"Elder Sun, you're a TCM doctor too, aren't you?" Lin Fan asked curiously.
Sun Yinglun gave an embarrassed chuckle. "I was, but I'm not anymore."
Lin Fan was puzzled. How could someone 'be' a doctor previously but not now?
There was no formal title in TCM; as long as one could heal people, they were a doctor.
His words clearly implied something more.
Seeing that he didn't want to discuss it, Lin Fan didn't press further.
"Elder Sun, I'll leave the matter of acquiring medicinal herbs to you."
"No problem!" Sun Yinglun replied heartily.
Then he added, "I suggest you plant some Lingyu Grass. This herb can strengthen the body and regulate kidney energy. It's been selling quite well recently. Although the price is a bit lower, it's definitely profitable."
"Thank you for your advice, old sir."
Lin Fan said his thanks and left in a hurry.
There were only two bus services, one coming and one going.
If he missed the bus, he wouldn't be able to go home until tomorrow.
Embarking on his journey home, Lin Fan felt fortunate that selling the herbs had gone so smoothly.
He had expected to have to travel all over Yunqing City to find a discerning buyer.
Unexpectedly, he had found such a good person as Sun Yinglun as soon as he arrived.
Kind merchants like this were rare these days.
Most were selfish and profit-driven, unwilling to lose even a cent, even if it meant compromising their conscience.
—
The next day, Lin Fan woke up early and harvested the remaining Bailing Grass.
Then he borrowed Uncle Zhang's tractor to take it to town.
Tractors were very slow. It would take at least a full day to transport goods to Yunqing City with one, so Lin Fan rented a truck in town.
Upon arriving in front of Wanhetang, the scene instantly stunned him.
Although it was business hours, Wanhetang was tightly shut.
Many people were gathered outside, murmuring amongst themselves.
"What bad luck, I came all this way and it's closed."
"Yeah, this is really unlucky."
"Where's the boss? What's going on?"
"Can't you see what's written? Their master suddenly fell gravely ill."
"I heard the old gentleman is in his seventies or eighties. With this illness striking at this time, he's unlikely to pull through."
Everyone shook their heads and sighed.
"Excuse me, does anyone know where Elder Sun is?"
Lin Fan pushed through the crowd to ask, but no one answered.
He quickly took out his phone and made a call.
After inquiring, he was told Sun Yinglun's location.
At that moment, Sun Yinglun was being treated at the People's Hospital.
Lin Fan arrived quickly and stopped outside the operating room.
More than a dozen people were already standing in the corridor outside.
They were employees of Wanhetang, all looking dejected.
"How is Elder Sun's condition?" Lin Fan asked.
The senior disciple from yesterday saw Lin Fan and exclaimed in surprise, "It's you, why are you here?"
"Oh, right, yesterday's business."
"Master... Master's condition is very bad. The doctor just said he might not make it."
"We brought Master to the hospital last night. He was first in the ICU, and then they said he needed emergency surgery."
"The surgery has been going on for over six hours. The surgeons have even been changed, and we still don't know how he is."
Lin Fan frowned deeply.
Western medicine differed from TCM. Western medicine was very objective-oriented. Since surgery was performed, it meant removing diseased tissue or applying medication to affected areas. It was a standardized process that wouldn't involve prolonging the procedure unnecessarily.
If it did, there was only one possibility: an accident occurred during the surgery, making it impossible to continue, yet also impossible to stop.
They could only sustain the patient's life for now and seek a solution.
Just as Lin Fan thought this, a doctor emerged.
The senior disciple hurried to meet him, "Doctor, how is my master?"
Others also gathered around, crowding the doctor.
The doctor looked displeased. "You are the patient's family, aren't you? Didn't I tell you not to gather here? It affects our work. We'll discuss everything after the surgery is finished!"
He then tried to leave.
Lin Fan suddenly stepped forward and blocked his path, "Hello, Doctor. I am also a doctor. I heard Elder Sun was in trouble and rushed over to see."
"Could you let me go in and take a look?"
Upon hearing Lin Fan's words, the doctor's expression immediately turned sour.
"Who are you? You want to enter the operating room to treat a patient? Even if you're a doctor, I can't let you in. Can you think before you speak?"
The senior disciple interjected, "This is a divine doctor, let him go in and see!"
"My master thinks very highly of him!"
"That's right, Divine Doctor Lin is very capable!"
Everyone pleaded.
The doctor, however, said angrily, "This is a hospital! Not a place for you to throw a tantrum!"
"Our hospital has regulations. You can't just treat patients as you please. If something goes wrong, who will take responsibility?"
"And frankly, I think you're all arrogant! Do you know who is performing the surgery inside?"
"That's our hospital's best doctor, Director Luo Peng, a top-tier specialist!"
He looked at Lin Fan, "If Director Luo Peng can't do anything, what can you do? Do you have the professional knowledge?"
"Even I, a Master's degree physician, feel the patient is beyond saving, and you want to try? Presumptuous!"
Initially, he spoke of regulations, but eventually, his true feelings surfaced.
In fact, it wasn't the regulations preventing Lin Fan from entering, but his personal disdain for Lin Fan.
This doctor's name was Feng Xiangdong.
In his eyes, Lin Fan was dressed shabbily and had an honest look on his face, clearly not someone impressive.
A country bumpkin trying to stir up trouble; he would never allow it.
Lin Fan spread his hands. "You're all helpless, and you still won't let someone else try?"
"Ahem."
Feng Xiangdong's slip of the tongue made him feel guilty, and he coughed twice.
"In any case, this is not a place for you to misbehave. Get out!"
The senior disciple beside him felt helpless.
"These doctors are unreasonable. We'll have to find someone with connections."
"But... who knows anyone in this hospital?"
Everyone sighed.
Hearing their conversation, Lin Fan suddenly thought of something.
The hospital's dean should be Song Shitu, shouldn't he?!
"Quick! Hurry and find the dean!"
"Find the dean?"
The senior disciple was bewildered, standing there uncertainly.
Lin Fan urged him loudly, "Yes! Go now!"
Though confused about Lin Fan's intentions, the senior disciple still complied.
Lin Fan turned to a young man. "Describe your master's symptoms."
"My master probably has liver disease. He was hospitalized once before for this same illness, but it wasn't cured. He could only rely on medication to manage it."
"Liver disease... old age..."
"Quick, find paper and a pen. For each herb I mention, bring me two qian."