Chapter 22

Cui Tingxi caught the 9:20 p.m. high‑speed rail from Shenzhen North to Shantou.
Today’s schedule was packed. Morning in Shenzhen. Nine o’clock, TCM intangible cultural heritage promotion seminar. Ten, TCM intangible cultural heritage inheritance pilot zone event, saw patients. Treated several stroke patients with vision loss. Acupuncture.
Overall, results were excellent. Patients exaggeratedly called her a “living bodhisattva.” Wanted to give her a banner.
She also got contact info from industry big shots. Hoped to collaborate.
After the event, major official media would promote. Her skills were clear. Could open external visibility. Promote the clinic.
Actually, being able to come to this event, had to thank Zhang Queping.
A while ago, because business was bad, Cui Tingxi had time to get certifications. Got an advanced TCM intangible cultural heritage technician certificate. When Zhang Queping found out, he mocked her.
“What bullshit intangible heritage. Pure gimmick. Obsessing over this all day. No wonder you can’t make money haha.”
“Intangible heritage technician certificate. Sounds like a special industry. No fake certificate, I still make big money.”
……
Because he didn’t get certified, this rare event slot went to Cui Tingxi. Otherwise, with her business situation, wouldn’t have been selected.
This year, intangible heritage projects were unusually hot. Domestic and foreign investment poured in. Especially TCM acupuncture. The public increasingly valued TCM therapy. She had a feeling: this was a great chance to turn things around.
Cui Tingxi sat down, started resting.
Twenty minutes later, heard the train announcement: “Good evening, passengers. Car 11 has a male passenger with sudden discomfort. If you are medical personnel, please come immediately…”
Cui Tingxi grabbed her medical bag, talked to the conductor ahead, hurried over.
At Car 11, saw several conductors and passengers around a young man. Chattering, very noisy. The young patient curled in pain in his seat. Face pale. Sweating.
“There’s a TCM doctor here. Please make way!” The conductor called loudly.
The chattering crowd automatically parted. A pot‑bellied middle‑aged man muttered: “What? TCM? Can TCM treat this kind of emergency?”
When Cui Tingxi got close, the middle‑aged man saw her clearly. More disappointed: “And a female TCM doctor!”
Cui Tingxi gave him a cool look. Walked to the young man. Checked if he was conscious.
The young man said after eating a bun, headache was splitting. Also nauseous, weak, stomach bloated, stomach pain… As he talked, started convulsing. The conductor got emergency equipment. After checking blood pressure and temperature, Cui Tingxi made a diagnosis.
Simply put: ate something bad, hurt spleen and stomach. Acupuncture could reduce pain.
After she finished, the middle‑aged man said awkwardly: “Don’t mess him up, delay things. Can you actually treat…”
This person was very inflammatory. Already got other passengers whispering.
Cui Tingxi looked at him. Before she could speak, the young patient convulsed painfully: “D‑doctor, treat me first. I’m in so much pain.”
The conductor also said: “Please keep quiet, other passengers.”
Cui Tingxi took disposable acupuncture needles from her medical bag. Quickly needled him. A few needles, less than a minute. The person finally stopped convulsing. Pain eased. Gradually improved.
The young man slumped in his seat. Thanked Cui Tingxi weakly.
Cui Tingxi didn’t say anything. Just glanced lightly at the sarcastic middle‑aged man. Other passengers now spoke up for her.
“This person just said TCM can’t treat emergencies, said she’s a female TCM doctor. Now the doctor cured it. Why aren’t you talking?”
“What did TCM do to you? TCM is traditional culture. Passed down thousands of years. You’ve lived decades, don’t understand. Don’t do anything, just talk trash.”
“Right, can mock but can’t apologize?”
……
When the patient could move normally, Cui Tingxi checked his blood pressure and temperature again. Both normal. Stood up. Said loudly: “Good evening, everyone. What just happened, I believe you all saw.”
“Many don’t trust TCM because the market is big. Inevitably some bad practitioners muddy the waters. But I want to clarify: TCM has many methods for emergency care. Just now I selected Hegu point for quick pain relief. Also selected Zusanli point for spleen‑stomach discomfort. Needled in less than thirty seconds. Relieved this young patient’s pain and convulsions.”
“TCM has many emergency treatment methods. For example, for heart attack patients, using Neiguan through Waiguan acupuncture method, effects are very significant.”
“Think about it. Is this still ‘can TCM treat this kind of emergency’? I believe the people’s eyes are sharp.”
Seeing passengers in the car listening seriously, many raising phones to film, Cui Tingxi organized her words, elevated them.
“And through this experience, I’m more convinced: I want to pass down TCM intangible heritage acupuncture techniques, carry them forward, bring health to more patients. Also very grateful for everyone’s trust. Thank you.”
This speech was passionate, moving. Passengers stood, applauded warmly.
The pot‑bellied middle‑aged man was like frost‑beaten eggplant. Slumped in his seat. Ashamed. Didn’t dare speak.
That night, past midnight, a video: “High‑IQ female TCM doctor treats patient on high‑speed rail, calmly shuts down troublemaker” blew up on major social media. Overnight fame. The clinic’s phone was called until it couldn’t connect.
—
After the client dinner, Jiang Qishen got in the car. A slightly drunk client came with him. After telling Lao Zhang to take the client home first, he looked outside. Zoned out.
The client suddenly leaned over. Said: “Xiao Jiang Zong, you’re really talented. To be blunt, you surpass your father. And so handsome. That Zhao Bank Director’s daughter, looking at you, eyes like silk. What luck.”
Jiang Qishen pushed him away expressionlessly. “Buckle your seatbelt. Cops ahead.”
Jiang Qishen thought of some bad things. Laughed coldly.
Felt unlucky. Didn’t meet understanding, tactful people. Only ungrateful, stubborn ones. Forget silk eyes. If they didn’t trample his good intentions into donkey liver, that was blessing enough.
A call came in. He answered. The dog capture team had found the sick dog. But it had already died from the disease.
After hanging up, the client was snoring like thunder. Jiang Qishen suddenly felt very bored. Work didn’t interest him. Everything was dull.
“Boss,” Lao Zhang glanced in the rearview, observed his expression. Added: “Last time, that…”
“Don’t mention her to me.”
Jiang Qishen’s face was cold.
Lao Zhang: “Oh oh, okay.”
Lao Zhang thought: *I was talking about reimbursement. Who was he talking about?*
Xiao Jiang Zong was quite an interesting person.
Despite work being crazy busy these days, could still find time to think of Xiao Yang every few days.
Hearing company Xiao Wang say something, suddenly said to him: “Heard Chenghai had a typhoon these days. Why haven’t I heard Yang Bufan was affected?”
A few days later, the credit manager said something. He sent a message: “The typhoon didn’t fix her mouth. Go collect the loan early. Even if she starves, fine.”
……
Lao Zhang thought this wasn’t a solution. Thought about it. Felt he might need comfort.
Just now he happened to mention Xiao Yang. Lao Zhang thought this was a good chance. Tested: “Boss, Xiao Yang last time, really mentioned you to me…”
At this point, he glanced in the rearview. Saw no special reaction. Continued confidently: “She said, have you go to the hospital, check your hands. I heard the tone, quite urgent. But she was embarrassed to tell you directly.”
Jiang Qishen put down his crossed legs. Asked coldly: “Is that so?”
“Yeah. Really concerned about you.”
Jiang Qishen didn’t want to think about Yang Bufan. An ungrateful white‑eyed wolf. Made him seem like he cared.
But those words really made his heart cold, teeth chatter.
“If I weren’t this kind of person, wouldn’t have been with you so long. You bullied me the most.”
“I don’t love you now. Shut up. You sound like spam. I’m unsubscribing. TDTD!”
“Anyway, I fucking won’t lick your boots anymore! No! I’m dumping you. Remember—I’m dumping you! Fuck.”
……
Jiang Qishen might’ve also drunk too much. The more he thought, the more worked up. Alcohol fueled the urge to vent. He crossed his arms. Face cold. Started complaining about Yang Bufan.
The more he talked, the more worked up. Rapid fire. Lao Zhang let it go in one ear, out the other. Only responded when he needed a reaction.
These years, really seemed like the first time hearing him say so much about private life. Usually it was Xiao Yang babbling.
“This kind of woman isn’t worth forgiving.” Jiang Qishen concluded.
Lao Zhang thought: *Since she’s like this, why don’t you just move on? Not a good match anyway. Plus with your conditions, finding someone would be easy, right?*
Lao Zhang only thought this. Didn’t say it. Asked: “Still buying that border collie? The kennel hasn’t gotten a deposit yet.”
Jiang Qishen said viciously: “Buy my ass. Let her run her legs off. Exhaust this country bumpkin.”
Lao Zhang said “okay,” noted it down.
At the client’s home, Lao Zhang parked, carried him back.
When he came back, saw Jiang Qishen had loosened his tie, slumped in the seat, typing. Typed a while, started using voice recognition. Tongue couldn’t straighten. Looked really drunk this time.
When Yang Bufan got Jiang Qishen’s message, she’d just finished showering. Scrolled. Two screens. Busy drying hair, didn’t read carefully. Extracted some keywords.
“Dog bites Lü Dongbin,” “won’t forgive you,” etc.
Yang Bufan put down her phone. *Needs his forgiveness? Ridiculous.*
After drying hair, she lay comfortably in bed. Rolled a few times. Started scrolling short videos. Saw an 8.9‑yuan group‑buy milk tea activity. Immediately paid. But needed to invite one person.
Clicked, jumped to WeChat. Forwarded to Jiang Qishen.
He’d cursed so much. Should help her click, right?
Lying drowsily, she suddenly remembered Jiang Qishen’s tirade at Guangyou Gong.
“If you go into a coffin tomorrow, Yang Bufan definitely can’t beat you. But if you luckily live another year or two, by then these words will slap you like a hand, carve on your tombstone, stink for ten thousand years.”
He meant she’d be better than Guangyou Gong’s family later?
Though, but, her family’s current scale and profit were way behind. Some of Guangyou Gong’s words weren’t completely baseless.
Of course, she didn’t have much confidence either.
The only thing she could do was persist. Compared to the ecstasy of that moment of success, she believed more in glory being long persistence, success being able to endure loneliness.
No matter what, every ordinary day, she’d live it steadily, wholeheartedly. Lambs’ big and small things, family’s big and small things, she kept in mind.
After thinking a while, she fell asleep. Manual work’s effect on sleep was too positive.
Jiang Qishen, after sending the message, head was dizzy. But still kept his eyes open, stared at his phone. Screen went from bright to dark. He lit it again. Dark, lit again. Just watched.
A long time. The phone finally got a red dot. He opened his eyes wide. Quickly face‑unlocked. Opened.
Saw: 【Luckin Chief Welfare Officer invites you: 8.9 yuan group‑buy light jasmine milk tea】
And.
【Help me click】
He cursed contemptuously. Cursed for ten full minutes.
When he wasn’t paying attention.
Clicked it.