Rebirth 1977 Great Era

Chapter 1422 Massage on the Plane, Disciples of Four Famous Doctors from Shanxi Pick Up the Client (Bonus Chapter for Monthly Tickets)

The next day arrived in the blink of an eye. Early that morning, right after finishing their morning exercise, a light rain began to fall.

After breakfast, the thermometer hanging outside the door showed only five degrees Celsius.

Fang Yan went out again to have Director Liao examine him. Director Liao told him that Li Chong, Deng Cai, and Wang Feng would arrive shortly.

I will come here to report when the time comes. Fang Yan will take me away whenever he has time to be free.

Fang Yan agreed and then went to the hospital to make rounds.

This morning during rounds, Fang Yan casually called Lao Tao over and also explained to the patients in the ward that he would be going on a business trip for the next few days, and Lao Tao would be coming to check on them.

If they feel unwell, they should report it immediately. We have a well-established plan to check their various physical conditions.

Most people performed quite well, only a small number of patients did not perform well, such as Mr. Ma with idiopathic pulmonary interstitial fibrosis. He knew that his disease could only be treated by Fang Yan. Now that Fang Yan is going out, what if his body changes?
Finally, Fang Yan comforted him, telling him that his apprentice and master were both staying in the capital, which calmed him down.

After settling things here, Fang Yan went to the Secret Formula Research Institute to check on the recent work arrangements. He Puren was managing the institute very well, and it could continue to operate normally even after Fang Yan left.

Besides, I don't leave for long; I only go out for a few days and then come back.

Next, Fang Yan went to say goodbye to Dean Zhao Xiwu and the others, listened to the teachings of the seniors, and discussed the various messages that needed to be brought back this time.

After all, the messages that can be sent back by telegram are limited, so when Fang Yan goes out, he still needs to bring back some detailed data.

Ideally, it should cover aspects such as promotion, drug improvement, and patient feedback.

Write down all the dialects, and then the time will be almost up.

He returned to Director Liao's villa, where three bodyguards, Li Chong, Deng Cai, and Wang Feng, had already arrived. They were wearing military uniforms and carrying simple satchels. Upon seeing Fang Yan, they immediately saluted him.

Fang Yan went up and shook hands with them:
"Comrade Li Chong, Comrade Deng Cai, Comrade Wang Feng!"

It's been several months since we last met after I returned from Hong Kong.

These guys look noticeably darker from training.

After shaking hands with Fang Yan, they responded with smiles:
"Comrade Fangyan, we meet again!"

"Thank you for coming along this time. Please take good care of me on the way," Fang Yan said to them.

Li Chong straightened his back: "Director Fang, you're too kind. Protecting your safety is our duty. Director Liao has already given instructions; we will follow your arrangements throughout the process."

Deng Cai picked up the pack at his feet: "We're all packed and ready to go at any time."

Wang Feng was the tallest, and he said in a deep, booming voice:
"We have reviewed the information along the route and will ensure your safety."

Fang Yan smiled and said:
"Then I'll leave it to you all."

Fang Yan then led his group to say goodbye to Director Liao. After having a meal with them, he said goodbye to his family and got into the car arranged by Director Liao to go to the airport.

The plane took off at 4 p.m. It was a passenger plane, and there were other passengers traveling with it.

Of course, these days, those who can afford to fly are basically officials.

Fang Yan and the others were assigned to this plane.

Fly from Beijing Capital International Airport to Taiyuan Wusu Airport.

The weather isn't great today. The airport is damp, and it's drizzling. Luckily, the clouds don't look too thick.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, the plane's engines roared to life and it began taxiing on the runway.

The roar of the engines grew louder and louder, gradually rising from a low rumble to a high pitch, making the cabin feel slightly numb. The passenger plane slowly taxied on the wet runway, raindrops hitting the windows and leaving thin streaks of water. The airport facilities and control tower outside the window gradually receded into the rain.

The taxiing speed increased, and wind noise came through the fuselage, mixed with the dull sound of tires rubbing against the runway.

The planes on this route were clearly not as good as those flying to Shanghai or Guangzhou, and the flight experience was much more memorable.

Thinking of this, Fang Yan subconsciously gripped the armrest, clearly feeling the slight vibration of the machine and the push-back sensation of the seat gradually emerging and becoming more and more obvious.

With a sharp whooshing sound, the engine power suddenly surged to full, the feeling of being pushed back into the seat intensified instantly, and the body was firmly pressed into the seat.

The nose of the plane slowly rose, and the runway in the line of sight quickly narrowed and tilted backward, eventually disappearing completely, replaced by a gray sky and the rain-soaked suburban fields below.

As the plane broke through the rain layer, the fuselage experienced a brief, slight turbulence, and the rain streaked past the windows like transparent threads.

A few seconds later, the aircraft finally stabilized, and the roar gradually became steady and deep. The rain outside the window had lessened considerably, and the clouds were left far below. Through the thin gaps in the clouds, one could vaguely see the rivers and villages on the ground, like miniature models, quietly spread across the earth.

Fang Yan loosened his grip on the handrail and let out a long sigh of relief.

Then I glanced in the direction of the main urban area and found that I could only see a tiny outline.

Looking out the window at the gradually clearing sky, I silently calculated that in just over two hours, I would arrive in Taiyuan, one step closer to Lingshi County.

At this moment, an older cadre standing nearby looked at Fang Yan, narrowed his eyes, and asked:

"Um... young comrade!"

"Hmm?" Fang Yan looked at the other person and asked:
"What can I do for you, comrade?"

Fang Yan thought the other person recognized him, but he didn't think he had seen this person before. Then he saw the other person hold up two fingers and make a gesture of holding a cigarette.

He lowered his voice and said to Fang Yan:

"Is there any cigarette?"

Fang Yan was taken aback, then realized that there was no smoking ban on airplanes these days.

He was both amused and exasperated. He had indeed brought two packs of cigarettes with him when he left, but they were still stuffed in his suitcase.

Moreover, he didn't intend to let the old comrades smoke it inside the plane.

He said to the old comrade:
"I don't smoke."

Upon hearing this, the older comrade scratched his head in annoyance and then looked at the others.

Deng Cai and Li Chong also shook their heads.

The older man seemed a bit agitated and started looking for people further away. Judging from his accent, he seemed restless, which probably started after the plane took off.

After encountering several setbacks, the older comrade became even more irritable, unconsciously rubbing his pockets with his fingers and shifting restlessly in his seat.

He kept turning his head to look around, his eyes full of urgency.

Fang Yan noticed this, then took out a small packet of tea from his briefcase, stood up and handed it over: "Old comrade, if you feel uncomfortable sitting, try this. It's pre-Qingming Longjing tea that I brought. It can help relieve fatigue when brewed."

The old man paused for a moment, then took the tea bag: "Oh? Longjing? Thank you, young man. My old smoking habit is acting up; I feel unwell if I don't have a couple of puffs."

"Try brewing some strong tea; it's refreshing and more comfortable than smoking," Fang Yan said with a smile. "The air circulation on the plane is poor, and smoking is choking. You can smoke after you get off the plane."

Just then, a flight attendant pushed a water cart over, and Fang Yan casually asked for an enamel mug to brew some tea for the old man. Hot water poured into the tea leaves, and a delicate fragrance instantly filled the air. The old man leaned in to smell it, and the irritation on his face gradually lessened: "Mmm, this tea is really fragrant! Young man, what's your name? What business are you in the Taiyuan squad?"

"My name is Fang Yan. I'm going to Taiyuan to transfer to a pilot project for liver disease prevention and treatment in Lingshi County," Fang Yan said as he returned to his seat.

After taking a couple of sips from his enamel mug, the old man seemed less agitated and nodded thoughtfully, saying:
"Oh... a young cadre in the health department... Fang Yan, that name sounds familiar."

Fang Yan smiled and said:
"You've probably heard of it somewhere before."

The old comrade took another sip and said:
"Hmm, I think I've heard it somewhere before..."

Then he spoke in dialect:

"To be honest, I'm terrified of flying. Once I'm on a plane, my brain almost stops working. I have a friend who died on a plane."

Fang Yan was slightly taken aback when he heard the old comrade's words, and said:

“Old comrade, I understand how you feel. Flying can indeed make people uneasy, especially when you think of bad things. The first time I flew, I also gripped the armrest tightly and didn’t dare to let go. I always felt anxious.”

The old comrade took two more large gulps of tea and said:

"The tea leaves are still not quite right, and I'm still very anxious."

Fang Yan thought for a moment and said:

"Shall I massage the acupoints on your head for you?" Upon hearing the suggestion of acupressure in Fangyan's voice, a hint of doubt flashed in the old man's cloudy eyes: "Acupressure? Does it really work?"

However, it was clear from Fang Yan's words that he still hoped it would be of some use.

"Give it a try, it should help a bit." Fang Yan's tone was confident, giving people a sense of reassurance.

"Then let's give it a try!" The old man nodded; he was willing to give it a shot this time.

Fang Yan stood up and gestured for Li Chong and the others to make way. He then carefully stepped out of his seat and walked to the aisle next to the old man. The aisle of the plane was narrow, so Fang Yan could only bend down slightly.

"Close your eyes and relax, just lean back in your chair," Fang said, stretching out his hands.

He first gently pressed his thumb on the Shen Ting acupoint on the old man's hairline, while the other four fingers were lightly pressed near the temples on both sides. He then began to make small circular kneading motions with his fingertips in a very gentle and slow rhythm.

"Hiss..." The old comrade felt the gentle pressure coming from his forehead, and his tense scalp seemed to relax a little. He couldn't help but let out a soft sigh.

With moderate pressure, he massaged the Shen Ting and temples while gently guiding the patient's movements:
“Try to breathe slower, deeper…yes, that’s it…focus your attention on your forehead.” His voice wasn’t loud, but it clearly pierced through the roar of the engine, carrying a comforting calm.

The old comrade's expression gradually calmed down.

After massaging for a while, Fang Yan's thumb gently moved up along the Du meridian and landed accurately on the Baihui acupoint, which was right in the center of the old man's head.

This is the gathering place of all yang energies, and the governor, with his abundant yang energy, is most capable of calming the mind and stabilizing the will.

His fingertips stopped kneading and instead pressed down with a steady, continuous force, while his other fingers firmly supported the sides of the old man's head, providing extra support.

"Hmm..." Pressing the Baihui acupoint made the old man feel a warm and heavy sensation spreading from the top of his head to his whole body, and his originally anxious mood was slowly soothed by an invisible hand.

He unconsciously sank deeper into the chair back, relaxing even more.

Fang Yan's fingers maintained a warm and steady pressure, lingering on the Baihui acupoint for about a minute.

He observed that the old comrade's tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed, and his breathing became deep and even.

Then, he slowly moved his hands down to the back of the old man's neck, placing his thumbs on the Fengchi acupoint (located in the depression on both sides of the large tendon at the back of the neck).

This can effectively relieve tension headaches and promote restful sleep.

In this dialect, the fingertips are used to knead and press with moderate force.

Stimulating the Fengchi acupoint relieved the stiff muscles in the elderly man's neck, and the fatigue from the long flight also came rushing back.

Under the steady, rhythmic press of the dialect, enveloped by the white noise of the engine, and in that soothing sense of security, the old man's tense nerves completely relaxed.

Not long after, soft, even snoring came from his slightly open mouth—he had fallen asleep.

Fang Yan continued massaging gently for a while, until he was sure the old man had indeed fallen into a deep sleep, before slowly withdrawing his hands.

The secretary, who was with the older comrades, looked surprised when he saw this scene; they had actually managed to put the person to sleep in such a short time.

He seemed to be speaking, so Fang Yan gestured for him to be quiet.

The secretary watched as the old comrade tilted his head and snored peacefully in the not-so-comfortable airplane seat, and gave Fang Yan a thumbs up.

Fang Yan had already returned to his seat.

Those around him who witnessed this scene all looked surprised, and some even turned around and gave him a thumbs up, their eyes filled with admiration.

Fang Yan gently waved to the flight attendant and quietly asked for a blanket.

The flight attendant understood and carefully covered the sleeping elderly man with a blanket.

Inside the cabin, the engine was still roaring. Fang Yan looked out the window. By this time, they had left the skies above Beijing and were flying towards Shanxi. The rain below had stopped, and the clouds around them were gradually thinning.

In November, the autumn harvest in the north has long been completed. The fields are no longer green with crops, only the plowed yellow earth remains, like irregular patches of yellowish-brown neatly pieced together on the land.

In my past life, I also flew this route using dialect, and back then I saw more green on the ground.

Even now, greening efforts are not as good as those of the 21st-century industrial era.

Fang Yan recalls that the famous Three-North Shelterbelt Project would not officially start for another ten days, on November 25th. This was a major national ecological project following the State Council's approval of the "Overall Plan for the Construction of Shelterbelt Systems in Northwest, North, and Northeast China".

Right now, the airspace below should be the airspace of Zhuozhou City, Hebei Province.

As a major city south of Beijing, Zhuozhou's landmarks are clearly visible. The Beijing-Guangzhou Railway, like a silver-gray ribbon, runs through the city, with steam locomotives slowly moving along, emitting white smoke. On the edge of the city, the chimneys of the state-owned cotton mill are emitting light gray smoke.

Li Chong whispered into the dialect, "Once we pass Zhuozhou, we'll enter the mountains. This area gets very little rain in autumn and winter, and the ground is very dry."

Fang Yan glanced at Li Chong, who must also be a frequent map reader.

The plane then continued westward, entering the airspace above Laishui County and Yi County in Hebei Province. This is the starting point of the eastern section of the Taihang Mountains and a typical area that had not yet been extensively afforested in 1978.

Fang Yan saw exposed light gray rocks, and because the air was dry, he could see very far, which was completely different from the "Langya Mountain Scenic Area" in his memory in the 21st century.

About an hour later, the flight path entered the airspace of Lingqiu County, Shanxi Province, which is the natural dividing line between Shanxi and Hebei provinces.

The Tanghe River Valley appeared on the ground. In November, the river flow decreased sharply, the riverbed was exposed, and the terraced fields on both sides of the valley were planted with cold-resistant winter wheat, which appeared as light green stripes.

"Is this what northern Shanxi looks like?" Deng Cai asked, leaning closer.

Li Chong nodded, "After passing Lingqiu, further west are the foothills of Wutai Mountain, and the terrain is all Loess Plateau."

After crossing the foothills of Mount Wutai, the plane entered the airspace of Meng County, Shanxi Province, which is the "eastern gateway" of Taiyuan. About 20 minutes from Taiyuan Wusu Airport, we arrived at the core area of ​​the Jinzhong Basin. The landscape changed from mountains to plains, with tributaries of the Fen River winding through the fields. The red brick factory buildings in the factory area were neatly arranged, and the thick smoke rising from the chimneys spread into pale blue clouds in the cold air.

As the plane began its descent, Fang Yan saw the makeshift runway of Wusu Airport. The airport looked like a temporary structure, quite rudimentary. Just then, the elderly man sleeping next to him felt the landing and woke up, exclaiming in surprise:

"Huh, I really fell asleep?!"

Fang Yan said with a smile:

"I told you it would work, didn't I!"

Upon hearing Fang Yan's words, the older comrade nodded repeatedly and asked him:
"Comrade Fang, when are you going back to Beijing? If it's soon, let's go back together? I'm free, I'll wait for you!"

The older man clearly loved the feeling of sleeping until he got off the plane.

He said in dialect:

"Three to five days, I'm not really sure."

The old comrade nodded as he spoke:

"Okay, I'll give you an address. Come here at this address, and I'll be waiting for you in Taiyuan."

Then he wrote down an address for Fang Yan, which was the address of a government department, along with the person's name, Zhang Yi.

Fang Yan didn't know what his position was, but after thinking about it, she agreed.

After the plane taxied to a stop on the tarmac, the cabin door slowly opened, and a blast of cold air mixed with the smell of coal smoke rushed in.

Taiyuan Wusu Airport in 1978 was indeed rudimentary. The runway was paved with gravel, and workers were using shovels to repair potholes along the edges. Only three Soviet-made Ilyushin Il-14 passenger planes were parked on the tarmac, with the words "China Civil Aviation" painted on their fuselages in black Song typeface. The simple waiting hall next to it was made of red bricks, with a red flag on the roof. A wooden sign stood in the open space in front of the building, with the words "Welcome, comrades" painted in red.

Fang Yan and his group followed the flow of people off the plane, and from afar they could see someone holding up a sign that read "Comrade Fang Yan".

Fang Yan waved first, then quickly led Li Chong, Deng Cai, and Wang Feng over.

The man quickly put down his cards, stepped forward, and gripped Fang Yan's hand tightly, so firmly that Fang Yan felt as if the man had martial arts training.

"Director Fang! We've been waiting for you! The telegram said you'd arrive this afternoon, so I came two hours early to wait for you, just in case we missed you."

"Let me introduce myself. I am Xiao Hanxi, an official from the Shanxi Provincial Department of Health."

Fang Yan paused slightly upon hearing the name.

Xiao Hanxi, a direct disciple of Xiao Tongwu, one of the four famous doctors in Shanxi, has fully inherited the pulse diagnosis techniques passed down through five generations of the Xiao family and is the core successor of the Xiao family's traditional Chinese medicine school in Shanxi.

The person who came to greet us is one of the top practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine in the area.

PS: I've gained another 100 monthly votes, so I still owe you 5000 words after finishing this chapter.

(End of this chapter)