The Physician of Traditional Medicine Returns from Murim - Chapter 9

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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 9

“Ah, I feel like I can live again!”

Jeong Gwangsu pressed his chest, which had become much more comfortable, and said he felt relieved.

I continued to press several more acupoints on his arms and legs.

I released Jeong Gwangsu’s stagnation to just the right degree—enough that it was hard to tell whether it was psychological or if he had really improved.

“Shall I get up now? I’m indebted to you.”

Pointing to the napkins he had used to wipe his tears several times, Jeong Gwangsu smiled sheepishly.

“Don’t worry about it at all. I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

The cafe owner spoke cheerfully, but Jeong Gwangsu’s face was slightly flushed as he stood up abruptly.

“I’ll come back next time with the people from the hospital ward.”

“Ahaha, I told you not to worry about it.”

Since he looked ready to leave the cafe at any moment, I quickly supported him.

“You’re going to the Oriental Medicine Hospital, right? I’ll escort you there.”

“I can’t impose on you that much.”

“I was heading to the hospital anyway. I need to see the Professor.”

“Ah, if that’s the case.”

Jeong Gwangsu and I left the cafe together. Chewing on the complimentary chocolate the owner had given us, we crossed the crosswalk where an accident nearly happened earlier.

Right across the street was the Korean University Affiliated Korean Medicine Hospital.

“Starting today, I’ll think of it as living a new life, and I’ll quit drinking too.”

Before parting ways in front of the hospital room, Jeong Gwangsu said this.

Whether he would actually follow through was unclear, but at least right now, his sincerity was clearly felt.

“You will definitely get better.”

I spoke definitively. Since Professor Lee Minseok, his attending physician, would have to take responsibility, this was a guarantee that only I, as a student, could make in a sense.

I clenched both fists and further encouraged his burning determination. Depending on how a person sets their mind, their body can change completely.

“Thank you.”

* * *

After confirming that Jeong Gwangsu had entered his hospital room, I moved to Professor Lee Minseok’s office.

“The Professor just started his afternoon rounds. He left word that you should leave the laptop with us.”

Unfortunately, he happened to be away from his office.

“Then I’ll leave it with you.”

I had just stopped by the hospital ward, but our timing was off.

I handed the professor’s laptop to the desk staff and went to the university library.

‘I guess it would be better to write it fresh, right?’

It was disappointing to scrap the work I had already done, but after seeing an actual patient, my previous assignment that only covered general treatment methods didn’t seem like it would be helpful for treatment.

– We need to release liver stagnation and reduce heart heat.

The Professor seems to like myology though. Would he give me fewer points if I submit this? I chuckled imagining the Professor frowning at my report.

But what could I do? This was really the kind of treatment direction that Jeong Gwangsu needed.

I wrote in detail about the most efficient acupuncture methods and herbal prescriptions I had in mind.

After submitting my newly written assignment, I opened the book I had been reading until last night.

* * *

At the same time.

Professor Lee Minseok, who had finished his afternoon rounds, frowned at the visit of an unwelcome guest.

“Hyung, why are you treating me like this?”

Cho Haneul had entered the office without permission and was sitting in his chair with his legs crossed.

“Haneul? What brings you here without an appointment?”

“Are you going to keep treating me like a stranger? Did my father do something to upset you?”

“Not particularly.”

Lee Minseok shook his head and gestured.

“Could you please get up from my seat?”

In truth, it wasn’t that Professor Cho Hoyoung, Cho Haneul’s father, had never done anything to upset Lee Minseok. Professor Cho Hoyoung wasn’t particularly known for his excellent character, and he tormented graduate students at a level slightly above the professorial average.

Things like speaking harshly during the thesis writing process or calling them for personal matters.

Booking plane tickets for his supervising professor’s family vacation was quite bothersome, and requests to pick up his drunk youngest son or help with vacation assignments were… quite absurd.

But Lee Minseok wasn’t the type of person to harbor resentment against his supervising professor over such matters and then take it out on his son.

‘Does he see me as an employee?’

If he hadn’t crossed the line like this today, we might have gotten along somewhat well.

After all, we had built some connection by working face to face.

“If it weren’t for my father, that chair wouldn’t be the Professor’s seat.”

That statement wasn’t 100% wrong either.

Professor Cho Hoyoung was as thorough about taking care of his people as he was about tormenting students. He had extensive connections with Korean medicine professors nationwide and actively recommended his disciples whenever positions opened up.

Lee Minseok had applied to Korean University through normal channels, but it was hard to guarantee that there hadn’t been any influence in the appointment process.

“So, are you going to tell Professor Cho? What are you planning to say? That your father’s disciple scolded me for not knowing the levator scapulae?”

“You don’t think you can do it? You’re not even a full professor yet.”

“Interesting. Go ahead and try.”

Lee Minseok burst into laughter without realizing it. Did he think he could fire him just because he felt like it?

‘This guy, isn’t he over thirty?’

He wasn’t an elementary school student who thought his dad was the strongest in the world, so it was utterly ridiculous. While he could easily imagine an advisor calling the department head to ask them to take good care of his student, the sight of someone requesting to fire someone because they bullied his son was…

‘If it’s such a pathetic organization, I should leave anyway.’

Lee Minseok had written the most SCI-level papers among the applicants and had sufficient experience as a part-time lecturer. Most importantly, since his appointment had already been decided, he wasn’t in a position to be swayed by a few words from an advisor.

“Hyung, I’m not trying to fight. I just want to know if there’s anything you’re upset about or want. Should we talk over drinks after this?”

“I can’t drink even one glass, and there’s nothing I’m upset about. The only thing I want is for Haneul to be polite and study hard.”

Lee Minseok let out a sigh.

“If you want, you could bring your father too…”

“From next time, make an appointment in advance before coming.”

He issued an order to leave with a coldly hardened face.

Cho Haneul reluctantly got up from his seat with a half-hearted attitude, then finally left through the door.

‘It’ll be hard to get my position back once.’

Lee Minseok slumped down in his chair. Just when all the inpatients were being cooperative today, a student had to cause such an unpleasant incident.

Click. Click.

Even while feeling annoyed, he habitually opened his email.

Had it been two or three hours since the lecture ended? An assignment submitted by one student was in his inbox. It was the same student who had submitted her report first yesterday too.

‘Hanyewon.’

Her previous presentation and assignments had been impeccably neat. Though he had only taught two classes so far, her sincere and proactive attitude stood out. She had the kind of upright impression that any professor would welcome as a graduate student.

‘If only Professor Cho’s son could be even half like her.’

Lee Minseok casually opened the grading sheet and began reading Hanyewon’s assignment.

“Hmm?”

He had expected her to provide exemplary answers like the previous day, but even the format was completely different. Rather than an assignment for a professor, it seemed more like teachings given to a disciple.

As he carefully examined the content, he stopped at a certain passage.

– For a patient who hasn’t visited the hospital in 10 years, the most important thing is for the doctor to gain their trust.

Trust.

It was a part that had been bothering him inwardly. When he was a resident, he thought it couldn’t be helped since he wasn’t a professor, and now that he had become a professor, he rationalized that it was natural for patients to be dissatisfied since he had become their attending physician midway through and was young.

Even when he assigned the task to write about teaching methods, he himself was still unable to find a proper approach.

But coincidentally, the attitude of the most troublesome patient had changed during today’s rounds.

Patient Jeong Gwangsu, who always looked at him with suspicious eyes, had actively asked about his illness, saying he would do whatever was told.

‘His sudden decision to quit drinking and request a prescription…’

Hanyewon’s assignment was as detailed as if she had directly met and examined patient Jeong Gwangsu. No, it seemed as if she had looked into his heart as well.

‘Could it be?’

Lee Minseok carefully read Hanyewon’s assignment—no, prescription and advice—from the beginning again.

* * *

“Damn it.”

Having visited Professor Lee Minseok for nothing and not even breaking even, Cho Haneul left the hospital as if being chased out, spitting curses.

[What’s everyone doing? Let’s have a drink]

A fun drinking session with friends was perfect for venting his frustration. Cho Haneul sent a message to the group chat.

[I’m already home. Let’s drink next time.]

[Currently meeting my girlfriend lol]

[Ah, that’s too bad ㅠ My mother is coming up from the countryside so today won’t work]

Hwang Sanghun, Kim Minggyu, and Lee Cheoljen all replied within less than a minute. But none of their answers pleased Cho Haneul.

[Haneul hyung, are you still at school? Can I ask you for one favor?]

[What is it]

[Just borrow one book for me. The one I was waiting for just got returned.]

On top of that, Hwang Sanghun made an annoying request. He was asking him to go to the library.

Am I your errand boy? Just as he was about to refuse in annoyance, Hwang Sanghun’s message continued.

[Never mind. I’ll just go tomorrow. Don’t fight with Yewon and just go home.]

[Hanyewon?]

[Ah, she’s always studying at the library, right? Sanghun hyung and I saw her there yesterday too]

Kim Minggyu’s following words sparked his interest.

Hanyewon. So it’s Hanyewon?

After failing the first semester exams, it had been quite satisfying to see her living with deflated spirits, but lately she had been particularly irritating. Just thinking of her grinning face made his brow furrow automatically.

Cho Haneul had disliked her since the freshman orientation five years ago. She had no connections to rely on and wasn’t particularly outstanding, yet she was so stubbornly proud for some reason.

– Hey, your name was Yewon, right? You should try a glass too.

– …What is this?

– Romanée-Conti, 1917 vintage. It’s wine that commoners could never even see in their lifetime. Even this small amount costs over a million won, you know?

Wow, amazing! Can I really accept something like this? Thank you! This is incredible. So cool.

These were the usual words he heard when bringing expensive, nice things.

Cho Haneul had always been surrounded by such admiring and envious gazes, and his university classmates’ reactions weren’t much different either.

– I don’t need it. I’m not curious.

But Hanyewon refused the wine.

– Come on, don’t feel burdened. It’s just a gift to become friends.

– I don’t particularly want to become friends.

She even embarrassed him.

She never attended any of the drinking parties he frequently organized after the semester started, not even once.

Occasionally there were female students who dreamed of being Cinderella, and even if not, classmates would show up at least once hoping that hanging out with him might lead to job opportunities. No one except Hanyewon tried to get on Cho Haneul’s bad side.

‘Acting all proud for someone like her.’

It was pathetic. It became even more so after hearing that Hanyewon was practically an orphan.

It was laughable that someone of her status would dare to burn with competitive spirit.

[Hahaha, I bet you’re studying at the library because you don’t even have money for a cafe, right?]

Cho Haneul typed the message while naturally heading toward the library. She had boasted so confidently about getting first place, but as expected, there was no way she had anything to rely on.

[Haha, they’re already getting nervous and studying for the exam]

[Don’t pick fights for no reason. It’ll end up on the school community board again for being noisy.]

[Hahahaha what are you so worried about that for? Let them talk or not, whatever.]

He cleanly ignored Hwang Sanghun’s message. This guy was good in every way but too timid, which was his problem.

Cho Haneul entered the Central Library, intending to vent his frustration caused by Professor Lee Minseok.

‘What? She’s studying without moving at all.’

There weren’t that many students in the reading room. Cho Haneul spotted Hanyewon right away. She really was already studying for graduation exams, with an internal medicine textbook spread open.

‘Come on, she should look at past exams first. What’s with that ignorant approach.’

As expected, unlike Cho Haneul who studied efficiently in a short time focusing on important parts selected by seniors and Hwang Sanghun, Hanyewon was ignorantly reading through books.

‘That’s why she can’t get first place.’

He had definitely intended to approach her directly and strike up a conversation, but for some reason, Cho Haneul pulled out a chair and sat at a distant spot.

‘I’ll mock her when she gets up, whatever.’

Was it difficult to bother someone who was concentrating that intensely?

Though normally Cho Haneul wouldn’t care about such things at all, he found himself unconsciously overwhelmed by her presence.

‘She’ll take a break in 10 or 20 minutes anyway.’

Cho Haneul rationalized while thinking of his own maximum study time, but.

‘She’s still not getting up?’

The long hand of the clock made one full rotation.

‘Is that even human?’

Two rotations.

‘Is that really Hanyewon? Isn’t she a robot?’

She didn’t budge even after three full rotations.

“What are you doing here.”

“Uwaaaah!”

Cho Haneul, who had been staring at the back of Hanyewon’s head with his mouth agape, was startled and let out a scream.

“Don’t you know you should be quiet in the library?”

Hanyewon whispered in a small voice.

“B-but you were just over there until now?”

“…Were you dozing off?”

Had he seen a mirage? Looking at the clock, three and a half hours had passed since he first arrived at the library.

“You probably didn’t come here to study, so do you have something to say to me?”

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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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