Healing Doctor

Chapter 80 Blind Date

Ji Xiang practices tying knots every day when he gets home.

However, his practice method was different from others.

During his internship, Ji Xiang practiced knotting by tying knots on the drawer handles of his office using the leftover No. 7 thread from the operating room.

Back then, students practiced like this so much that every drawer handle was covered in knotted surgical sutures. They were so dense, it looked like the desk had grown hair.

Now, my mom has someone deliver boxes and boxes of surgical equipment and supplies to my home, so there's no need to take away the surgical sutures that I open after the surgery and throw away when I'm done with them.

But Ji Xiang still thanked Mr. Wu for his kindness and took away a bunch of unpacked Line 7 subway tickets.

Time flies. After get off work, Ji Xiang rode his bicycle home.

"Father, I'm back."

As Ji Xiang entered the house and was about to change his shoes, he saw Aunt Chen sitting on the sofa in the living room, staring at him.

A sudden headache struck Ji Xiang. He lowered his head and, as if he had made a mistake, changed his shoes and went inside.

He was about to say hello and go upstairs when Aunt Chen said directly, "Little Jixiang, have you forgotten about the favor I asked you to do?"

Ji Xiang looked up at the sky and shrugged.

"Aunt Chen, these days, most lithotripsy surgeries in hospitals start with laser lithotripsy, and then the fragments are removed little by little," Ji Xiang explained, forcing a smile. "I haven't encountered the large stone you're looking for yet."

"Sigh." Aunt Chen sighed deeply, her face full of worry. "That child hasn't gotten better at all, and it's so hard to find a medicinal ingredient."

"Aunt Chen, if you want to see a traditional Chinese medicine doctor, you can go to the TCM hospital in our provincial capital, or you can go to the Guang'anmen TCM Hospital in Beijing. I remember the best TCM doctor in our province used to be the vice president of Guang'anmen."

Ji Xiang's father came to his rescue.

"Don't mention it, it's no use, this is our only hope now." Aunt Chen was also very kind-hearted and easily empathized with the situation. In just a few words, her eyes were already brimming with tears.

"That child is kind-hearted and shouldn't have done this. Last year, he took the art exam and was directly selected by some kind of troupe. He thought he would have a bright future, but who knew he would contract a strange disease."

Ji Xiang had a sudden thought: he could go to the system space to consult a system NPC.

"Aunt Chen, what exactly is going on?" Ji Xiang asked.

"Alas, it's true that beautiful women often have tragic fates. The child is kind-hearted and incredibly handsome! But his life is so tragic. He had to undergo surgery for congenital heart disease when he was young, and he developed this strange illness as an adult."

Aunt Chen was so immersed in her own sorrow that she couldn't hear anything Ji Xiang said.

Helpless, Ji Xiang changed into slippers but didn't go upstairs. Instead, he sat on the sofa opposite Aunt Chen and waited.

After a while, Aunt Chen began to explain the situation in a rambling manner.

The patient she was referring to was 18 years old and had just finished the art college entrance exam. His exam results were quite excellent, and he was even noticed by a girl group's manager.

Everything seemed perfect and going smoothly; a brand new chapter in life was about to begin.

However, soon after, the patient developed red maculopapular rashes on both lower limbs, some of which ruptured or even rotted.

I was hospitalized for examination at the time, and the diagnosis was vascular dermatitis of both lower limbs and acute kidney injury.

Despite receiving appropriate treatment, the patient's condition did not improve.

The patient's family took him to many hospitals, but no diagnosis could be confirmed.

When Western medicine proved ineffective, her family took her to see a traditional Chinese medicine doctor.

Having run out of good options, they could only turn to those quack doctors.

Thus, the practice of using urinary tract stones as a medicinal ingredient came about.

Because Aunt Chen is not a doctor and doesn't know much about medical knowledge, she only gave a general overview.

Ji Xiang focused his mind, entered the system space, and recounted the events to the system NPC.

Ji Xiang originally thought it would be like that exam, where the system NPC would give him a definite diagnosis after he finished speaking.

However, this time he was disappointed.

"Incomplete data," the system NPC said calmly. "There are at least 21 different conditions that could present with vascular rashes on both lower limbs and acute kidney injury alone."

"Teacher, what should we do?"

"Go check on the situation and then come back to me."

There was no mission this time, but Ji Xiang didn't care. He asked about the key points of his medical history again and then left the system space.

"Aunt Chen, is it convenient for the patient to live here?" Ji Xiang asked.

"What?"

"I have a teacher who is quite skilled in this kind of disease. I'd like to go see him and then contact him."

Aunt Chen hesitated for a moment, then shook her head. "Xiao Ji, let's forget about it."

Ji Xiang smiled. He knew where his weakness lay—his youth.

Who would trust a young doctor?

I remember that on the day I visited the hospital before my residency training, Colonel Wang said something similar.

Programmers are released into the workforce at 35, while doctors are just beginning their careers at 35.

In other people's eyes, I am still an infant in swaddling clothes, and I am not even a doctor.

After Aunt Chen took her leave, Ji Xiang's father finally breathed a sigh of relief.

It was obvious to the naked eye that Ji Xiang's father was exhausted from dealing with Aunt Chen.

"Dad, it can't be that bad," Ji Xiang said with a smile.

"I'm tired." Ji Xiang's father looked at Ji Xiang. "I have other things to do today, and I felt bad about kicking your Aunt Chen out."

"Hmm? What's up?"

Based on Ji Xiang's understanding of his father, he had a vague feeling that something bad was about to happen.

"A few days ago... uh... your mom said that you're an adult now, but you haven't found a girlfriend yet, so she's setting you up on blind dates."

"!!!" Ji Xiang looked helplessly at his old man and complained, "You should have told me sooner."

"We originally planned to meet this weekend, but it seems the other person is coming to the provincial capital, so we can arrange a meeting." Ji Xiang's father stared intently at Ji Xiang, paused for a few seconds, and then emphasized, "Ji Xiang!"

What is the most terrifying thing in the world?

When a strict father and a kind mother call out a child's full name.

As expected, Ji Xiang knew his premonition was correct.

"Your mom's worried, and I'm worried too, because you haven't found a girlfriend yet. What if you bring a boyfriend home one day..."

Ji Xiang's father paused here, his gaze as sharp as the coldest wind in the dead of winter, lashing out at Ji Xiang's face.

"Didn't you guys forbid it when I was a kid?" Ji Xiang looked up at the sky and shrugged. "You wouldn't allow this or that. You were already in a rush to find me a girlfriend when I was still doing my residency at the hospital."

Ji Xiang's father felt a little ashamed, but he was still happy to hear Ji Xiang's answer.

"You were still young then."

"It's not that big now."

"I know," Ji Xiang's father said seriously. "As long as you're orthodox, that's fine. I don't understand what young people like these days."

"Don't worry, I definitely won't bring a boyfriend home," Ji Xiang replied, patting his chest. "Then can I not go today? I have to practice surgery tonight."

"You know your mother's temper," Ji Xiang's father finally relaxed. "Just go and deal with her casually."

Ji Xiang had also considered this point. His mother made the decisions on small matters at home, but there were usually no major issues.

With a sudden thought, Ji Xiang remembered something and asked with a smile, "Dad, you're very familiar with this kind of thing with young people."

Ji Xiang's father glanced at Ji Xiang and snorted.

"Tell me about it," Ji Xiang pressed.

"You've seemed off these past few days, so I've joined a few groups."

"What group?" Ji Xiang knew that his old man was usually very rigid, but when he wanted to do something, his meticulousness was comparable to that of a system NPC.

He must have a deep understanding of what he wants to know before he tells me.

"I've joined a few gay dating groups."

"!!!" Ji Xiang was stunned for a moment, then gave a thumbs up, "Dad, you're awesome!"

"How dare you speak like that? Wash your mouth with soap."

"Hahaha." Ji Xiang scratched his head. "Dad, tell me, how did you add it?"

"Then how do you add it? I'll just forge an identity, copy some photos from the internet, and then add it in." Ji Xiang's father sighed. "I can understand, and I don't think it's wrong. Let them like what they want."

"I know there's a throne in my family that I'm to inherit," Ji Xiang shrugged.

"In short, I don't like dating groups for either men or women. You should just find a girlfriend." Ji Xiang's father ignored the important point and gave Ji Xiang his advice.

"I want to practice surgery!" Ji Xiang protested.

"Okay, you can tell your mother yourself," Ji Xiang's father said.

Thinking of his mother, who still speaks in a soft, sweet voice even after more than twenty years, but whose anger could destroy the house, Ji Xiang felt helpless.

Forget it, I'll just make do with it and consider it a way to buy peace of mind.

"Okay, I'll go, alright?" Ji Xiang said.

"Your mom will send you the address in a bit," Ji Xiang's father said. "Go quickly and come back soon."

"Dad, who is it?"

"The daughter of one of your fourth uncle's friends just graduated from university with a degree in art and dance. She's been free lately, so she's joining a girl group at an entertainment company under your uncle's group. She's just doing it for fun, and she's the perfect age."

"Okay." Ji Xiang remembered what Director Liu had said.

When I was young, I frequented the operating room; the operating room smelled much better than any girl.

"I'm contacting my mom," Ji Xiang muttered. "Seriously, work is so tiring, and I still have to deal with you guys after get off work."

As he spoke, Ji Xiang remembered something and asked with a grin, "Dad, about that group of yours..."

Ji Xiang's father raised his leg and kicked him, but Ji Xiang easily dodged, laughed, changed his shoes, and went out.

What terrible thing had he done to cause his parents to worry? Ji Xiang kept thinking about this question.

However, Ji Xiang racked his brains but still couldn't come up with an answer.

He contacted his mother briefly to get the location of today's blind date, endured her tyrannical roar, and then hung up the phone.

Ji Xiang watched helplessly as his mental strength was greatly reduced due to his mother's roar, and he felt a pang of emotion.

This takes much more energy than studying.

Out of respect for his mother and fear of her tantrums, Ji Xiang still rode his bicycle to a top-notch private restaurant in the provincial capital.

This restaurant requires reservations a week in advance. The dishes are on the lighter side, which Ji Xiang never thought was particularly good. On the contrary, Qi Yang BBQ is more to his liking.

(End of this chapter)