The Physician of Traditional Medicine Returns from Murim - Chapter 244
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 244
“It’s a secret between just you and me, Director. You can keep it, right?”
“Ah, yes, yes. Of course.”
Even in my surprise, I reflexively nodded my head.
I had to maintain strict confidentiality about secrets that came up during treatment, yes.
I never revealed why Kim Jinsang had been so dejected, or who Cheonma’s husband was, until the very end.
Though I did force a three-way confrontation for the former.
There had been quite a few patients who confided such secrets to me since long ago.
“Then let’s go to the treatment room.”
I tried not to show my surprise as I guided Sasha to the treatment room.
But did she inevitably notice my confusion?
Finding something amusing, Sasha kept giggling continuously.
I instructed her to apply heat therapy in the treatment room and took some time to calm my breathing.
Thanks to that, ten minutes later I had regained my usual pace and could observe Sasha’s expression.
She didn’t seem to regret having said unnecessary things…
Fortunately, she didn’t show any particularly anxious signs.
So I immediately proceeded with acupuncture treatment.
From head to hands and feet, to the abdomen. I placed needles to replenish qi and blood and help them circulate.
“Now, do you feel a heavy, tingling sensation?
“Yes!”
“This is what’s called De-Qi.”
“Ooh! So this is how qi enters!”
Some patients don’t prefer the De-Qi sensation, so I sometimes place needles as painlessly as possible.
But it was more effective when they could clearly feel that it had properly entered.
When sufficient energy enters the correct acupoints, even slightly sensitive people can sometimes feel it.
Sasha was very fascinated each time a needle went in.
We exchanged a bit more small talk during the treatment.
“But how did you come to South Korea? Do you have a performance or something?”
“Oh my, I postponed everything after finding out about the pregnancy. There was talk of doing a world tour soon, but fortunately we hadn’t made an official announcement, right? Except for a few broadcasts I couldn’t cancel, I postponed absolutely everything that could be postponed.”
Ah, I see.
Since she originally planned to give birth, she probably had no schedule for the next 7-8 months.
“But since things turned out this way, I need to return to normal life quickly~. I hope the medicine will help me recover soon!”
“You will. You’ll improve significantly in one to two months. During that time, rest well and take good care of your mind too.”
Even if not for 7-8 months, it would be good to rest sufficiently.
After all, people’s perception of early miscarriage and their physical condition afterward varies greatly.
Some people struggle for months to years, thinking they did something wrong and lost the child they were waiting for.
Others think nothing of it at all.
Physical conditions also vary – some feel like they just had a slightly heavy period, while others like Sasha experience significant depletion of qi and blood.
It’s a situation where people get criticized whether they act like nothing happened or suffer too much.
Even if no one says anything, they can feel disconnected when the situation unfolds differently from their usual perception.
“My mind is, well, fine.”
Sasha said this, but honestly, she didn’t look 100% okay.
She herself mentioned there seemed to be mood changes due to hormones.
And impulsively revealing the child’s father’s identity to me… wasn’t that because of complex emotions from not being able to tell anyone?
“That’s fortunate then. Since you’ve shared your secret, you can occasionally email me if you have things you want to say or worries. And of course if you have any pain or questions.”
Being somewhat worried, I carefully made the suggestion.
Since I’d have to prepare the second batch of medicine via email or phone anyway, listening to her a few more times should be fine.
If she doesn’t contact me, that would be good too.
“…Thank you.”
I expected some joke like “Hehe, are we secret friends?”
But Sasha looked at me with deeply moved eyes.
Her smile as she said “Thank you” carried an inexplicable bitterness.
“Oh, but are you going straight back to the United States? Should I send it by international delivery?”
After finishing the acupuncture treatment and before leaving, I asked Sasha.
Normally the front desk would confirm the address, but I wanted to mention it in advance in case I needed to send international delivery.
“I need to add herbs and boil it, right? When will it be ready?”
“I’ll prepare it this evening and send it tomorrow. If it’s domestic, it’ll arrive the day after tomorrow, but I’m not sure about overseas. If I send it express, it shouldn’t take more than a week?”
“Would it be okay if I came to pick it up directly tomorrow?”
“Of course. Are you staying in South Korea for a few more days?”
“Yes! I’m planning to travel, so I’ll be staying at the hotel for several more days.”
Ah, right.
Even if it’s not a tour, she wouldn’t go straight back after coming all the way to distant Asia.
Even if she had tremendous money and used first class, considering the time spent on flights back and forth, it would be better to do something before leaving.
Especially since she said she cleared her schedule.
“Did you come while traveling?”
“I’m traveling while visiting the Oriental Medicine Clinic!”
…I was going to prepare it well anyway, but I felt some pressure that I really needed to prepare it well.
She really came from across the ocean.
Even though they both came from overseas, it’s different from someone like the Saudi Arabian prince who came casually without big expectations, right?
“I hope you have a good change of mood before you leave.”
“Thank you. Just getting acupuncture has already made me feel much better!”
I drew the curtain and moved to the next bed.
It would be nice to comfort her a bit more, but there were several patients in the treatment room whose physical therapy was almost finished.
I sequentially examined the patients and administered acupuncture.
‘Huh?’
After about 20 minutes had passed.
As I was about to enter the examination room, I discovered Sasha standing in the waiting room.
‘Teacher Min Jeong… does she have English anxiety?’
Wondering if she might need help with payment as well, I took another look at Sasha.
But she was looking at the autographs and photos of celebrities that were now filling up the wall quite nicely.
The only person Sasha might recognize would be Melon Soda Horizon, right? She even posted about it directly on SNS. Wow, she’s become a world star.
Unlike when she seemed anxious during registration, she looked quite relaxed now.
“Don’t worry, I won’t ask for an autograph. Only people who wanted to leave them did so.”
Surprisingly, there weren’t many people I had asked first, you know?
It was half a joke, half meant to reassure her.
Sasha smiled brightly and answered.
“Please hang mine up too when the time comes someday.”
Huh? Sasha rolled her eyes and smiled cutely.
Someday… maybe she’ll reveal it herself soon? Since they seem to be dating seriously.
“But by then, meeting you might become something I can brag about!”
No, that’s a bit much.
“I already feel completely better. I’d like to take a photo with the world’s greatest physician, would you allow it?”
“I don’t see why not…?”
Since it wouldn’t be bad for me at all even if she made it public, I gave her permission to do as she pleased.
Then she took out her phone and took a selfie so that the clinic’s name would show.
Hmm, hmmm. She’s taking a selfie like this and keeping it to herself? A celebrity?
When that ‘time’ comes, will she send it to be displayed?
Well, I guess. They say there are no eternal secrets. Maybe she’s thinking of getting married someday?
“I’ll pay now. Thank you for today. It was so amazing!”
Sasha cheerfully made her payment and left the clinic.
“Clinic Director, thank you…”
Then Jin Minjeong, who had been anxiously watching without knowing what we were talking about, let out a sigh of relief.
“You worked hard too, Teacher. It’s difficult when a foreign patient comes by once, isn’t it?”
“I’m sorry. You handled all my work too, Clinic Director.”
Jin Minjeong sighed with great relief and wiped the cold sweat from her forehead.
Was it that bad?
Except for Seol Yuhui, who could manage listening reasonably well, we didn’t have any staff who were particularly good at English, but none of them seemed to be under much stress.
Seo Inae slowly communicated with a translator, and Gong Nari comfortably utilized body language.
“I should study some English.”
Jin Minjeong clenched her fist tightly.
“Ah, you don’t need to go that far, do you? It’s fine to call me like today.”
I was willing to do it, but I had no intention of forcing English on the staff.
“No. I can’t do this every time. Seeing Teacher Seo Inae working hard on various things makes me want to try something too.”
Ooh… desire for growth. That’s good.
Since there was nothing bad about it, we downloaded an app while pledging to study together.
Ha, I’ll master it soon too.
* * *
The next day.
Sasha Rian appeared wearing a hat pulled down low and quietly picked up her medicine.
She planned to keep it secret from the staff for now, and since it didn’t matter if she didn’t use insurance, she used a pseudonym.
I told her to contact me if she had any discomfort with the medication or questions after reading the instructions, but there were no particular issues.
Since I had written extensively about Gungguijohyeol-tang and even translated it, she probably understood it well enough?
A week later.
“Wow! Sasha Rian must be in Busan!”
I heard news about her from a completely unexpected source.
How did Gong Nari know that?
“Really?”
“I see.”
All our staff except Gong Nari weren’t particularly interested in celebrities, so they responded without much thought.
“How did you know?”
Only I was startled and asked Gong Nari back.
“She posted on Instagram about eating pizza in Busan! Here, I went there yesterday too! If I had stayed a few more hours, I might have seen her?”
Thinking about it, it was obviously SNS.
She said she became a fan of Melon Soda Horizon, so it seemed she was following Sasha Rian too.
When I checked Sasha’s Instagram, there was a selfie she took at a famous pizza place with the caption ‘Hello Busan~’.
‘This… Jin Minjeong might have recognized her if she looked closely?’
Jin Minjeong had seen her face once, so she might have recognized her if she had looked carefully.
Fortunately, she seemed completely uninterested and didn’t look at the screen even once.
‘Anyway, it’s good that she seems to be traveling well.’
After that, Sasha posted photos several more times from tourist spots in Busan and Gyeongju.
An email came shortly after.
I was secretly curious whether she was just uploading randomly on social media or actually having a comfortable time, but seeing the email put me somewhat at ease.
[Hello Clinic Director! I went around Busan and Gyeongju and came up to Seoul. I haven’t tried singing loudly yet, but I feel like my lost Naegong is filling up. The medicine is good, and Korean food is delicious, so I’m eating well…]
Fortunately, she said she was very cheerful while traveling.
No nightmares, and sleep was good.
The bleeding continued for about the first three days, as if clearing out everything that remained, then stopped. No abdominal pain.
The content said that if she took the full month’s worth, she felt like she’d have much more energy, and she was grateful for the good prescription.
‘Is Korean-style pizza considered Korean food?’
Everything posted on Instagram was pizza, pasta, and steak though?
Since American pizza and Korean pizza are different, could it be called Korean food?
Anyway, the progress she reported was quite good.
I sent greetings along with recommendations for several restaurants in Seoul.
[I’m happy to hear that your health is improving a lot…]
Writing in Korean first and then translating to English wasn’t easy at all.
When speaking, I just ramble on whether the grammar is right or wrong, but writing is different, you know?
After work, I sat in front of the computer and very carefully composed each sentence.
‘from? No, since? It feels like from, but according to what I studied yesterday…’
Tap tap tap tap tap!
I was blocking out everything external and focusing entirely on writing.
“Huh?”
Tap tap tap tap tap!
Without me noticing when it came in, Cheongsori was frantically tapping my knee.
…Had I left the window open?
What’s going on?
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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