Chapter 60: A Steady Stream

"Wow—!!!"

Jiang Xiaoman finally reacted, letting out a sharp, sudden scream.

She grabbed Zhou Yichen's arm and jumped straight up, dancing with joy.

"Yichen! Did you hear that! Did you hear that!"

"You're official! You're an official barefoot doctor now!"

Her adorable doll-like face flushed bright red, not from the stove fire, but from pure, heartfelt excitement and joy.

Her reaction was even more ecstatic than Zhou Yichen's, the person directly involved.

A smile also appeared on Zhou Yichen's face.

He reached out and gently ruffled Jiang Xiaoman's hair, helping steady her as she practically jumped into the air.

"I heard it."

His voice was as calm as ever.

Was he happy? Of course he was happy.

After all, becoming an official medical orderly meant he had completely firmly established himself on this land.

A monthly subsidy of three yuan and fifty cents, along with grain coupons, meant he finally had a steady income.

More importantly, this identity served as a protective talisman.

A talisman that would allow him to steadily improve his medical skills and accumulate strength without inviting casual criticism or trouble from others.

However, having lived through two lifetimes and possessing a cheat-like talent like "Heaven Rewards Diligence,"

these immediate achievements were far from enough to make him lose his composure or become overly excited.

This was only the first step in his plan.

An insignificant yet crucial beginning.

Jiang Xiaoman's cheers still echoed in the small courtyard.

The smile on Zhou Yichen's face was warm and serene, like a pool of autumn water rippled only slightly by a gentle breeze.

As he soothed the intensely excited Jiang Xiaoman, his mind was already calculating the logistics of going to the county seat tomorrow to buy a bicycle.

After lunch, Zhou Yichen planned to head up the mountain in the afternoon to dig up some herbs.

Although he had collected a few boxes of injections and medicines from the commune health center, those supplies were definitely not enough.

With only a fixed amount allotted each month, once they were gone, they were gone.

Therefore, treating the villagers would still primarily rely on traditional Chinese herbal medicine.

Just as he was preparing to rest for a moment before heading out, a knock suddenly sounded at the courtyard gate.

"Doctor Zhou, Doctor Zhou, are you home?"

Zhou Yichen looked up and saw a man in his forties standing at the entrance.

Behind him, several other villagers were peeking in, their faces mixed with curiosity, reverence, and a lingering four-tenths of skepticism.

***

Throughout the entire afternoon, Zhou Yichen's small courtyard was never quiet.

People coming to him for medical consultations arrived in an endless stream, packing the small courtyard to full capacity.

This was something completely unimaginable in the past.

The Yangxiang Production Brigade had never had its own doctor, and the villagers had long since grown used to it.

Minor illnesses and pains? They just endured them.

Only when they truly couldn't hold out any longer would they bear to spend money, either going to the neighboring Hongqi Brigade to find Doctor Sun or making a seven- or eight-li trek to the commune.

For them, seeing a doctor was a luxury.

Therefore, even after Zhou Yichen became the brigade's medical orderly, everyone initially just thought of it as a novelty; when real illness struck, their instinct was still to grit their teeth and endure.

But now, everything was different.

Zhou Yichen had become a doctor recognized by the commune.

This meant Zhou Yichen was no longer just the untested young kid in their eyes, but a formally recognized personnel member affiliated with the state!

Consequently, these commune members, each harboring old chronic ailments to varying degrees, could no longer sit still.

Some held the mindset of treating a dead horse as a live one.

Others simply wanted to see for themselves just how capable this young man favored by the commune truly was.

"Doctor Zhou, my lower back hurts like it's being stabbed with needles whenever it rains, and it's been going on for years."

"Doctor Zhou, my child keeps coughing in the middle of the night, can you take a look?"

"Doctor Zhou, my stomach is always sour, nothing I eat tastes good..."

Zhou Yichen remained completely unruffled.

He had Jiang Xiaoman move a small table and two benches into the courtyard, setting up a temporary consultation desk.

Sitting steadily with a clear voice, he radiated a reassuring strength.

"Don't worry, everyone. One at a time."

He observed, listened, questioned, and felt the pulse with meticulous care.

No matter who came, he listened patiently to the end and conducted a thorough diagnosis.

Sometimes he used a stethoscope, sometimes he checked the pulse, and sometimes he examined the tongue coating.

"Auntie, your spleen and stomach are deficient and cold; from now on, eat less raw and cold food. I'll prescribe some spleen-strengthening herbs for you to boil and drink at home."

"Uncle, you have chronic rheumatism. Besides acupuncture, you need to keep warm regularly. I'll teach you a few exercises; practice them whenever you have free time."

His diagnoses always hit the nail precisely on the head.

The prescriptions he gave consisted of herbs commonly found in the mountains or readily available within the brigade—simple, effective, and costing practically nothing.

In just one afternoon, Zhou Yichen treated no fewer than twenty patients.

[Medical Skill Proficiency +1]

[Medical Skill Proficiency +1]

[Medical Skill Proficiency +2]

...

In his mind, the prompts for increased proficiency practically never stopped.

Meanwhile, the expressions of the commune members in the courtyard gradually shifted from initial doubt to deep conviction and respect.

This young man truly had genuine skills!

At that moment, the crowd suddenly parted to create a path.

The elderly grandfather who drove the horse-drawn cart walked in with his hands behind his back.

Old Zhang's complexion looked much better than before, though a trace of illness still lingered between his brows.

As soon as he entered, everyone fell silent, their gazes locking onto him and Zhou Yichen simultaneously.

Everyone knew that Zhou Yichen's current standing all began with him saving Old Zhang from a sudden heart angina attack.

Seeing Old Zhang, Zhou Yichen stood up with a warm smile on his face.

"Old Zhang, you're here."

Looking at the steady young man before him, Old Zhang was filled with deep emotion and nodded heavily. "Doctor Zhou, I heard you became an official doctor! This old man is so happy for you!"

Smiling, Zhou Yichen helped him to a seat and said, "Old Zhang, just call me Yichen."

As he spoke, he naturally reached out to take Old Zhang's wrist, carefully sensing his pulse.

A moment later, he released his grip.

"Old Zhang, you came just in time."

"I've already come up with a brand-new treatment method for your condition."

Ever since his medical skill had broken through to level two, his understanding of human meridians and vital energy was no longer what it used to be.

Previously, using auricular acupressure and acupuncture had merely stabilized Old Zhang's condition temporarily—a symptomatic fix.

But now, he had seen through the very root of the illness.

It was an obstruction of the heart meridians, leading to poor circulation of qi and blood.

He was confident that by combining acupuncture, herbal medicine, and lifestyle recuperation, he could completely cure Old Zhang's illness in less than a month!

"Really?"

Old Zhang's voice was trembling, and a spark of hope suddenly flared in his weather-beaten eyes.

He grabbed Zhou Yichen's arm with astonishing force, as if clutching his final straw of life.

"Yichen... you, you aren't pulling the old man's leg, are you?"

Meeting the hopeful gaze, Zhou Yichen nodded solemnly.

"Old Zhang, when have I ever joked with you?"