Chapter 836: Director

Chapter 836: Chapter 836: Director

The woman addressed as Director Tian waved her hand, pushing through the pain in silence.

He Pengjun’s occupational habit flared up again, or perhaps it was his innate warm-heartedness taking over. As he kept a steady grip on the steering wheel, he hesitantly offered, "Ma’am, it looks like you’re in a lot of pain. I’m not boasting, but while there are plenty of places to see a doctor in Feng City, finding one who can actually pinpoint the root of an illness is hard. If you trust me, I can recommend a place. Dr. Li, or Li Xu, at the Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. His skills are absolutely incredible!"

Hearing this, Director Tian barely lifted her eyelids and remained silent.

Seeing no objection, He Pengjun let the words pour out. "My mother-in-law is in her seventies. Last year, the whole family thought she was at death’s door. We took her to all the big hospitals, spent an absolute fortune, and she was still in the same state. Then, I heard people talking about how amazing Dr. Li was, so we went with a ’give it a try’ mindset. And hey, guess what? When Dr. Li sees a patient, he doesn’t look at lab results. Just by taking a pulse and looking at the tongue, he explains the root of the problem plain as day. After taking his medicine for a month, the old lady has more energy than I do now!"

"Is that so?"

Director Tian pursed her lips, forcing out a very strained smile.

"I’m just a taxi driver who sees countless people every day. I have no reason to lie to you," He Pengjun said with a smile. "Just a couple of days ago, I picked up a young guy who took Dr. Li’s prescription. In one week, his chronic stomach problems cleared up completely. This Dr. Li truly is a treasure of our Feng City."

As he spoke, Director Tian’s brow furrowed even tighter. She turned her head and whispered a few words to the young woman beside her.

The young woman looked up awkwardly and said, "Sir, I’m sorry, but is there a restroom nearby? My sister... needs to use one."

"Oh!" He Pengjun slapped his thigh, chuckling sheepishly. "Look at me, I was so busy recommending a doctor that I didn’t even consider that. You should have said something earlier! If we had reached the middle of the highway, we really wouldn’t have been able to find a spot."

Highly familiar with the local terrain, He Pengjun quickly swerved the wheel and pulled over at a gas station near the highway entrance. Director Tian hurriedly got out of the car. Despite her heavy footsteps, she rushed into the restroom with surprising speed.

Five minutes later, she slowly ambled back. When she sat back in the car, her brow temporarily smoothed out. Although her complexion remained poor, the tense expression of agony had faded considerably.

Watching this through the rearview mirror, He Pengjun thought, "Ah, what a mix-up. She just desperately needed to go, and I’ve been sitting here blabbering on about medical skills."

However, shortly after the car returned to the road and entered the highway, He Pengjun noticed Director Tian’s body tensing up again. Her hand subconsciously pressed against her abdomen once more. He Pengjun didn’t make any wild guesses this time. As a seasoned taxi driver, he had seen all sorts of patients. Judging by the frequency and her reactions, the poor woman probably wasn’t just dealing with a simple need to use the restroom. It looked more like a condition involving incontinence, frequent and urgent urination, accompanied by severe pain. That kind of illness was often the most torturous.

For the next half-hour or so, the car fell silent. Director Tian rested with her eyes closed, but the heavy heaving of her chest indicated she was still enduring the pain.

Finally, the car entered the city and pulled up outside an apartment building near the municipal committee’s residential compound. He Pengjun got out, efficiently retrieved their luggage, and handed it to the young woman. Before leaving, he couldn’t help but add, "Ma’am, it looks like you’re really suffering from this illness. Whether you believe it or not, try to get an appointment with Dr. Li Xu. He might be young, but he has a good heart and exceptional medical skills. Most importantly, he doesn’t prescribe unnecessary medication."

Director Tian looked at He Pengjun’s honest, sincere face and gave a slight nod. "Alright. Thank you, sir."

"You got it! Take care now!"

He Pengjun waved, started the car, and merged into the torrent of evening rush-hour traffic.

Supported by the young woman, Director Tian struggled her way home. As soon as she walked through the door, she rushed into the restroom again without even bothering to change her shoes. A long while later, she emerged, leaning against the wall for support, and slumped weakly onto the sofa.

The young woman hurriedly poured a glass of warm water and handed it to her, asking worriedly, "Director Tian, your condition... It seems to have worsened since we returned from this business trip. Should I contact a specialist first thing tomorrow morning?"

This "Director Tian" was Tian Wen, the Deputy Director of the Health Commission. She had taken her secretary, Kang Yanyan, on a low-profile inspection tour. Not wanting to alert the local departments, she had intentionally avoided having a government car pick her up upon their return, opting to take a taxi instead.

"Haven’t I already seen the specialists in the provincial capital?" Tian Wen took a sip of water and shook her head bitterly. "I’ve taken a mountain of pills and been hooked up to countless IV antibiotics. The exams diagnosed it as interstitial cystitis, but no matter the treatment, it’s always the same. It’s manageable during the day, but at night, I have to get up every half hour, and my abdomen aches with a piercing pain. This life... is absolute torture."

As an official overseeing medical health, Tian Wen knew the ins and outs of the medical system in Feng City—and even the entire province—far better than the average person. When she fell ill, she naturally sought out top-tier specialists, yet the results had been deeply underwhelming. Leaning back against the sofa, the taxi driver’s words suddenly echoed in her mind. That pure, uncalculated praise was often far more persuasive than any hospital brochure.

"What was the name of the doctor the taxi driver mentioned earlier?" Tian Wen asked with her eyes closed.

Kang Yanyan hurriedly set down the luggage in her hands, her excellent memory serving her well. "He mentioned Dr. Li, or Li Xu, at the City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. He also said he was some kind of hospital director."

"The Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Li Xu..." Tian Wen repeated the name, searching her memory, but she couldn’t recall anyone fitting that description. The Feng City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine had seen mediocre development in recent years. In her impression, there were no particularly outstanding young talents who could cause a stir across the entire medical system. However, if even a taxi driver casually sang his praises, it proved that this person’s reputation among grassroots patients was truly excellent.

"Yanyan, book me an appointment with this Li Xu for tomorrow. We won’t go to the office; we’ll head straight to the hospital." Tian Wen opened her eyes, a hint of resolve in her gaze. "No pulling strings, no advance notice. I will go see this ’Divine Physician’ as an ordinary patient. If he truly has that level of skill, we need to unearth this kind of talent. If it’s just empty rumors, at least I’ll know."

"Director Tian, will your body be able to handle it?" Kang Yanyan asked worriedly.

"It’s fine. I’ll take a couple of painkillers to suppress it," Tian Wen said, waving her hand. "Alright, it’s getting late, and you’ve been tired out by the journey as well. Go back and get some rest early. We’ll meet at the hospital entrance tomorrow at eight in the morning."

"Understood, Director Tian." Kang Yanyan backed out respectfully, closing the door behind her.