The Physician of Traditional Medicine Returns from Murim - Chapter 83

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 83

I first met Choi Eunhee when I was in middle school. I happened to meet her when she came out for medical volunteer work, and I guess you could say I came to admire her.

In high school, I deliberately went to her lectures, and even took the subway all the way to Haneul Korean Medicine Clinic Gangnam Branch to receive treatment.

She looked so cool back then.

She treated my ankle sprain that had been neglected for about 6 months because I couldn’t get proper treatment, and her ability seemed so amazing.

Her worried gaze and gentle smile remained in my memory for a long time.

But now I’ve grown up.

I’ve acquired skills no less than Choi Eunhee’s, and I’ve developed the sense to recognize that her gentle smile isn’t pure.

‘Miss Hanyewon.’

Doctors basically address each other as ‘Director’ as an honorific. Not only when the head director refers to a vice director, but didn’t Professor Lee Minseok use honorifics even with students he taught?

But if she deliberately refers to me like a son’s friend?

Her intention was obvious.

She wouldn’t acknowledge me as a fellow Korean medicine doctor or an equal competitor.

“I didn’t know you knew me as Haneul oppa’s classmate. You must be very interested in your son’s friendships?”

I chuckled and countered Choi Eunhee’s words.

My current personality wasn’t one to get angry or hurt by such provocation.

“Well, no matter how busy I am, I should know about Miss Yewon.”

“What brings such a busy person all the way to Daegu? The bet between our branch director and Director Lee Hansol ended yesterday. Do you have something to say?”

“A bet?”

When I asked about the main point, Choi Eunhee made an expression like she didn’t know.

For a moment I thought it might be acting, but the very next moment she stared at Lee Hansol with cold eyes.

She really seemed not to know.

“That… that’s nothing important. More than that, Director Choi, isn’t there a clause in the franchise contract saying you can’t open within a few kilometers if you leave as a branch director?”

“Hm?”

When questioned, Lee Hansol said something irrelevant.

“That woman stole all of Haneul Clinic’s techniques and maliciously opened right in front of our clinic! The headquarters should take strong measures!”

“I asked what the bet meant. What did you wager?”

But Choi Eunhee completely ignored Lee Hansol’s words and asked about the bet.

“That, that’s…”

Even though I waited, Lee Hansol couldn’t answer.

“Director Park Jinsu? Could you tell me?”

She called the name of the male one among the two quiet vice directors.

“Ah, well. Director Chu Miyoung of Seongsoo Oriental Medicine Clinic came to confront us about business interference and local cafe comment issues, then proposed a head-to-head match. The losing side would leave.”

He could have omitted the first part, but he conveyed the facts quite accurately.

Lee Hansol’s expression turned fierce, but Park Jinsu trembled with a stupid face.

“So that’s what happened. What did you bet on? Number of patients?”

Choi Eunhee also frowned while looking at the roulette and frying pan.

“Sales.”

“I see, so that’s why Miss Yewon and Miyoung are here too.”

Choi Eunhee nodded while crossing her arms.

“Three of you operating with a constant two-person system lost to two people running single-person treatment, is that it.”

She looked at Lee Hansol and the two vice directors one by one.

Wherever Choi Eunhee’s gaze went, the three people flinched their shoulders.

“And after that, you bring up contract terms and ask me for help? Interesting.”

“…”

Lee Hansol quietly lowered his eyes.

“Unfortunately, it would be difficult to pursue that angle. There is a clause prohibiting opening within a 10km radius for up to 3 years after a vice director’s resignation, but there’s no clause about reopening after franchise termination. Of course, our advertisements and products are prohibited.”

“But, still…”

“And the contract has this clause. If a franchise branch director causes major damage to the headquarters’ brand value through serious negligence and causes a boycott or equivalent sales damage, the contract is terminated and they bear legal responsibility.”

Choi Eunhee calmly recited the contract clause.

Lee Hansol quickly raised his head at the word ‘termination.’

“No way.”

“If you search for Haneul Clinic on portals right now, it’s all about Director Lee Hansol. You wouldn’t argue this isn’t serious negligence, would you?”

Was she going to cut off the tail?

“I, I, I…!”

Thud. Choi Eunhee placed her hand on Lee Hansol’s shoulder.

“The franchise contract will be terminated as of today. Since it’s come to this, let’s cleanly accept the results. You can’t do business here anyway, right? Write an apology and lay low for a while, then go to another region. Oh, of course I won’t make you write the apology yourself. Our PR department will write and post it, so please hand over your various IDs.”

“…”

Lee Hansol didn’t say a word, but Choi Eunhee decided his treatment on her own.

After finishing everything she had to say, she turned to look at me.

“I came to notify you of that, and… to see your face once. A bet, that was quite something.”

It wasn’t particularly me who suggested the showdown, but I didn’t bother to clarify.

In fact, there wasn’t even time for that.

Choi Eunhee smiled brightly once more.

“Well then, see you again. Miss Hanyewon.”

She left the Traditional Korean Medicine Clinic just like that.

She didn’t even acknowledge greetings from me, Chu Miyoung, or Lee Hansol.

Specifically saying “see you again” to only me… I had a feeling this wouldn’t be the last time we’d clash like this.

“What a ridiculous person.”

I was the first to speak in the clinic that fell silent after she disappeared.

“Wow, that was scary.”

Chu Miyoung leaned against me while patting her chest in relief.

The male vice director over there also wanted to confide something to the female vice director, but the woman completely ignored him.

Losing their jobs because the workplace collapsed like this. At least they’ll get unemployment benefits, right?

Both of their careers got interestingly tangled. If they write “Haneul Clinic Daegu Branch” on their resumes, it’ll be obvious who they are.

I turned my attention away from them and delivered an ultimatum to Lee Hansol.

“You’re going to close down, right? I’ll give you a month, so handle it.”

“…”

“The rumors have already spread throughout the oriental medicine community anyway, so it won’t sell to another clinic. I recommend selling the equipment cheap and transferring it to someone in a different business.”

“…”

“Why can’t you answer? Still can’t accept it?”

When I waved the monthly settlement report and urged for an answer once more.

“…I understand.”

Lee Hansol finally gave a response of acceptance.

A complete declaration of surrender. It was the end of a month-long war.

* * *

“Director Han, you worked so hard!”

Chu Miyoung hugged me as I was about to return to Busan after finishing treatment, her eyes glistening with tears.

Wow! I felt incredibly good too. A clean knockout victory!

Lee Hansol was completely worn down, and Seongsoo Oriental Medicine Clinic was thriving at both the Busan and Daegu branches.

“Director Chu worked hard too! I’ve cleared away all the obstacles blocking your path, so there’s nothing to worry about now!”

“Ha, really. Just thinking about when the Solomon’s seal tea villain first appeared gives me chills. Finally disappearing from sight! Really, I don’t know how to repay this debt to you, Director!”

Oh my, it’s not really a debt worth mentioning.

I naturally take my share of what I worked for, and I also take 10% from Chu Miyoung’s sales, so there was no need to talk about debts now.

I just patted Chu Miyoung, saying she had worked hard and done well.

“Now I need to have about a month of handover period and finish up with the patients who come to see me. It’ll be busy to transfer everything to that junior colleague you mentioned before.”

“Yes! Even after you leave, Director, I need to establish the 7-day system properly!”

Once the handover is finished and I return to a 4-day schedule, I’ll have quite a bit more free time, right?

I’ve also saved a bit more investment money than I had in mind… It seemed like it would be fine to start the external herbal medicine business soon.

I had postponed it because it wouldn’t be cost-effective to set up a separate herbal medicine room just for three branches.

But after this incident became an issue, questions about how to join the Seongsuhaneui-won Network occasionally appeared on the Oriental Medicine Practitioner Community.

Of course, seeing that no direct inquiries came, it seemed like they were just talking.

I also had no intention of expanding branches on a large scale right away.

‘It’s not like I’ll die if I don’t open 10 franchise stores.’

I’ll think about business expansion slowly…

“I’m here~.”

“Good morning, Director! There are many waiting patients today too!”

For now, I should focus on strengthening the foundation.

After finishing work well and commuting to Busan the next day, there were still many patients, and the staff looked quite exhausted.

It was understandable since they had worked more than twice as hard as usual.

‘Hmm, at times like this, alcohol is the answer! It’s a celebration dinner, right?’

I wanted to throw a party, calling together all the branch directors, staff, and even Yun Hanbyeol who helped, to celebrate that everything went well.

But having four oriental medicine doctors gather in one place was limited to video conferences.

Even trying to gather just our Busan staff…

“Is there no KakaoTalk notification for waiting numbers? How many people registered for afternoon treatment?”

“There are fourteen people ahead. You should be able to see the doctor in an hour and a half!”

I could see HP bars above the heads of staff trying to respond cheerfully. Their stamina had dropped below 20%.

In this situation, a company dinner risked having the opposite effect.

I paid special bonuses to the staff who had worked hard.

“Kyaah! Director! I love you!”

Even before adding the word ‘special’, the incentive clauses in our clinic’s employment contracts were quite diverse.

Allowances for overtime hours were natural, and there were also certain percentage incentives based on patient numbers and sales, so all staff were receiving bonuses almost equivalent to their monthly salary this month.

On top of that, I paid 1 million won per person as a special bonus. In cash.

“Oh my, thank you!”

“Director, is it really okay to receive this?”

Seo Inae and Gong Nari were openly delighted, Jin Minjeong and Hwang Sanghun awkwardly received their envelopes. And Seol Yuhui didn’t know what to do and kept moving her lips.

“Of course. It was record-breaking sales and record-breaking patient numbers. You all really worked so hard.”

“I will serve with utmost loyalty.”

Seo Inae playfully struck a saluting pose.

“Yu Hee, were you okay? There were so many patients this time, it must have been hectic.”

After finishing the bonus distribution, I asked Seol Yuhui.

Gong Nari and Jin Minjeong were originally hired for their warrior qualities, and Seo Inae, though physically ordinary, has EX-level mental strength.

But I was secretly worried about the frail Seol Yuhui, yet had been too busy to take proper care of her.

“Of course! I’ve become so healthy receiving treatment from you, Clinic Director! I haven’t collapsed even once despite working this hard, right?”

Seol Yuhui rolled up her uniform top to show off her muscles.

…Though there was hardly any to speak of.

No matter how well one uses medicine and does PT, it’s not easy for someone with Guumjeolmaek to build physical strength.

“That’s a relief then. Have your consultation tomorrow, and I’ll prescribe your next medicine.”

“Yes!”

Seol Yuhui smiled brightly and greeted me, while Seo Inae and Gong Nari, clutching their money envelopes to their chests, also looked extremely happy.

“Um, Clinic Director.”

Then Jin Minjeong, who had been quietly listening to my conversation with Seol Yuhui, suddenly spoke to me.

“Yes, what is it?”

“Could you perhaps take a look at my son as well?”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————