CHAPTER 116: 116 BEAUTY WITH MOLES (INCREASING 1/6 FOR EMPTINESS, LONELINESS, AND COLD)

Previously, Liu Banxia had short, choppy hair. He was usually so busy that he only got a trim every two months or so. This time, since the burn was a bit serious, he decided to just get a buzz cut.

It saved time and money. Making money wasn’t easy, after all, and he hadn’t reached the point where he could afford to splurge on a high-end hairdresser.

Believe it or not, this was actually the first time Liu Banxia had changed his hairstyle since joining the Second Hospital. The buzz cut made him look incredibly energetic. In any case, when he returned to the ER, everyone gave him a thumbs-up.

Zhou Li had brought over plenty of savory pork bones, far too many for Liu Banxia to enjoy by himself. Not to mention he had to set aside a couple of pieces for Liang Xiaolin. The nurses in the ER were all eyeing him with anticipation.

"Oh... I’m just too soft-hearted," Liu Banxia muttered as he distributed the pork bones to the nurses.

"Dr. Liu, you’re doing great already! Living in a single dormitory, and earning so much too. Wow, this is delicious! Sister Li, you should open a pork bone restaurant. I guarantee I’d go every day!" Xu Dan said cheerfully, taking a bite of a bone.

"I’m the one giving you these bones, so why aren’t you thanking me?" Liu Banxia grumbled.

Xu Dan paid him no mind; she was too busy enjoying her bone. She had already decided to find opportunities to freeload meals at Zhou Li’s place in the future—she’d even bring her own bones if necessary.

Liu Banxia still had a good appetite. He mixed the remaining side dishes into his rice; it was easier to eat that way and more flavorful. As for whether it was healthy, he decided not to think about that for now.

If a patient came in, there was no telling when he’d get to finish his meal.

As he was eating, he saw Wang Xiaoyan and Qiaoqiao helping a girl walk in. They were familiar faces in the ER, so Qi Wentai didn’t even go over to receive them, knowing they were surely looking for Liu Banxia.

"Back pain again? Don’t tell me you also got hurt playing with Tang Dou?" Liu Banxia asked, approaching them with his meal box in hand.

"Hey, aren’t you annoying? It happened once, are you going to talk about it for a lifetime? When can I take off this waist brace? It’s so uncomfortable," Qiaoqiao said.

"Keep it on for another half a month. Actually, I’m not worried about you injuring yourself; I’m worried you’ll injure someone else," Liu Banxia said with a straight face.

Qiaoqiao was fuming. This guy was too mean!

"Can the two of you stop bickering?" Wang Xiaoyan said exasperatedly.

"Dr. Liu, this is a friend of mine. She pushed herself a bit too hard while doing some moves today and seems to have twisted her back. Could you please take a look? We really trust your medical skills."

"Flattery won’t work on me. Help her onto the bed, face down. Then register her. I’ll take a look after I finish these last few bites of my meal," Liu Banxia said.

"Also, this is a hospital. You all keep coming here dressed so skimpily. How many white coats do you think I have to lend out?"

"Just hurry up and eat! We’re in a rush, can’t you see?" Qiaoqiao urged impatiently.

The young woman they were supporting felt quite awkward. Her current attire was indeed inappropriate, but what could she do? Her class was about to end, and she’d twisted her waist.

Liu Banxia finished the rest of his meal, wiped his mouth, rinsed it out thoroughly, and then put on a mask and gloves.

"Alright, this is a bit troublesome. Please open your jacket now so I can examine your lumbar spine," Liu Banxia said as they entered the treatment room.

"Seriously! If we didn’t need your help, I’d be giving you a piece of my mind right now!" Qiaoqiao retorted.

"How’s Tang Dou doing? Must be going crazy stuck at home, right?" Liu Banxia asked.

"Tang Dou isn’t going crazy, I am! I’m the one looking after both of them now," Wang Xiaoyan added.

The young woman lying prone was probably quite familiar with Wang Xiaoyan and Qiaoqiao too, as she couldn’t help but giggle at their exchange. However, the laugh tugged at her injured waist, and she hissed, drawing a sharp breath.

"Don’t get any funny ideas, alright? I’m going to palpate the area. The gloves are a bit cold, so try to relax as much as possible," Liu Banxia reminded her.

"Hey, why don’t you give her a massage session like you gave me? She’d definitely relax then," Qiaoqiao suggested.

Liu Banxia felt helpless. If he actually did that, he’d probably ’happily’ receive a complaint.

This is a common situation faced by male doctors when treating female patients. Certain things must be pointed out due to gender differences. If patients don’t understand these distinctions, misunderstandings can easily arise.

As soon as Liu Banxia placed his hand on the young woman’s spine, she stiffened.

"Relax, I’m just going to feel it. It might not be a minor joint displacement; it could also be a muscle strain," Liu Banxia said.

"No matter what exercise you do, always remember to warm up properly. Otherwise, you can easily strain your body and end up injuring yourself."

"Looks like you’ll need to get the same kind of brace as Qiaoqiao. You do have a minor joint displacement, but it’s not serious. Come on, lie on your side. Qiaoqiao, guide her."

Qiaoqiao was quite pleased. As someone with genuine experience, she expertly helped the young woman into the correct position.

Liu Banxia stood behind the young woman, his brow furrowed slightly. Her skin was excellent, almost seeming to reflect the light. The sports camisole she wore was also quite nice, but the edge of a mole visible just below its hemline was somewhat unsightly.

However, this wasn’t the time to examine moles; he had to reset the young woman’s joint first.

Qiaoqiao had already tried to reassure her that it wouldn’t hurt, but to no avail; the young woman’s body remained taut. Especially when Liu Banxia’s hand touched her, he could clearly feel her muscles tense up.

He was out of options. He really wanted to ask Director Xu how to best alleviate a patient’s tension. All he could do was use massage techniques to help her relax and then, when she wasn’t paying attention, make a swift move to succeed.

His techniques were quite good. Qiaoqiao, watching from the side, blinked, somewhat envious.

Her family owned a bathhouse, after all, and they had genuine massage therapists. But she felt none of them were as good as Liu Banxia. It wasn’t just about locating the acupoints; it seemed to be related to his hand strength too.

Thanks to Liu Banxia’s efforts, the young woman finally relaxed. After a few quick push-pull maneuvers, CRACK! The joint was reset.

DING! Daily task completed (6/20)

Gained 100 experience points, 100 skill proficiency in Bonesetting, and 30 skill proficiency in Diagnostics.

"Ah, it really doesn’t hurt anymore!" the young woman exclaimed, her voice tinged with happy surprise. This was the first time she had spoken.

"Hehe, I told you not to worry. Not only is he handsome, but his skills are excellent, and his massage is comfortable too. Huh? When did you change your hairstyle?" Qiaoqiao said, pleased, as she helped the young woman up.

"I got it cut this afternoon. You’ll still need to buy a waist brace and wear it for at least half a month. During this time, don’t lift heavy objects, and try to bend over as little as possible." As Liu Banxia spoke, his eyes kept drifting towards the mole on the young woman’s back.

DING! Task released: Unusual Mole

Open mission: Host has discovered a mole on the patient and suspects an underlying medical condition. Further diagnosis is required. Task rewards will be issued based on the diagnostic results.

He was studying the mole, but in the eyes of Qiaoqiao and the other two, his gaze seemed improper, constantly straying to an unmentionable area.

The young woman, who had intended to thank Liu Banxia, was no longer in a good mood and quickly hid behind Qiaoqiao. Wang Xiaoyan glanced over and also crossed her arms in front of herself.