The Physician of Traditional Medicine Returns from Murim - Chapter 301

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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 301

Mr. Ju’s real name was Peter Ju.

He was a U.S. citizen who had graduated from graduate school in America, gotten a job at a big tech company, and even married an American.

It had been five years since he last set foot on Korean soil.

His father had passed away, and he had taken extended leave to handle the funeral.

His company had a system that allowed employees to take up to three months of unpaid leave upon request, and this was the first time he had used it since joining the company.

He wanted to make sure his father’s hospital was properly entrusted to the right person.

– This is the result of my life’s work!

His father had dreamed of having a hospital ever since Peter Ju was young, when he ran a small oriental medicine clinic in the neighborhood.

He would chant like a mantra, “I’ll open one, I’ll definitely open one someday.” Even after actually succeeding, he was incredibly proud of it.

Whenever Peter called to check in, his father would talk about how sincere and skilled the medical staff he had recruited and trained were with patients, and how much patients’ lives had improved.

‘Even the word “respect” isn’t enough.’

Ever since Peter was young, his father was always reading or writing books at home.

He truly loved studying, and he also considered sharing his knowledge with others a source of happiness.

– If you took Gyeji-tang, you need to cover yourself with a blanket. Once you sweat it out properly, you’ll get better.

His father, who would miraculously cure him whenever he felt unwell somewhere.

Even though it seemed like there was nothing more he didn’t know, he continued his endless pursuit of knowledge.

Perhaps even until the day he passed away, he became a more remarkable person each day?

Peter’s interests and talents lay in computer engineering, so he chose a different major from his father.

But that attitude toward life had sustained Peter throughout his lifetime.

‘Sigh, but he should have designated a successor.’

He had lived healthily without illness past eighty and passed away peacefully while still practicing, so it could be considered a blessed death.

But since his life ended unexpectedly, there was no will or anything else.

Had his standards been too high?

Someone who could protect what his father had achieved should take over as the next hospital director, but he had never even heard any talk about who might be good for that.

– How about Director Jeong taking over…?

The director of the second department that his father mentioned most when bragging about the hospital.

Since he had been with them since the oriental medicine hospital opened, perhaps he regarded him as both student and colleague?

Since Peter Ju was earning enough money at his company anyway, he said he would transfer it for a very small premium.

– Oh my, that’s impossible for me. I don’t have the capacity for that.

Jeong Gihun firmly refused.

And he said he would step forward himself to find a suitable person.

He said that if they posted on the Korean medicine doctor community, people wanting to take over would line up.

– Hmm… Please don’t post it publicly on the internet. I don’t want to see hyenas rushing in to tear it apart. I’m an outsider to this industry, so I don’t have the eye to distinguish between real and fake.

– Ah, I understand! I’ll quietly look for someone trustworthy.

Peter Ju also contacted Korean medicine doctors that his father had mentioned.

There were about a dozen Korean medicine doctors who had served as vice directors when he ran the clinic, but only three people had maintained regular contact until just before he passed away.

– Hmm, that would be difficult for me. I’m already running a clinic, and actually our clinic’s situation isn’t very good either, so I was thinking of asking for consulting. I’ll let you know if there’s anyone suitable.

He hadn’t thought it would be easy to find someone.

But as he finished organizing even the house where his father had lived and the year changed, he inevitably became anxious.

He had to return to the company after three months.

Just then, a prospective buyer appeared.

– Director Yun found a suitable candidate through Director Han Yewon of Seongsoo Oriental Medicine Clinic! If it’s Seongsoo Oriental Medicine Clinic, it should be trustworthy.

Director Jeong Gihun spoke with great joy.

He didn’t know much about the person in question, Hwangseoyeong, but all the Seongsoo Oriental Medicine Clinic branch directors were excellent, and considering the concept of being connected as a team, there shouldn’t be any problems.

‘…Aren’t they too young?’

He had said it wouldn’t hurt to let them look around the hospital, but Peter Ju felt very uneasy.

Even though Director Yun Heeyoung and Director Jeong Gihun vouched for them, this was a person with one more degree of separation.

It wasn’t a small scale operation – could two young people run a hospital?

Moreover, a franchise – weren’t they basically people who only cared about money? He didn’t want it to become that kind of hospital.

Even after allowing access to the materials, Peter paced back and forth in his hotel room with his arms crossed.

Should he say it wouldn’t work after all? He still had more than a month left, so it might be okay to look for a more suitable candidate a bit longer.

Ring ring ring!

Just then.

Peter received a direct phone call.

It was a prospective buyer who said he had gotten the contact information through his father’s acquaintance and wanted to acquire the hospital.

– I’ll come visit you wherever you are!

Since he was coming, it would be fine to meet him.

Peter met Director Kang Manseok in the hotel lobby.

He was a middle-aged man four years older than Peter, and someone who wore a very comfortable smile.

Unlike his late father who had been particular about things, he gave exactly the impression of a Korean medicine doctor.

“I worked at Hwangje Korean Medicine Hospital Ilsan Branch, a large hospital, for over 20 years. I assisted the hospital director with various non-clinical duties, so I’m familiar with overall practical affairs.”

It was a career close to the successor Peter Ju had vaguely been thinking of.

Someone with appropriate hospital experience and proven management abilities.

Kang Manseok enthusiastically promoted himself regarding his management experience, investment capacity, existing connections, and the marketing direction he was considering.

‘There’s no talk about treatment skills.’

Was it because that was so obvious it didn’t need to be mentioned? Well, perhaps his father had been a bit unusual.

Peter Ju wasn’t even a Korean medicine doctor, so he wouldn’t have understood even if I had explained it to him.

A strange awkwardness passed by, but I just nodded my head, thinking that’s how it was.

“If it’s alright with you, I’d like to take a look at the hospital.”

“Ah, that sounds good. …Wait a moment, I have a phone call.”

It was about time Director Hwangseoyeong had finished touring the entire hospital.

From what Jeong Gihun said, it seemed she had expressed her intention to acquire it.

“Let’s head over there for now.”

Peter Ju moved along with Kang Manseok.

“Someone else wants to do it too? Haha, I spoke up first, didn’t I?”

“Yes. Even if you hadn’t been here, we were going to reject that person anyway. They just finished their residency, so it felt uncomfortable.”

“Ah, that won’t do at all. I’m also a specialist, but during residency, you mostly play a supporting role. You might have some treatment knowledge, but you’re severely lacking in practical response capabilities.”

Kang Manseok precisely hit the points that Peter had been anxious about.

By the time the car arrived, Peter’s mind had already tilted to one side and solidified.

* * *

I fidgeted with my sleeve.

‘How am I going to handle this?’

Mr. Ju seemed to like Kang Manseok much more than Hwangseoyeong.

He was older, had worked at Hwangje Korean Medicine Hospital for a long time, and they had already finished their conversation, so it was natural.

It wasn’t that I hadn’t anticipated the existence of competitors or the possibility of the contract falling through….

But I didn’t want to lose to that guy of all people.

‘Ah, if only Master were here at a time like this!’

The Sichuan Dang Family of poison and hidden weapons.

In various martial arts novels, they’re often depicted as a family with considerable expertise in schemes, conspiracies, and background investigations.

I think of us as a family that repays grudges fairly and squarely, but Master… strangely, whenever I vented about someone who rubbed me the wrong way, he always knew their weaknesses.

He was really good at sending them away, even creating weaknesses if none existed.

Kang Manseok had already revealed he was from the Imperial Korean Medicine Hospital in Ilsan, but was there a way to prove his backdoor dealings with that hospital director?

How should I use this?

I couldn’t come up with any decent method and just kept fidgeting with the coin in my sleeve.

“Have you made your decision? The new director hasn’t even looked at the sales figures yet. If you haven’t stamped the contract, please give us just a moment.”

But before I could come up with a brilliant scheme, Jeong Gihun jumped out.

“That’s right. Director Han is truly a precious talent. We went through great difficulty to bring him here. We’d appreciate it if you could hear our story too before deciding.”

Yun Heeyoung also spoke up.

When Mr. Ju nodded in confusion, the two of them poured out words like machine guns.

“Even though he’s still young, he’s truly outstanding both in management and treatment skills. He’s published books, expanded to 7 branches in 3-4 years, and even runs his own external herbal medicine business, which has received rave reviews. He’s treated famous celebrities and even a Saudi prince.”

“Each and every branch director is an outstanding person. Director Han also helped with our clinic consulting this time… He only picks good people and takes responsibility for making them excellent.”

…This is a bit touching, isn’t it?

Even if I couldn’t devise a scheme, accumulating good deeds usually comes back like this.

“Ah, is that so…?”

Since the people he had originally trusted and asked to inquire were taking my side, Mr. Ju seemed noticeably swayed.

Taking advantage of that gap, Hwangseoyeong stepped forward.

She squeezed my hand once, then approached Mr. Ju and spoke with a direct approach.

“I knew you were looking into buyers from various angles, but I’d like to ask for a chance, even if it’s presumptuous. When I said I respected Director Ju… that wasn’t just empty words, it was genuine. The greatest legacy that Director Ju created during his lifetime, I definitely want to protect and carry on.”

When she does something, she does it properly.

While Yun Heeyoung and Jeong Gihun were praising me, she must have organized what to say, as it flowed quite eloquently.

For a moment, silence fell.

Mr. Ju pressed his brow, thought about something, then looked back and forth between Kang Manseok and Hwangseoyeong.

“It doesn’t seem like something I should decide alone. It would be good to hear the opinions of the attending physicians who will be working together.”

And he ultimately withdrew his decision.

“When treatment ends, I wonder if the other directors could spare some time… Ah, what do you think, Administrative Manager?”

“Please wait just a moment.”

When attention turned to the administrative manager, he, who had been quietly staying in the background, briefly went into the office.

“….”

And he brought out the banner that the attending physicians had prepared.

“This is the opinion of the attending physicians.”

Right, that’s right….

But that’s embarrassing.

“I’ve participated in the new openings of various hospitals and worked as an initial member. There aren’t many people with my kind of experience in this industry, so I get a lot of recruitment offers from hospital directors who are opening new practices. But since coming here, I haven’t accepted any offers even when they offered a lot more money. I liked Director Ju Sanggil’s management philosophy and wanted to work with him for life.”

“Ah….”

“I don’t know Director Jeong well yet, so it’s hard to say anything about him.”

The administrative manager paused for a moment before expressing his opinion.

It was a calm voice, but ultimately he was saying he liked Hwangseoyeong.

“I felt that Director Hwangseoyeong could maintain the same policies while getting along well with our hospital staff.”

“If you entrust it to us, we’ll all work together and do our best.”

Jeong Gihun also added a word, saying he had helped make the banner together.

Even after hearing their opinions, Mr. Ju’s worries only deepened.

Since the attending physicians and administrative manager had only met with Hwangseoyeong so far, they might think it was biased.

After all, it was I, not Hwangseoyeong, who produced the management results.

It was Kang Manseok who broke the silence.

“Even if it’s temporary, you are the owner of this hospital right now, Mr. Ju. Don’t be swayed by what your subordinates say. Who listens to employees’ opinions when selling a company?”

Then.

Perhaps thinking that the flow could be taken away if left like this, Kang Manseok intervened.

“Is hospital management child’s play? It doesn’t work just by bringing hearts together. Attending physicians should see patients and the administration department should do their job. The hospital runs properly only when everyone does their role correctly.”

Then he muttered to himself.

“Hmm…”

He opened his mouth as if he had made a very big decision.

“I’m also willing to raise the amount I mentioned earlier by about 100 million won. I can invest much more even after the acquisition. It’s a completely different situation from those young kids who just graduated.”

“…Do you really think so?”

I added just one comment.

Hmm, does he think he can beat me by raising the stakes and turning this into a chicken game?

And more importantly, this wasn’t that kind of competition to begin with.

‘A blunder.’

As expected, displeasure flashed across Mr. Ju’s face.

Sure enough, what Kang Manseok scored was an own goal.

“If I were going to sell the hospital for money, I would have asked for a much higher amount.”

Now I could see that bastard didn’t even know what Mr. Ju wanted.

The information had passed from Yun Heeyoung through me to Hwangseoyeong.

From there, it went through Director Jeong Suhwan to Kang Manseok, so there must have been omissions at the Hwangseoyeong or Jeong Suhwan level.

“Yes. I won’t avoid responsibility and will decide myself. Thinking about who Father would have chosen as his successor, it’s crystal clear.”

Until just moments ago, Mr. Ju had been in an uncertain state.

If Kang Manseok had also tried to persuade the attending physicians and administrative manager, there might have been a different outcome.

But Mr. Ju had made up his mind.

His face also hardened coldly.

“I will review it positively with Director Hwangseoyeong. Director Kang, I’m sorry but please go back for today.”

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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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