Chapter 15: May We Proceed with the Acupuncture Now?

Lin Tong was now utterly convinced—the man before him was nothing but a fraud exploiting the legendary "Dr. Zhang" name!

A complete impostor!

Dr. Zhang merely raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

He didn't recognize the director of Jiang City Hospital—after all, countless physicians had attended his lectures over the years. The ones he remembered were China's top-tier doctors, and those who'd sought his counsel were beyond numbering. Many, he couldn't even recall by name.

But that slight eyebrow lift? To Lin Tong, it was a telltale sign of guilt.

"Got nothing left to say, old con artist?" Lin Tong sneered, triumph oozing from every pore.

Dr. Zhang regarded him with detached calm. "If your director has indeed met me, let him come. We'll see if he remembers."

"Hah!"

"Still clinging to the lie even when exposed?"

Lin Tong's voice dripped with contempt. "Quacks like you are why people distrust real physicians."

"Stay right there—I'll bring the director and end this farce myself!"

With one final glare, Lin Tong stormed toward the elevators.

Dr. Zhang didn't stop him. Beside him, young Lin Xiao let out a soft, derisive chuckle but held his tongue.

Watching Lin Tong's confident stride, Charlotte's faith in him solidified further. She shot Daniel an icy look.

"When Madam Vanderbilt wakes up," she vowed, "I'll make sure she knows exactly what you've done."

"Good." Daniel's retort was razor-sharp. "Be sure to include how you let Lin Tong alter the prescription."

"You—!"

Charlotte's face flushed crimson with rage, but Daniel's words were an undeniable truth she had no choice but to choke down—no matter how galling.

Roughly ten minutes later...

The elevator doors slid open, revealing Lin Tong accompanied by a silver-haired man in his fifties wearing a white coat—none other than the Director of Jiangcheng Hospital!

When Lin Tong had reported someone impersonating the legendary Dr. Zhang, the Director had been incensed.

For good reason—he had once sought Dr. Zhang's guidance on medical cases. Regardless of whether Dr. Zhang remembered him, in his heart, he considered himself half a student of the great physician!

His reverence for Dr. Zhang knew no bounds.

How could he not be enraged by this brazen impersonation?

Lin Tong marched into the ward and pointed accusingly at Dr. Zhang. "Director, the fraud impersonating Dr. Zhang is right there!"

Strutting up to Dr. Zhang with his nose in the air, he sneered:

"Still pretending to be him, you old con artist? What do you have to say for yourself now?!"

With the Director here, surely this impostor would be exposed for what he was!

His medical skills were beyond reproach—he'd been framed by this fraud!

The Director would vindicate him any moment now!

Yet just as this thought crossed Lin Tong's mind—

"Move!"

Someone shoved him hard from behind, sending him stumbling.

In the next instant—

The Director broke into a brisk trot toward Dr. Zhang!

Lin Tong froze in disbelief.

Had he underestimated how much the Director despised impostors pretending to be Dr. Zhang?

Judging by the Director's aggressive stride, he looked ready to throw punches!

Oh no!

"Director, control yourself!"

"Violence isn't the answer!"

Panicked, Lin Tong rushed after him.

As much as he loathed that old fraud, physical assault was unthinkable—especially in a hospital! If things escalated, even the Director would face dire consequences!

But then—

The next moment froze Lin Tong in his tracks.

Instead of anger, the Director's face glowed with exhilaration as he reached Dr. Zhang, his eyes blazing with excitement.

"Dr. Zhang... it really is you?"

"Do... do you remember me? Eleven years ago, I attended your lectures at Ren Tong Medical College in the capital! I even consulted you on several medical cases."

"I... I had no idea you were here. I failed to greet you properly—please forgive my oversight..."

The Director was so overcome that his words tumbled out incoherently, his hands fluttering nervously.

This was no impostor—but the genuine, peerless miracle physician of their era.

His idol—standing right before him!

As the Director poured out his excited self-introduction, Lin Tong and Charlotte stood utterly dumbfounded.

What... is happening?

A full ten seconds passed before Lin Tong finally snapped back to reality—only to find his entire body trembling uncontrollably.

"Th-that old man... is truly the legendary Dr. Zhang Zizhen?"

It felt surreal.

Though he'd never attended Dr. Zhang's lectures or met him in person, as a physician, how could he not know that name?

Throughout medical school, the tales of Dr. Zhang's prowess had been inescapable.

This was a living myth of modern medicine!

Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined encountering the man himself—let alone having accused him of being a fraud!

Whoosh!

The memory of his earlier insults hit Lin Tong like a tsunami, draining all color from his face.

He'd offended Dr. Zhang.

His career—every aspiration to climb higher in the medical world—was now in jeopardy.

After all, who knew how many of China's top physicians counted themselves as Dr. Zhang's students?

A single word from the National Physician could obliterate his future.

"I'm finished..."

Cold sweat drenched Lin Tong's forehead as despair washed over him.

Beside him, Charlotte and the others stood frozen in shock.

This elderly man... was truly a professor at the prestigious Ren Tong Medical College?

And Daniel—that good-for-nothing—actually knew someone of this stature?

How could such a worthless man have connections to a living legend?

Before Charlotte could process this further, the Director's furious roar echoed through the ward:

"Lin Tong! Consider yourself dismissed effective tomorrow."

Lin Tong's face turned ashen. "Director, I—"

"No excuses!" The Director cut him off with a thunderous glare. "Arbitrarily altering another physician's prescription shows a complete lack of medical ethics! Then causing the patient to hemorrhage and shifting blame? Utter irresponsibility!"

"It's precisely because of a few rotten apples like you that doctor-patient conflicts plague our profession!"

"Jiangcheng Hospital may not be prestigious, but we will never tolerate physicians like you!"

Lin Tong stood numb, watching the Director's livid expression as beads of sweat the size of peas rolled down his face. His heart sank into oblivion.

This was the end.

His medical career... over just like that.

Dr. Zhang's calm voice broke the tension:

"Young lady, may I proceed with Madam Vanderbilt's acupuncture now?"

Dr. Zhang Zizhen's calm voice broke the silence once more.

Under his steady gaze, Charlotte Xiao forced a stiff, awkward smile.

"I... I acted out of excessive concern for Madam Vanderbilt's well-being. I hope you won't take offense, Dr. Zhang."

"Now that you're here to treat her, it's an honor. Who am I to stand in the way?"

Dr. Zhang responded with a mild nod and began administering acupuncture to Elena.

Half an hour later, color had returned to Elena's face, her eyes fluttering open.

After a final pulse check to confirm her stability, Dr. Zhang departed—escorted out by Daniel.

Alone in the ward, Charlotte recounted every detail of the chaos during Elena's unconsciousness.

When she finished, Elena propped herself up weakly, her sharp gaze piercing through lingering fatigue.

"So... Daniel brought in a legendary physician?"