalized, but in the last two years, it has been privatized again.

The constant changes had drained his finances.

Ye Xiaoxiao accompanied Song Guangjing as they toured all three floors.

Song Guangjing asked, "Did anything catch your eye?"

Ye Xiaoxiao replied, "Not many young people come here for consultations, and is Rende Hall lacking doctors?"

After spending half a day here, the wait was incredibly long, with only one doctor seeing patients.

Song Guangjing sighed, "Traditional Chinese medicine is on the decline, and it might vanish in a few decades."

Ye Xiaoxiao said, "I believe traditional Chinese medicine will endure for centuries to come."

Song Guangjing: "It’s difficult to keep the flame of knowledge burning, and some remedies are nearly lost to time."

Mentioning the future of traditional Chinese medicine, the old man was filled with sorrow.

When they returned to the first floor, they came across a particularly challenging case.

Originally, everyone was in line, but out of nowhere, a man barged in, claiming an emergency and demanding immediate attention.

Those ahead of him noticed he seemed physically fine and naturally wouldn’t let him cut in line, which led to a loud dispute and disorder.

Song Guangjing waved, "If this gentleman needs urgent care, he can come to me."

With his white beard and hair, Song Guangjing had an almost ethereal presence.

The man ceased his shouting and muttered instead, "You’re a doctor here too?"

Song Guangjing nodded, "Indeed."

The man stepped aside, allowing the line to proceed.

Song Guangjing sat down on a nearby stool.

"Where are you feeling discomfort?"

"I... have a toothache."

The man held his face, speaking carefully to avoid movement. Any movement could aggravate his facial muscles and teeth, intensifying the pain.

They say a toothache is not a disease, but it can be deadly when it hurts.

Lately, the pain was so severe that the man felt like bashing his head against the wall.

Song Guangjing: "What medications have you tried before?"

Man: "I've used painkillers. They helped at first, but they only address the symptoms, not the underlying issue. After an hour or two, the pain returns. I can't keep popping painkillers all day."

Song Guangjing: "Please open your mouth."

Man: "Ah... like this?"

Ye Xiaoxiao also turned her attention to the patient.

"That's enough, thank you."

Song Guangjing asked the patient to close his mouth, then turned to Ye Xiaoxiao and asked, "What's your assessment?"

Ye Xiaoxiao calmly replied, "According to the texts, wind-heat and wind-fire toxins can damage teeth and gums. This causes stagnation of qi and blood, blocked acupoints, and obstructed meridians, leading to illness. Your swollen gums are probably from eating too many nuts, fried foods, and greasy meats, which has caused stomach fire to rise, leading to toothache."

The man covered his mouth: "All that sounds complicated. I just want to know how to stop the pain."

Ye Xiaoxiao stepped forward: "Please give me your hand."

The man, somewhat skeptical, held out his left hand. Ye Xiaoxiao pressed the Hegu point between his thumb and index finger for three minutes, then repeated on the other hand.

Before he knew it, the pain was gone.

The man's eyes widened, "Wow! The pain is really gone!"

Ye Xiaoxiao: "You don’t need any medication for this. If the pain returns, just press these points like I showed you. Stick to a light diet and avoid those foods I mentioned. You should be back to normal in a few days."

"Amazing! Not only are you talented, but you’ve saved me some cash too!"

The man’s face lit up even more at the thought of not having to spend a dime.

The man’s raised voice caught the attention of others in line.

"Let’s get out of here before they put you to work."

Song Guangjing had only brought Ye Xiaoxiao to observe today, not to practice on her own.

After leaving the pharmacy, Song Guangjing said, "Now you see why it’s tough to make a living in traditional Chinese medicine. If everyone practiced like you, we’d be broke."

Ye Xiaoxiao sheepishly touched her nose, "These are just simple cases. The complex ones are where the real money is."

Song Guangjing laughed heartily, "Then you better learn your skills well."

After laughing, he added, "Your previous master mainly taught you acupoint acupuncture, right? I see you're quite familiar with the acupoints."

Ye Xiaoxiao nodded, "Yes."

Song Guangjing: "It's a pity he didn't want to reveal his identity. Otherwise, I would have loved to exchange knowledge with him."

Ye Xiaoxiao could only say, "He taught me for a while and then moved away. I can't find him now."

Song Guangjing looked regretful.

...

The matter of trademark registration has been clarified by Song Guoxian.

It turned out that the trademark law had only been introduced a couple of years ago, so the office was pretty empty.

It was also easy to take care of. You just needed to bring the necessary documents and the trademark you wanted to register.

Ye Xiaoxiao showed Song Guoxian several "Rendetang" trademark registration ideas, including both text and graphic designs, and ended up registering all the relevant ones.

Song Guangjing said, "The one you drew looks pretty good. We can make a seal as the symbol for our Rendetang."

Ye Xiaoxiao said it was just something she doodled, a modern twist on text from decades later.

But if the old gentleman liked it, that was good enough.

"Master, take your time looking. I’m going to make a phone call."

Ye Xiaoxiao had arrived in the capital but hadn’t let Lu Hanchuan know yet.

Ye Xiaoxiao called Lu Hanchuan’s workplace directly, and the operator picked up.

Ye Xiaoxiao said, "I’m looking for Lu Hanchuan."

The operator replied, "Please hold, I’ll connect you right away."

Ye Xiaoxiao waited a moment, and then a familiar voice came on the line.

"Xiao Xiao?"

"It’s me. I just wanted to tell you I’m in the capital."

Lu Hanchuan was very surprised, "School hasn’t started yet, has it?"

Ye Xiaoxiao said, "I came back with my master. He has a pharmacy in the capital and brought me here to get some experience."

Lu Hanchuan asked, "Are you calling from Mr. Song’s place?"

"Yes."

Lu Hanchuan directly said, "Give me the address. I’ll stop by when I can."

Ye Xiaoxiao quickly said, "No need. I just called to tell you I’m in the capital."

Lu Hanchuan said, "I should still drop by."

Ye Xiaoxiao then gave him the address.

Lu Hanchuan noted it down and, after a pause of a few seconds, asked, "Are you going back to the compound?"

Ye Xiaoxiao: "..."

Why would she go back? She wouldn’t know anyone there.

If people said hi, she’d just look clueless.

Ye Xiaoxiao quickly responded, "I’m not going back. I’ll wait for you to take me back."

Lu Hanchuan, seemingly thinking of something, laughed and said, "Alright, I’ll take you back."