Chapter 413 Before making a major decision, I called Mr. Deng

The Spring Festival of the fourth year in Shangzhou seemed quieter than usual. People rarely moved around, and when they met, they greeted each other with a handshake. I think the ancient Chinese "handshake" was much more hygienic than the foreign practice of shaking hands, sometimes even touching cheeks.

On the eighth day of the first lunar month, Mr. Chen asked to meet with me.

I walked along the Shangjiang River embankment, where few people were passing by, and then entered the hotel. It was deserted. I met the security guards at the door, and they nodded at me.

I got on the elevator again, but there was no one inside. I got out and walked into Mr. Chen's office. Secretary Ma, who was working outside, was also not at work.

It seems that there is indeed a bit of panic.

Mr. Chen sat on the sofa, wearing a mask. We greeted each other and he pointed to the bottle of mineral water on the coffee table and said, "No more tea."

We sat across the coffee table.

"Shanhong, facing this sudden situation, I'd like to hear your opinion."

I said, "Gengzi years have always been turbulent. There was the Opium War in 1840, the Eight-Nation Alliance invaded Beijing in 1900, and the famine in 1960. Every 60 years is not peaceful, and this year is another Gengzi year in the 21st century. All things in heaven and earth have their own laws of destiny."

"Did you know this situation, so you kept finding all sorts of reasons to oppose Boten's investment?"

My face flushed, and I said, "I'm not a god, so I can't foresee what's going on. It's true that I'm worried."

Mr. Chen laughed. "You don't dare to predict the future of the Rising Sun. Are you afraid that I might have something against you?"

I said, "That's not the case. It's because I don't have that ability yet."

Mr. Chen said, "What should the company do under the current circumstances? Give me some ideas."

I said: "Work should resume immediately and in an orderly manner."

"Why?"

"My other master, Mr. Dong, told me that every plague begins with heavy snow, breaks out at the winter solstice, grows during the Great Cold, reaches its peak at the Beginning of Spring, weakens during the Rain Water, and ends at the Waking of Insects.

According to this pattern, today is the rainy season, so the virus is weakening. March 5th is the Waking of Insects, so it will surely continue to decline. Therefore, I suggest that the company resume all work in two days. Except for infrastructure construction sites, where migrant workers cannot leave their homes to work, all other departments must stay in the office.

"I have the same idea, but I just can't make up my mind."

"According to my conversation with Mr. Dong, he believes the pandemic won't last more than three years. This is also a historical law. If this continues for three years, will we just stop working? As long as we take good protective measures, I'm willing to offer a medical prescription and announce it in the company group."

"But many people say Chinese medicine is useless."

"That's a misunderstanding. Traditional Chinese medicine has thousands of years of experience in dispelling evil and strengthening the body. It's just that some people are superstitious about Western medicine."

"Okay, let's do as you say. We need to see hope and light in difficult times."

The next day, the company issued a notice and began an orderly resumption of work. I went to Taiyi Temple every day and asked Shiyu to post the prescription on the door.

Although few people visited, I still went there every day. When I had nothing to do, I would read and study, poring over Mr. Dong's notes. I didn't go back home to sleep at night, fearing to disturb my family. I slept in 1701.

Speaking of which, the epidemic in Upstate is not serious.

By mid-March, the city was already ablaze with pink peach blossoms and green willows, and people from Upstate were leaving their homes for an outing. Soon, the lively Upstate residents began another round of street-going.

Life began to return to normal, and I could study acupuncture with Master Shu again. Xiaolin's energy was mainly focused on renovating the house. Even more gratifying was the changes that had taken place at home.

The family hired a nanny in her forties named Guihua.

This nanny is very good. The good thing is that she is from our hometown, Heshui County, and she used to work as a housekeeper for a wealthy family in Shenzhen.

Not only does she cook meals that suit our family's taste, but she also makes everyone happy.

She has her own methods for cleaning. It's not just a broom or a mop that can do the job. Even the difficult-to-clean glass is no problem for her—she buys two magnetic mops.

When it came to drying clothes, she suggested we buy a dryer. Instead of putting them in a closet, she bought an iron and ironed each piece until it was perfectly flat. She peeled fruit quickly and skillfully, and even taught my mother how to do it.

In short, my mother is very satisfied with her. Even Xiaolin said that she is not as good as Sister Guihua in terms of life skills.

Since Sister Guihua came, the level of housekeeping management in my home has really been raised to a higher level.

However, I also have to thank my mother for this. Ever since we were looking for a nanny, she called home every day. The only requirement was that the woman must have worked as a nanny in a provincial-level city, be clean, and be middle-aged.

Her relatives in her hometown actually found such a one for her.

When Sister Guihua came, my mother had something to do. Starting with Xiaoyu's milk, she changed the way she tested the temperature.

In the past, I squeezed a little from the bottle into the cup and tasted it myself first. Now, Sister Guihua bought a bottle with temperature and scale, which makes feeding much more convenient.

In the past, you used one chopstick and I used one chopstick. But when Sister Guihua came, we had to use serving chopsticks. I wasn't used to it at first, but now I am.

In the past, people would throw cigarette butts directly into the ashtray. Now, Sister Guihua pours some water into the ashtray and puts a napkin in it.

Xiaolin said to me, "Sister Guihua is a really good person. It would be great if we could keep her for a long time."

I said, "As long as my mother likes her, she can stay. Besides, she can help my mother broaden her horizons and improve her taste."

In short, after Guihua's arrival, our family's quality of life has truly improved. The old Chinese saying is truly profound: "He who keeps company with vermilion becomes vermilion, and he who keeps company with ink becomes black." To paraphrase my master, it's like this: You become like the people you hang out with.

A completely peasant family, on the way to becoming a civilized middle class.

Not only I, but even Xiaolin, didn't have to worry too much about family matters. I was completely focused on two things: managing Taiyi Temple well, and studying diligently with Master Shu.

Things like fortune-telling, physiognomy, traveling, and socializing can be postponed if possible.

In June of my fourth year in Shangzhou, Yifan and I signed up at the same time. In July, I took the acupuncture skills test. In September, I took the written test. Having passed both tests, in the autumn, when the mountains were ablaze with red, I finally received my acupuncturist certificate from the Human Resources and Social Security Bureau.

The only difference between me and an acupuncturist who graduated from a regular medical school is that I cannot work in a hospital and give acupuncture to patients. I can give acupuncture in my own clinic.

This rule is a bit ridiculous. For patients, it doesn't matter where you get the injection. What matters is that you can get the injection done well.

Yifan passed the exam just like me.

Everyone was indifferent to my obtaining such a certificate. Lao Xiao even joked: "Are you going to make that little money?"

I smiled and didn't answer.

Only I know in my heart that this is my amulet.

After getting an acupuncturist certificate, my first call was to President Zheng.

He said, "Excellent. I'll tell Professor Cruz right away."

A few days later, Professor Cruz called me through Tang Man and told me that the dean fully agreed to confer the title of Honorary Professor of Quezon Hospital on me and hoped that I could come to the Philippines to work as a doctor.

I asked Tang Man, "Become a doctor in a hospital?"

Tang Man told me that hospitals in the Philippines are different from those in mainland China. Doctors only see patients, while you undergo examinations, tests, and buy medicine, which have nothing to do with the hospital. Doctors can work part-time at multiple hospitals.

It leaves me completely confused.

Finally, I searched on Baidu and figured it out. It means that I am registered with Quezon Hospital and can open my own clinic.

I said, "I'll try."

Tang Man said, "Professor Cruz's idea is that you two should open a hospital together. A hospital that combines Chinese and Western medicine."

I said, "The Cruz family is planning to invest in the hospital, right?"

"Yes."

I said, "Let me think about it."

After receiving this call, I came up with a new idea and called Mr. Deng.

"Boss Deng, how's the hospital business going?"

Mr. Deng laughed and said, "This year, even real estate construction has been on and off, so I haven't been able to make up my mind."

"I have an idea. Could you please come upstate so we can discuss it?"

"Okay. I'll come over tomorrow." Mr. Deng responded very readily.