Chapter 2169 - 2025: Wastrel

Chapter 2169: Chapter 2025: Wastrel

"Oh..." Wang Xingye nodded thoughtfully.

"What’s the use of him, a physician, caring about this stuff?" Wang Rui asked.

"His wife is a hospital director," Yu Xiulin said.

"His exact words were, I have a wife who is a director," Wang Xuezhong said.

"Never mind, let’s hurry to the hospital for a check-up, see what’s going on, it’ll give us peace of mind," Wang Xingjia said.

"What’s the name of this doctor?" Wang Xuezhong asked.

"His name is Song Xiaodong," Wang Xingye replied.

"Song Xiaodong? Are you talking about our Song Xiaodong from Minghe?" Wang Xuezhong asked in surprise.

"Yes, it’s him," Yu Xiulin nodded in response.

"What’s up, Dad? You’ve heard of him too?" Wang Rui asked Song Xiaodong.

"Of course I know him; a lot of old folks in the province and in Beijing supposedly rely on him to stay alive!" Wang Xuezhong said.

"Has he really treated influential people?" Wang Rui asked.

"How did you convince him to treat me?" Wang Xuezhong asked.

"Yeah, I’m curious too," Yu Xiulin joined in asking.

Wang Xingye, Wang Xingjia, and Wang Rui all remained silent.

"What’s going on?" Yu Xiulin asked softly, noticing the change in everyone’s expressions.

"We begged for it at the gate of the Su Family Courtyard," Wang Rui pouted and answered.

Wang Xuezhong wasn’t angry but instead sighed, saying, "It’s all because of your filial piety. You should know that this Mr. Song is famously known for refusing to help those in need."

Wang Xuezhong went for a check-up at the hospital, and Doctor Li, after reviewing the ECG multiple times, happily told Wang Xuezhong, "You’ve really encountered a Divine Doctor! The myocardial ischemia has significantly improved. Just continue with some maintenance medication, and you can be discharged directly!"

Everyone cheered at the news.

Doctor Li thought to himself, "This Doctor Song, why does he look familiar?"

Having seen him in local news, of course, he looked familiar.

Meanwhile, Song Xiaodong, after treating Wang Xuezhong, felt completely drained and lay on the sofa doing nothing.

"Wow, you really managed to heal him, impressive!" Miao Qingqing asked Song Xiaodong with a laugh.

Song Xiaodong mumbled a vague "Hmm."

"Bargaining with them while treating," Miao Xuanxuan also said to Song Xiaodong.

Song Xiaodong didn’t respond at all.

In the afternoon, Song Xiaodong continued with Alchemy, using up the last bit of materials brought by Boss Feng, and once again ended up with a batch of useless pills.

Song Xiaodong looked at the batch of charred elixirs in annoyance, which were slowly emitting the burnt smell of roasted coffee beans from the alchemy furnace.

Song Xiaoru came downstairs with a bag of trash and frowned at the pile of blackened pills in the garbage bin.

"What are you up to?" Song Xiaoru entered Song Xiaodong’s Alchemy Chamber, which was filled with smoke and the scorched smell of Chinese herbs.

"Doing Alchemy!" Song Xiaodong replied.

"What about the herbal medicine outside?" Song Xiaoru asked.

"Used them all," Song Xiaodong said.

"So much material, and you only made these few pills?" Song Xiaoru asked.

"The best things come in small packages," Song Xiaodong said.

"Squandering brat, weren’t you saying these herbs were worth tens of thousands? And you just wasted them all?" Song Xiaoru asked.

"I’m experimenting, nothing can be done," Song Xiaodong replied with a wry smile.

"Fine, do whatever you want, I don’t understand this stuff anyway," Song Xiaoru said.

"Sis, don’t worry, I’m not messing around," Song Xiaodong said.

"Hmm."

Looking at the nearly empty herbal store, Song Xiaodong called Zhao Ruonan.

"Hello? General Zhao?" Song Xiaodong asked Zhao Ruonan with a cheeky smile.

"It’s me. What are you up to?" Zhao Ruonan, hearing Song Xiaodong’s sly tone, instinctively became alert.

"Can’t I call just to check in on General Zhao?" Song Xiaodong flirted with Zhao Ruonan.

"Unlike you, I have things to do. I’ve been going door to door delivering bad news to the families of fallen warriors," Zhao Ruonan said dejectedly.

Hearing this, Song Xiaodong realized it wasn’t the right time to ask for stuff.

"Did you need something from me?" Zhao Ruonan asked Song Xiaodong.

"Uh... no, just noticed the last time I left Lop Nur, it was quite sudden, so I wanted to check in," Song Xiaodong replied.

"Hmph, being overly attentive for no reason... ah, now I remember. I know why you called. I’ll tell you, I really did ask Old Li when I got back. He said, nowadays, with strict control over herbs, he can’t get any and even blames you!" General Zhao said.

"Oh, is that so? Well, I’ll let you get back to work then, General Zhao," Song Xiaodong straightforwardly tried to hang up the call.

"Hey, why such a quick change of face?" Zhao Ruonan asked Song Xiaodong.

"General Zhao has things to do, I wouldn’t want to waste your precious time," Song Xiaodong said.

"You really are something... of a rarity," Zhao Ruonan criticized Song Xiaodong.

"I’ll tell you this, even though Old Li didn’t have anything, I asked a few other wise elders, and indeed, some good stuff is available, but there’s a catch," Zhao Ruonan said.

"I knew it, they’d ask me to treat them again," Song Xiaodong quickly replied.

"How’d you guess that? Impressive!" Zhao Ruonan teased Song Xiaodong.

"Impressive, right? These old folks, huh, with their conditions... I don’t need their stuff. When they’re not feeling well, won’t they come begging me anyway?" Song Xiaodong said.

"Can’t you be proactive for once and show some initiative? Do you have to wait till they come begging?" Zhao Ruonan asked Song Xiaodong.

"Nope, only when they come begging will they take it seriously. Otherwise, how else would my medical skills shine through?" Song Xiaodong replied.

"I won’t argue with you. The opportunity’s there; don’t say I didn’t help you out," Zhao Ruonan told Song Xiaodong.