If you don't want treatment, get out! This doctor has a terrible temper.

Chapter 29 The Daily Life of an Intern

Li Siyuan and Zhao Na pushed the creaking tricycle through the old streets and alleys of Changxiang City, where the morning light had not yet faded.

The empty plastic bottles clanged together in the truck bed, creating a crisp sound that, along with the two men's slightly heavy breathing, became the most authentic white noise of the early morning.

Who would have thought that two top students from Changxiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, who usually spend their days either studying the "Huangdi Neijing" in the library or staring at microscopes in the laboratory, are now measuring the city's bottom line with their hands that are used to holding pens and test tubes.

"Senior, these bottles... they smell awful!" Zhao Na frowned, carefully lifting a plastic bucket covered in shiny black oil stains from the edge of the trash can with two fingers, as if it were a biological weapon.

Li Siyuan also subconsciously held his breath, but he remembered Wang Minyu's casual remark, "The truth is revealed in the details," and braced himself to reach out and take it, then threw it into the truck bed.

"It's normal for them to be dirty." Li Siyuan patted the dust off his hands. "Think about it, where did these bottles come from? Trash cans, restaurant kitchens, abandoned alleys... Every bottle carries traces of its owner's life."

Zhao Na paused for a moment, staring at the oil drum rolling in the truck bed.

"Like patients," Li Siyuan said, panting as he pushed the cart. "They come to us with all sorts of 'filth.' Some are physically dirty, reeking of alcohol and cigarettes; others are mentally dirty, full of scheming and anxiety. We can't be disgusted, we can't hold our noses and hide. We have to understand how this 'filth' came about in order to find a way to cleanse it."

Zhao Na paused for a moment, then re-examined the greasy plastic bucket.

This bucket probably came from the fried food stall at the alley entrance. The stall owner is a man in his fifties who works in the smoky environment until midnight every day. The last time I passed by, I saw him rubbing his lower back, so he probably has lumbar muscle strain.

From initial shame and the urge to escape, to gradually adapting now, and even starting to figure out some "tricks" from these scraps.

These past few days, they've spent their days collecting scrap metal, drying medicinal herbs, and even being ordered to count rice, all with Wang Minyu. At night, they huddle like thieves in a narrow cubicle behind the pharmacy, flipping through the yellowed, uncovered handwritten manuscripts Wang Minyu has given them by the dim light of a desk lamp.

What Wang Minyu taught them was never any specific formula for herbal decoctions, but a completely new perspective on the world and on patients—treating people as people, rather than as a collection of organs and indicators.

"Dr. Wang is such a weirdo." Zhao Na stomped on a Budweiser beer can, the sound of which was strangely relaxing.

"A freak?" Li Siyuan shook his head, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "He just lives more authentically than us. We learn how to deal with 'illness' in school, he teaches how to deal with 'people'. He can see through the root of the problem at a glance, not because he has X-ray vision, but because he has seen through human nature."

Another bizarre assignment given by Wang Minyu flashed through his mind: stand at the entrance of the pharmacy every day, observe passersby like a fortune teller, and be allowed to judge their physical and mental condition by looking at them without asking any questions.

At first, the two thought it was pure nonsense.

But after watching for a few days with gritted teeth, they were surprised to find that the human body is really honest; those hidden ailments and emotions will always be revealed unintentionally.

For example, the delivery guy who rushes to buy band-aids every morning always habitually rubs his lower back with his right hand—a compensatory movement for lumbar muscle strain; the sophisticated white-collar worker who comes to buy painkillers every afternoon has impeccable makeup, but the dark circles under her eyes that even concealer can't cover, and her tightly pursed, pale lips, clearly tell the story of "anxiety."

They began to try to re-examine the world using this clumsy "aura-gazing" technique.

Although they couldn't see Wang Minyu's legendary "bullet comments above his head," they seemed to be able to catch a trace of each person's unique "aura."

"Senior brother, look at the ten o'clock position." Zhao Na suddenly stopped and gestured with her lips.

A man in a gray custom-made suit walked towards them from a distance, carrying a blue folder in his hand. He walked briskly, his leather shoes clicking loudly, but his face had an unnatural flush.

Li Siyuan narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the area like radar: "His face is flushed like he's wearing makeup, his hairline is receding, he walks with a brisk pace but his legs feel unsteady. He's gripping that document tightly, his knuckles are white, he must be a long-term desk worker. Look at how he went down the steps just now, his hand instinctively went to protect his back, his back must be hurting. And that look in his eyes, so shifty, he keeps checking his phone every few steps, he's restless."

"diagnosis?"

"Excessive liver fire and deficient kidney qi," Li Siyuan said confidently. "A typical 'elite disease.' Long-term late nights and social engagements have disrupted the balance between the heart and kidneys, leading to liver stagnation and internal heat. As for the lower back, it's definitely kidney deficiency causing back pain, and I suspect he's not doing well in that area either."

"Pfft." Zhao Na couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Then do you think he'll get into Renxin?"

"It's unlikely." Li Siyuan shook his head. "This kind of person has a very high opinion of himself and believes in efficiency above all else. As long as he hasn't collapsed, he thinks he's made of iron. Even when he needs medical treatment, he goes to private hospitals to see specialists. He wouldn't even look at our roadside shop."

Before he could finish speaking, the man in the suit suddenly stopped, bent over sharply, and pressed one hand tightly against his stomach, his face contorting in pain.

"Wow, that was a quick slap in the face!" Zhao Na lowered her voice, a strange excitement in it. "Senior brother, you were absolutely right!"

The man hesitated for a few seconds, then pulled out his phone and quickly said something, probably to postpone the meeting.

After hanging up the phone, he looked up, his face covered in cold sweat, and turned to the roadside. His gaze met the arrogant sign of Renxin Pharmacy that read, "Limited to 20 people today, no exceptions."

He hesitated for a moment, but finally gritted his teeth and staggered inside.

"Let's go! Let's go see a show!" Zhao Na locked the tricycle on the side of the road and pulled Li Siyuan into the shop.

Inside Renxin Pharmacy, Wang Minyu was nestled in a grand chair, taking the pulse of an elderly woman with a rosy complexion.

"Dr. Wang, it's amazing! Absolutely amazing!" The old lady beamed from ear to ear. "Before, my hands and feet would feel like ice blocks every winter, but this year I can even wear single-layer shoes! Your remedy is more effective than heat packs!"

"Auntie, that's a modified 'Wenjing Decoction,' it's for clearing the qi and blood, not for installing a radiator for you." Wang Minyu's tone was lazy, and he barely lifted his eyelids. "But, have you been eating too much these past few days? Did you sneak some ice cream? Your tongue coating is a bit greasy."

The old lady's smile froze, and she awkwardly touched her nose: "Hehe, I just... I only tasted a tiny bite of Häagen-Dazs, and you could tell?"

Li Siyuan and Zhao Na, who were standing next to each other, exchanged a glance and saw in each other's eyes a sense of awe that said, "Just as I expected."

At this moment, Wu Hao, the man in the suit, shuffled in, clutching his stomach. His face was ashen, and the cold sweat on his forehead had ruined his carefully styled hair.

"Doctor... I need the fastest painkillers..." The voice was so weak it sounded like it was being squeezed out from between her teeth.

Wang Minyu looked up, his gaze lingering on him for a second.

A system panel popped up: [Patient: Wu Hao, 38 years old, senior executive at a financial company. Symptoms: Acute gastritis, accompanied by gastric spasms. Causes: Long-term irregular eating habits, excessive stress, excessive alcohol consumption last night, and drinking iced Americano on an empty stomach this morning.]

"Acute gastritis," Wang Minyu said, giving the diagnosis without even letting him sit down.

Wu Hao froze, his hand still pressed against his stomach: "You... didn't even take my pulse?"

"Your stench is more detailed than your medical records," Wang Minyu pointed to his nose. "I can smell the hangover from two meters away, mixed with cheap stomach medicine and bitter coffee. Your face is as yellow as wax paper, your eye bags are practically drooping to your chin, and your lips are dry and chapped. This is the kind of condition where your liver and kidneys are completely drained. Plus, the way you're clutching your stomach, what else could it be but acute gastritis? What, do I have to give you a gastroscopy to confirm?"

A barrage of words rained down on him, leaving Wu Hao speechless.

He drank with clients until 3 a.m. last night, and in preparation for the morning meeting, he drank two iced Americanos on an empty stomach to stay awake. As a result, his stomach started cramping as soon as he stepped out the door.

"Then...then prescribe some medicine! Is there anything that will stop the pain immediately?" Wu Hao was anxious, cold sweat pouring down his forehead. "I have a merger and acquisition deal to discuss at ten o'clock!"

"Painkillers? You want to numb your pain receptors and let your stomach keep rotting?" Wang Minyu sneered, pulling out a tacky glass bottle from under the counter. Inside were some dark, unsightly pills. "I don't sell medicine to shut people up, I only sell medicine to keep people alive."

Wu Hao gasped in pain, "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is, if you want to cure your illness, you have to cure this awful life of yours first." Wang Minyu slammed the glass bottle on the table. "Here's a bottle of 'Warm Stomach Pills,' but on one condition."

"How much? You tell me." Wu Hao instinctively reached for his wallet.

"For the past month, I've declined all social engagements and drinking parties. Every morning at six, I run three laps around People's Park; I'm not allowed to eat breakfast until I finish. I turn off my phone and go to bed at 10:30 pm. I must eat three meals a day on time, and they have to be soft, easily digestible." Wang Minyu held up one finger. "Most importantly, every night I have to write a 'Life Reflection Journal,' recording what time I went to bed, what I ate, and whether I got angry or lost my temper. I'll check it."

Wu Hao was stunned, and even forgot about his stomach pain.

This isn't a doctor's visit; it's clearly a primary school teacher giving a lecture!

"Dr. Wang, you must be joking." Wu Hao smiled wryly, pointing to the Patek Philippe on his wrist. "I'm worth millions every minute. You want me to go jogging in the park and write in my diary? That's impossible!"

"Why not?" Wang Minyu leaned forward, his dark eyes fixed on Wu Hao, his gaze utterly ruthless. "Can your few million buy a new stomach? Or a new life?"

"you……"

"You can choose to take your medicine and get lost, or you can turn left and go to the hospital for a painkiller injection, and then go back to working yourself to the bone." Wang Minyu's voice was indifferent. "Anyway, by the time you get a perforated stomach or stomach cancer, the few million you've earned will just be enough to pay for an ICU bed. At that point, forget about running, you'll need someone to help you even to pee."

Wu Hao stood frozen in place, his chest tightening from those words.

He wanted to argue, to get angry, but the waves of cramping in his stomach seemed to be providing a footnote to what the other person had said.

He suddenly remembered a colleague who had just passed away last week. He was only forty years old and collapsed at a drinking party. That colleague had worked even harder than him in life, but what about now?

"You choose." Wang Minyu leaned back in his chair. "My medicine cures your illness, but more importantly, it saves your life."

The shop was deathly silent.

Li Siyuan and Zhao Na didn't dare to breathe. This soul-piercing sense of oppression was a hundred times more terrifying than the professor's room check.

After a long while, Wu Hao let out a long sigh, like a deflated balloon.

"Okay, I promise you." He gritted his teeth and forced out the words, "How much for the medicine?"

"Medicine fee: one hundred," Wang Minyu said calmly. "Consultation fee: one thousand. If you write a good diary and have a proper attitude, I'll give you a discount next time. If you're perfunctory, don't ever come to my door again."

Wu Hao looked at the ordinary glass bottle, then at Wang Minyu's smug face, and felt a mix of emotions.

Medicine costs 100 yuan, consultation fee costs 1,000 yuan, and you still have to keep a diary?

Is this guy a miracle doctor or a robber?

But he didn't dare to haggle and obediently scanned the code to pay.

This strange doctor had an aura that compelled people to believe him, as if anyone who didn't listen to him would suddenly die on the street in the next second.

Watching Wu Hao leave with the medicine bottle as if it were a royal decree, Li Siyuan and Zhao Na finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Senior brother, that move... was too flashy!" Zhao Na murmured.

"This is called 'winning hearts and minds'," Li Siyuan said, pushing up his glasses, his eyes gleaming. "Dr. Wang is helping him brake. If this man doesn't stop now, he's not far from death."

He suddenly understood why Wang Minyu had asked them to collect scrap and observe passersby.

Medical skills are techniques, healing the mind is the way.

How can you save people if you don't understand their hearts?