Village Doctor's Women-Chapter 200 - 194 When You Wake Up from the Dream

After breakfast, Cai Xing and Wang Jian sat together in the courtyard.

Cai Xing didn’t mention the look from before, and Wang Jian didn’t ask. The unspoken understanding between them was perfect.

Cai Xing felt like having a cigarette, but Wang Jian stopped him. "I don’t have any cigarettes here," he said. "And even if I did, you should be quitting."

"Alright." Cai Xing wasn’t really addicted; it was just that sitting in the quiet made his mind wander. "I suppose I’ve died once already," he sighed, patting the dust from his clothes. The motes danced, clearly visible in the sunlight. "Even this sunlight feels a bit unreal."

At seven in the morning, the sunlight was gentle and harmless, serving only to make one appreciate the beauty of life.

Wang Jian turned his head and glanced at Cai Xing. He understood Cai Xing’s mood perfectly well, but his own mind was preoccupied with something else entirely—a matter concerning his Medical Skills.

"Since you’re awake now, don’t overthink things," Wang Jian said. "Just focus on recuperating."

"You’re right." Cai Xing smiled. At his age, he wasn’t one to dwell on a single matter for long. The young man beside him, however, made him more curious. "Actually," Cai Xing began, "while I was unconscious, I had a dream. You were in it, lecturing me with your profound principles, just like you are now." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Wang Jian was startled, his face full of surprise. Cai Xing continued, "It was a lot like this moment—the same sunlight, the same courtyard. It felt like everything was happening all over again... except you were urging me to wake up, and then I really did. Thinking back on it now, it truly was like a dream. It feels like I’ve just woken up from that dream."

"If it weren’t for you, I might never have woken up."

Cai Xing knew just how close he’d come to never waking up; Wang Jian had told him as much after he regained consciousness yesterday.

Hearing this, Wang Jian breathed a sigh of relief. "Perhaps it really was just a dream."

"Hahahaha."

The two men shared a smile as the entire courtyard was bathed in the morning sun, filled with life.

Wang Jian was relieved, mainly because Cai Xing had dismissed the experience as a dream. Cai Xing’s words also served as confirmation for Wang Jian: what he had experienced while waking the older man had been no dream at all.

He had originally intended only to stimulate the cerebral cortex to awaken Cai Xing’s consciousness. He never expected it would nearly drain his own Qi, allow him to enter Cai Xing’s consciousness, and successfully revive the man. When it was over, he returned to his own body, his Qi completely depleted.

The experience was very much like what Taoist teachings described as the soul leaving the body.

Yet, after waking, Cai Xing clearly had no memory of their interaction. If Cai Xing hadn’t brought it up himself, mistaking it for a dream, Wang Jian would have found it very difficult to seek confirmation. After all, if the event was real, it was terrifying. He could very well be captured for scientific research. As a medical student, he fully understood the allure such an anomaly would hold for those ’researchers.’

Since Cai Xing considered the experience a dream, it was undoubtedly the best possible outcome. Wang Jian had no intention of ever speaking of it, content to let everyone believe that a simple head massage had saved Cai Xing’s life.

However, after this incident, Wang Jian finally understood what his master, Xu Changqing, had meant when he said that Wang Jian was embarking on an unprecedented path.

「...」

Wang Jian led Chairman Kang toward the village clinic. His mind was flooded with thoughts, but he remained silent the entire way. Chairman Kang, walking beside him, wanted to ask questions but didn’t dare, choosing to share the silence.

What am I even thinking about? The petty schemes of the Cai father and daughter can be set aside for now. Even though I practice Qi Cultivation, I can’t see into people’s hearts. There’s no point in dwelling on it. Cai Xing’s brush with death, however, served as a stark reminder. I may have mastered extraordinary Medical Skills, but I’m no Immortal. When faced with a true life-and-death situation, I don’t have the power to drag someone back from death’s door. This past year, everything has gone so smoothly. Even my master, Xu Changqing, often said that the student had surpassed the teacher. As a result, I’ve grown somewhat arrogant. Strictly speaking, Cai Xing’s ’resurrection’ had nothing to do with the Medical Skills I’ve learned; it can only be attributed to the unique nature of my Qi Cultivation Skill. This uniqueness can’t be taught to others. The main problem is that even if I tried, they wouldn’t be able to learn it. That’s what troubles me most. How is this lineage to be passed down in the future? It’s a difficult problem.

Finally, Wang Jian thought of his disciple, Peng Pingan. Perhaps there’s some hope with him. Then his attention fell upon Chairman Kang at his side. He glanced over. This junior of mine might not have much talent, but with serious guidance, a miracle might not be out of the question.

He resolved to start mentoring Chairman Kang properly, beginning today. As they walked, he pondered how to begin, and his expression grew serious.

The more severe Wang Jian’s expression became, the more anxious Chairman Kang grew, falling as silent as a cicada in winter.

However, for some reason, Wang Jian’s instruction for the rest of the day was incredibly attentive. He guided Chairman Kang proactively without even waiting for questions. This was a complete one-eighty from his previous attitude, leaving Chairman Kang overjoyed.

In just a single day, he gained a much deeper understanding of the concept of Qi Cultivation, which strengthened his resolve to learn.

The methods of ordinary Chinese medicine practitioners were limited and couldn’t compare to modern medical equipment. Modern medical tests could scan a person from head to toe, inside and out. In contrast, the traditional diagnostic methods—observation, listening, questioning, and pulse-taking—often remained superficial. They relied heavily on experience, skill, and talent. Pinpointing the core of a pathology was a feat that few but the most seasoned practitioners could achieve.

But with the Qi that Wang Jian spoke of, these diagnostic methods could be taken to their absolute limit. One could close their eyes and, simply by taking a pulse and sensing the changes in Qi, accurately diagnose an illness. Wasn’t that much faster than waiting in line for hours for a test, only to then wait again for the doctor’s diagnosis?

This was just in terms of diagnosis. When it came to treatment, Qi was like adding wings to a tiger for Chinese medicine.

Even basic Acupuncture, with the aid of Qi, could achieve the legendary feat of ’channeling Qi through the needle,’ yielding immediate results with a single insertion.

Even without needles, one could use Qi to assist in therapeutic massage, sending healing energy deep into the body to treat ailments directly. This was far faster than any intravenous injection and avoided the trauma of surgery. When combined with medicinal herbs, the results were fast, potent, and precise.

Chairman Kang knew this was possible because Wang Jian had done it. He had used such a method to revive Cai Xing just yesterday, an act that had left him in complete awe.

If he could learn even a fraction of what Wang Jian knew about Qi, he would become a hundred times more capable than he was now.

Chairman Kang was filled with motivation, feeling as if he could finally see his future taking shape.

If he ever learned of the truly fantastical things that were happening to Wang Jian, Chairman Kang would probably begin to question the very nature of reality on the spot.