Chapter 29

After Zhou Wenbin returned, he found that the Shi Zhiwei couple had already left. Although he knew that this matter was far from over, at least he could take a breather for now.

Cheng Xiaohong picked up a small piece of the bracelet at the scene and studied it, trying to determine its value. Women always showed a particular interest in such things.

Xu Chunliang couldn't help but laugh at her serious expression: "Sister Cheng, this kind of bracelet isn't worth much. They are everywhere in the riverbed of Kunlun Mountain." He had seen a lot of jewelry and gemstones, and this bracelet was only of third-rate quality, easily found in any jade shop, though not in today's jade shops.

Cheng Xiaohong said, "What do you know? I know a bit about this. This bracelet should be quite valuable. Didn't you hear her say that it's worth a lifetime of Director Cai's income?"

Zhou Wenbin just walked in: "She's just exaggerating. Director Cai's annual income is at least 500,000 yuan, and over a lifetime, it would be at least several million. I don't believe this bracelet could be worth ten million."

Cheng Xiaohong said enviously, "Being a doctor is still better. We in administration only get a fixed salary, and even if we work all our lives, we won't make much money."

Xu Chunliang laughed, "You're a woman, don't worry about money. Marry a good man, and you'll have everything." They were already very familiar with each other and often joked around.

Cheng Xiaohong spat, "I didn't know you were such a chauvinist. Women should be independent. Relying on men for everything will definitely make people look down on you."

Xu Chunliang thought to himself that women in this era were completely different from those in the past. In the past, women focused on supporting their husbands and educating their children, rarely showing themselves in public. Now, women always talk about independence.

Zhou Wenbin took the fragment of the bracelet from Cheng Xiaohong, stared at it for a while, and his brows furrowed with worry.

Cheng Xiaohong and Xu Chunliang exchanged glances. Zhou Wenbin's worries were always written on his face, and it was clear he was deeply troubled.

Xu Chunliang said, "Boss, this bracelet wasn't broken by you, why are you so worried?"

Zhou Wenbin sighed, "That couple doesn't seem like good people. Although they left today, they will definitely come back to cause trouble. This matter has already caught the attention of the big boss. If we can't resolve it quickly, we'll be in for a scolding."

Xu Chunliang laughed, "When the sky falls, the big shots will hold it up."

Zhou Wenbin, unable to laugh, said, "Don't be so irresponsible. Director Cai is a senior, you should give him some face."

"I don't like what you're saying. We treat her as a senior, but she gives us a hard time. This is clearly her own issue, and she's not proactive at all. Why should we suffer for her? If she doesn't respect her position, don't blame me for overstepping."

"Xu, our work in the medical department is like this."

"Boss, what do you mean? Is our job to suffer between two sides? If that's the case, I'd rather not do it."

It was already time to go home. Zhou Wenbin let them leave first. In the evening, Zeng Hongwen from the beauty department had invited him to dinner to discuss the dispute. Zhou Wenbin was eager to resolve the matter quickly. Although the Shi Zhiwei couple hadn't specified a compensation amount, it would ultimately come down to money. If Zeng Hongwen was willing to pay a sum to settle the matter, it would be much easier to handle.

Xu Chunliang's most common mode of transportation was a public bicycle. The hospital wasn't far from Huichun Hall, and summer wasn't over yet. He planned to learn to drive later.

As he rode past Tongji Bridge, a Toyota Land Cruiser passed by him, slowed down, and the passenger window rolled down. Shi Zhiwei, wearing sunglasses, glared at him fiercely.

Xu Chunliang stopped his bike, and Shi Zhiwei also stopped, took off his sunglasses, and pointed at Xu Chunliang, "Watch your step, you bastard."

Xu Chunliang, undaunted, pointed back at Shi Zhiwei, "Why don't you get out and try something?"

Shi Zhiwei had intended to intimidate him, but in broad daylight, he couldn't do anything on the street. Xu Chunliang didn't buy his act, and there were a few friends in the car. Shi Zhiwei thought he could scare the kid with his presence, but the kid didn't back down and even challenged him.

Shi Zhiwei got angry, told his companions to stop the car, and three people got out.

Xu Chunliang had always disliked this guy at the hospital but had held back because they were colleagues. Now that the guy had come looking for trouble, he was asking for it.

The conflict was about to erupt when a police siren sounded from behind. A police car pulled up.

Inside the police car were Lu Qi and Li Zhong. Lu Qi opened the door and sternly asked, "Who told you to park here?"

Shi Zhiwei was taken aback. He quickly realized that they weren't traffic police and laughed, "There's no rule against temporary parking here, right? And you're not traffic police, are you?"

Lu Qi nodded, "Then keep parking. I'll call a tow truck to find you a parking lot."

Shi Zhiwei immediately cowered, his face full of smiles, "Comrade Police, I'm leaving, I'm leaving. We're all friends, and I'm very familiar with your Chief Liu."

"Which Chief Liu? Call him over," Lu Qi was annoyed by people who thought they had connections and always mentioned their leaders.

Shi Zhiwei realized that the situation wasn't good and that it wasn't worth making a big deal over such a small matter. He quickly got back in the car and drove away.

After they were gone, Lu Qi greeted Xu Chunliang, "What's going on? It looked like those guys were trying to cause trouble for you."

Xu Chunliang laughed, "Brother Lu, you misunderstood. They were just asking for directions."

Li Zhong also got out of the car, "I know that guy. He works in earthwork at a construction site. His name is Shi Zhiwei. He owns a quarry and has some money and connections in the bureau."

Lu Qi nodded. People in such professions usually had good connections and owned large vehicles. Xu Chunliang wasn't telling the truth, so Lu Qi warned him, "If you have trouble, call the police. Don't try to solve it yourself." He had known Xu Chunliang for a long time but didn't really understand him. The more he interacted with him, the more he found him inscrutable.

Xu Chunliang said, "Don't worry, I know the law. By the way, how's the case going?"

Lu Qi couldn't reveal too much but said that they were still investigating. However, Fan Yajun had already confessed, and the other suspects were being pursued.

When Xu Chunliang got home, he saw Deputy Dean Gao Xinhua there. Gao had woken up with a stiff neck and had gone to the physiotherapy department for a massage and heat therapy, but it didn't help much. To relieve the pain, he took a Fenbid tablet, but it didn't work, so he thought of Old Mr. Xu.

Treating a stiff neck is a specialty of Huichun Hall. Xu Changshan examined him and explained that a stiff neck is usually caused by poor sleeping posture or exposure to cold, leading to pain and limited movement in the neck and shoulders.

From a meridian perspective, the Taiyang meridian runs along the back of the neck, and the Shaoyang meridian runs along the side. Generally, if the pain or tenderness is more pronounced at the back of the neck, the problem is in the Taiyang meridian. If the pain or tenderness is more pronounced on one side of the neck, the problem is in the Shaoyang meridian. Gao Xinhua's case was the latter.

Xu Changshan had Gao Xinhua lie down and first inserted a needle at the Xuanzhong point. Xuanzhong, also known as Juegu, is located on the outer side of the lower leg, three cun above the tip of the external malleolus, near the anterior border of the fibula.

The "Acupuncture and Moxibustion Classic" states: "Feeling the sharp bone, it is the Juegu, the great network of the three yang meridians of the foot, pressing it makes the yangming pulse disappear."

It belongs to the Foot Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian.

Xu Changshan inserted a fine needle into the Xuanzhong point between the tendons and bones.

As the needle tip entered, Gao Xinhua immediately felt a sharp pain that spread down the Foot Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian to the external malleolus. The pain soon turned into a sensation of soreness and numbness in the toes. Xu Changshan continued to insert the needle deeper, and the sensation of soreness became more intense, spreading to the knee and ankle joints, which is the second needle sensation.

Xu Changshan had Gao Xinhua try to turn his neck, maintaining the second needle sensation for about four minutes.

At first, Gao Xinhua was hesitant to make large movements, but he soon noticed that the pain in his neck had significantly decreased, and his range of motion increased.

After four minutes of needling, Xu Changshan performed a shallow insertion to stimulate the first needle sensation. The pain decreased, and the sensation of soreness became more pronounced.

Next, Xu Changshan inserted a needle at the Jinmen point. In traditional Chinese medicine, "jin" refers to the lung qi, and "men" means the gateway. The bladder meridian's qi and blood transform into warm and hot properties at the Jinmen point, which then transmit upward as the yang heat qi generated by the lower part of the bladder meridian absorbing heat. The heavy and cold-damp qi of the bladder meridian is locked below the Jinmen point, so it is also called the Guanliang point.

The Jinmen point is located on the outer side of the foot, at the intersection of the lower edge of the external malleolus and the lower edge of the cuboid bone. Again, he used a fine needle to perform a deep insertion to stimulate the second needle sensation, needling for three minutes.

In addition to the previous sensation of soreness, Gao Xinhua felt a warm sensation, as if a warm current was rising along the meridian. Following Xu Changshan's guidance, he continued to turn his neck, and the stiffness in his neck gradually eased.

In traditional Chinese medicine, a stiff neck is related to cold exposure. Greed for coolness in the summer can lead to poor circulation of qi and blood in the neck and back, causing stiffness and pain, and limiting movement.

By needling the Jinmen point, Xu Changshan stimulated the yang heat qi, which can quickly dispel wind and cold.

After three minutes, he performed a shallow insertion to stimulate the first needle sensation. By this time, Gao Xinhua's neck could move freely, and he noticed that Xu Chunliang had returned.

Gao Xinhua smiled, "Chunliang, you're off work!"

Xu Chunliang said, "Dean Gao, you have a stiff neck?"