Apartment.

After taking a shower, Lu Xuan sat in front of the computer, reminiscing about all the cases from today, treasuring them.

The pulse image, tongue signs, syndrome differentiation, and the process of prescribing the right treatment—all this clinical experience is the most precious wealth for any Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor.

He worked until eleven at night.

"Finally finished sorting it out."

After sorting through more than eighty medical records, Lu Xuan stood up and moved around a bit to shake off the numbness in his limbs, and then lay directly on the bed.

Physically exhausted, but mentally extremely satisfied.

This was Lu Xuan's current state.

He didn't immediately close his eyes to rest but instead took out his phone and, rarely, posted a status: "Very tired, but it's really satisfying. Keep pushing forward, Dr. Lu."

After posting, Lu Xuan put down his phone and went to the bathroom.

Just as he returned to the bedroom, the phone began to receive a series of messages.

"Who could it be this late?"

Lu Xuan got onto the bed, picked up his phone, opened WeChat, glanced at it, and the frown he had disappeared, replaced by a smile.

"So it's this guy."

Ji Xiuwen.

Lu Xuan's close friend from Zhijiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The two were roommates during undergraduate studies and after passing the graduate entrance exams, became classmates and roommates again. Their bond was so strong, even jokingly referred to as "childhood sweethearts" at school, which often made them blush.

After graduation, they moved together to Yong City.

Lu Xuan went to the District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, whereas Ji Xiuwen chose to work at the County Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine near his home, marking the first time they parted ways in six years.

Lu Xuan had vivid memories of this best friend.

Ji Xiuwen seemed to have seen Lu Xuan's recent post and sent a flurry of messages:

"???

Didn't you say before you were an assistant for an attending Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor? Normally, there shouldn't be many cases for a non-specialist attending doctor. And yet, you find it exhausting?"

"If you find being an assistant tiring, I might as well die."

Below was an emoji.

Miserable.jpg.

Lu Xuan squinted, temporarily not mentioning his current move to the Health Center: "Your situation is probably similar to mine, also assisting an attending TCM doctor, so don't criticize."

"Ah, forget it."

"?"

"What's up?"

Lu Xuan frowned and quickly typed a message: "Didn't you say your family has connections at the County Hospital? Surely it's not that bad?"

Ji Xiuwen: "What connection? I hadn't even gone yet and the assistant position to the attending doctor was taken by someone else, who was just an undergraduate. If my parents hadn't stopped me, I would have stormed into the dean's office to question him. Can undergraduates in the TCM system really learn anything? Later, I thought, forget it. If I offended the dean, I might not even get the chance to dispense medicine. You know my family situation, they're waiting for me to graduate and earn money for the household. Under their persuasion, I agreed to go to the pharmacy, and now I'm either dispensing medicine or on my way to dispense medicine every day."

"Did you check my WeChat step count?"

"In a pharmacy of just a few square meters, I manage to walk ten to twenty thousand steps a day. Can you believe it?"

Perhaps feeling that typing was too cumbersome, JI Xiuwen sent a voice message which Lu Xuan played:

"After half a year of dispensing Chinese medicine here, I now want to vomit at its smell. I realize I had too idealistic views about the future back then—dreaming of assisting an old TCM doctor around graduation, gathering clinical experience, and after two years passing the exam for attending TCM doctor, gaining opportunities for independent consultations, and hoping to significantly improve my medical skills, thinking Chinese medicine could flourish under my hands.

It wasn't until after school that I understood the harsh reality. An assistant? Even being an assistant requires connections; otherwise, there's no path but into the pharmacy.

I've been wondering lately what was the use of studying TCM and getting into Zhijiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine for graduate school? What's the difference compared to others with a diploma? Still ended up in the pharmacy, dispensing medicine?

I've resigned myself now, dispensing is dispensing. At least it's a job, although the pay is slightly low, but for the county it's still okay.

Oh, you still haven't told me why you're so busy today.

Could it be at the District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine that the attending doctor's number of patients blew up?"

Ji Xiuwen's tone was full of resentment and dissatisfaction with society, even bordering on cynicism.

It was apparent just how unsatisfied Ji Xiuwen was.

At the moment, Lu Xuan didn't know how to comfort this dear friend.

Resigned?

Understanding his best friend as he did, Lu Xuan knew Ji Xiuwen was never the type to resign to fate. If he truly had, he wouldn't be venting so much here.

Resentment and dissatisfaction arise because he hasn't truly given up.

In matters like these, Lu Xuan couldn't help him.

Although Ji Xiuwen was still at the County Hospital, Lu Xuan himself had been sent to the Health Center, in some ways worse off than Ji Xiuwen.

However, thanks to his ability to hear people's Heart's Voice, he had managed to stand out. Otherwise, he might have ended up like most at the Health Center, living an uneventful life.

Lu Xuan quickly typed a line on the screen, but after thinking a moment, he erased it all and instead told Ji Xiuwen about his situation: "I'm at the Health Center now."

Soon after sending it, the phone screen lit up with a voice call invitation.

Lu Xuan was taken aback for a moment, then chose to answer.

"What happened?"

"How did you end up at the Health Center? Didn't you tell me you were an assistant at the District Hospital before?"

Upon connecting, Ji Xiuwen expressed concerned inquiries.

Even without seeing each other, Lu Xuan could imagine the series of question marks on Ji Xiuwen's face upon hearing this.

"Offended the department head."

Ji Xiuwen paused noticeably, not asking further as those words spoke volumes, then responded with a bitter smile: "Seems like we really are brothers in hardship. My spot was taken by an undergraduate, and I'm in the pharmacy, you went to the Health Center. Thinking about it now, my mindset isn't as good as yours.

But you didn't even consider me a real brother to not tell me about such a big thing."

"Aren't you the same?"

Ji Xiuwen didn't answer, his tone somewhat complicated: "I guess those grand aspirations we made at school won't come true."

Thinking about the words they exchanged in front of Zhijiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine's gate at graduation, Lu Xuan fell silent.

Then Ji Xiuwen spoke again: "By the way, do you know how the others in our class are doing?"

"I haven't looked into it; after graduation, I've only talked to you a few times, haven't contacted anyone else." Lu Xuan shook his head.

Hearing this, Ji Xiuwen sighed: "I have been in touch with them; we have a group chat, right? Saw them chatting in there before and except for those with family connections faring relatively well, the others are about the same, struggling, with no rights at the hospital, doing all the dirty and tiring jobs.

But...

Compared to us, they are sort of lucky, at least not many are in the pharmacy, mostly assisting hospital doctors, learning some skills, even if the doctors won't willingly teach, as long as they sweeten their words, they'll get a few tips.

Now thinking about it, seemed like we had the best grades in class and yet ended up doing the worst. Previously when others inquired about you, I said you were assisting at the District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine living a good life, now..."

You could hear the complexity in Ji Xiuwen's mood.

Who would have thought that the two people deemed most promising in the class by everyone would end up doing the worst.

"By the way, you still haven't told me what kept you so busy today?"

"Was it that exhausting?"

Lu Xuan took a deep breath and was about to speak.

"Xiuwen, come out for a moment, I need to say something."

"alright, mom, on my way."

"Lu Xuan, it seems my mom needs me, we'll talk another time when we're free."

"Alright."

"Hanging up."

With that said, Lu Xuan heard the urgent "doot-doot" sound.

"Oh well, next time then!"

Lu Xuan murmured to himself, placing the phone aside, lying down, and gradually falling into slumber.

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