Chapter 12: Lower Groove Clinic

Lower Groove was located in the southwestern corner of Yun Hua’s main city. It was once a large passage for Yun Hua’s import and export of illegal items.

Even though numerous reformations—which were carried out all across the country as it developed—ended the rampant import and export of illegal goods, they were unable to change the fact that the place looked like a village within a city.

The alleys nearby were arranged in a crisscross pattern. Old, dilapidated, small, and low buildings were scattered around. There were also tube-shaped apartments—which was just strange. Apart from that, there were also double-story houses with old courtyards around them, similar to Ling Ran’s house.

The old courtyard was left behind by his grandfather. It was renovated and expanded by Ling Jiezhou about a dozen years ago.

That was also the Ling Family’s most glorious period. There was a steady stream of people coming in for consultations and buying medication. Even though Ling Ran’s mother, Tao Ping, went shopping every day, learned dancing, learned the art of tea, watched movies, and played the piano, there was still money left for them to build a house.

The signboard of the Ling Family’s ‘Lower Groove Clinic’ was also made from an entire slab of Phoebe Zhennan.

But now, to prevent the signboard from getting stolen, Ling Jiezhou had no choice but to hang it in the courtyard. As a result, there was only an old lightbox outside, which shone with a strange red and yellow light.

When he opened the door, he could see seven or eight people, either sitting or lying down, receiving intravenous infusions (IV drips) in the main room. It had already been modified into a transfusion room.

That was the Lower Groove Clinic’s main source of income. At this time and age, the pharmaceutical businesses were monopolized by drugstores of various sizes, and pharmacies. Providing emergency treatment as a source of income for this clinic never existed because Ling Jiezhou was not a doctor.

In the words of Ling Jiezhou himself, he was only a businessman who operated a clinic.

Therefore, Lower Groove Clinic had no choice but to regularly employ old retired doctors to sit in the clinic, causing them to earn even less.

“You’re back.” Ling Jiezhou was sitting and doing office work in the wing-room beside the door. His table was always covered in all sorts of ledgers and medical records. Those who did not know would think that Mister Ling attended to hundreds of important matters every day.

However, Ling Ran knew that his father was just too lazy to clean the table.

“Where’s your white robe? Why are you still dressed like a student?” Ling Jiezhou stood up and carefully evaluated his son. He then asked, “Did you get to learn anything in Yun Hua Hospital? Even though big hospitals are good, they also have lots of rules. You have to be careful.”

Ling Ran nodded in acknowledgement and asked, “Where’s mom?”

“She’s making tea upstairs.”

“Just in time. I’ll go drink some tea.” As he spoke, Ling Ran could feel that his mouth was dry. Even though Madam Tao Ping had not done any proper work for more than ten years, her standards for her hobbies were very high.

Ling Jiezhou followed his son upstairs and said as he walked, “It’s quite good to rest a bit at home. You have to work hard when you’re in the hospital. At least pass the test and get a medical practitioner’s qualification certificate. We can hang it in our clinic and I won’t have to look for help from other doctors all the time.”

“Did Doctor Xiong’s price go up again?” Ling Ran knew what Doctor Xiong was trying to do just from hearing it. Or more appropriately, right when he heard his words, he knew what bullsh*t his dad was pulling.

As expected, Ling Jiezhou nodded with a pained expression. “It went up by another 50 RMB. It happens every single month!”

He was referring to the retired doctor whom the clinic had hired.

“It’s probably time that we raise his pay anyway. Even the price of the buns they sell in the alley have gone up.”

“I just raised his pay by 25 RMB during the New Year.” Ling Jiezhou shook his head. “Anyhow, you have to study well and strive to take over the family business one day.”

“Does our son have to end up coming back and taking over the family business after doing his internship at Yun Hua Hospital?” Tao Ping was sitting behind a tea table made of wood from an old ship. She was on the balcony at the first floor, leisurely making tea in an elegant posture.

Compared to the noisy ground floor, the first floor was like a paradise. It even smelled better.

When Ling Jiezhou saw Tao Ping, he immediately became obsequious. He laughed and said, “How is that possible? I’m giving him a back-up plan. If he can’t find a job in the hospital, it’s not a bad idea to come home and run the clinic. Son, don’t you agree?”

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“I’ll drink some tea first.” Ling Ran ignored what they said and took his ruyao cup[1] from the antique shelf next to him. He washed it with freshly-boiled water and asked his mother for tea.

Tao Ping slowly raised the transparent glass and poured a cup of tea the color of red wine into the ruyao cup. She said, “This is ripe tea from the year 2002 and can be drunk anytime. Don’t listen to your father. Having him work at the clinic is enough. Just work hard in the hospital and develop your medical skills.”

Once she said this, Tao Ping’s tone was a little downcast.

Ling Ran guessed that she was recalling his grandfather, who died during his prime. He did not say anything else and sat down to enjoy the tea.

Ling Jiezhou tore open a packet of sweet bean cakes subserviently and placed them on a white plate as snacks. He smiled and said, “I agree with my darling. Ling Ran, you have to work hard to develop your medical skills and quickly become the chief physician. The pay’s high and you’ll have a lot of freedom. By that time, with your name in our family clinic…”

As Ling Jiezhou spoke, he made gestures in the air with his hands.

“I know.” What else could Ling Ran say?

*Bang!*

There was a crash on the main door downstairs.

“Doctor! Is the doctor here?!” the newcomer shouted loudly, and the people upstairs were immediately unable to sit still.

“Something’s happened. I’ll go downstairs and take a look.” Even though Ling Jiezhou had no medical skills, he was rather devoted when it came to the clinic’s business.

Ling Ran immediately put down his teacup and followed his father downstairs.

On the ground floor.

The owner cum chef of the knife-cut noodles[2] restaurant had a towel wrapped around one hand. It was dripping with blood. Next to him was his shop assistant, who was panicking so much that he did not know what to do but shout loudly.

Doctor Xiong was old-aged. He staggered to the courtyard and put on his reading glasses. He first commented, “Boss Yang, how many years have you been slicing noodles? How are you still able to cut your hand?”

“The knife fell from the chopping board. My mind went blank, and I just reached out to grab it,” said Boss Yang as he bared his teeth from the pain. “There’s quite a lot of blood. Can you take a look to see if you can stop it?”

He had been slicing noodles for more than ten years and had experienced cutting his hand before. He was still considered to be of sound mind and rationality because he was able think about stopping the bleeding before going for treatment at a big hospital. After all, having been neighbors for so many years, he basically knew the quality of Lower Groove Clinic.

Doctor Xiong did not take it to heart even after he knew what the chef was going to do. He said, “You’re also quite clumsy. I’ll take a look first. Have you called for a ride? No matter how slight the injury is, you can’t run out by yourself. That’ll only cause more bleeding.”

As Ling Ran walked down from the stairs, he could not help but slap his hand over his forehead once he heard the conversation.

‘How can the first reaction of my highly-esteemed Lower Groove Clinic be to transfer a patient who accidentally cut himself to the hospital instead of treating him? This is… indeed a very low standard for a clinic.’

He did not need to think much. Ling Ran grabbed a large white robe below the stairs, wore it, went over, and said, “I’ll help.”

The instant he made the decision, the system’s notification appeared too.

[Newbie Mission: A small test of skill]

[Mission Details: Treat Yang Zhongshu’s hand and obtain satisfactory results.]

[Reward: Basic Treasure Chest]

Translator’s Note:

[1] Ruyao: A rare variety of chinaware from the Song Dynasty.

[2] knife-cut noodles: A popular dish in Shanxi Province.