The streets of the capital bustled with activity, where hawkers' cries and laughter intertwined. Thanks to her remarkable achievements in treating smallpox, Lin Yue's reputation spread like spring wind to every corner, making her the "divine healer" in the people's hearts. In front of her medical clinic, crowds and carriages never ceased—patients from all over traveled thousands of miles with hope in their eyes, longing to be freed from suffering by her skilled hands.
In a dark corner of the capital lived a scoundrel named Qian Dadan, who idled away his days. Watching the bustling crowds at Lin Yue's clinic, greed grew in him like wild grass. In his narrow, dimly lit rented room, reeking of decay, Qian Dadan huddled with several like-minded cronies to scheme their "get-rich-quick plan."
Days later, a tattered building hung a brand-new sign: "Lin Yue Medical Clinic." The sign swayed precariously in the wind, as if foretelling impending disaster. At first, unsuspecting common folk, trusting Lin Yue's name, flocked into this fake clinic.
Qian Dadan and his gang wore rough linen clothes, pretending to bustle about the clinic, but their eyes betrayed guilt and panic. A middle-aged man named Wang Er, who had only caught a cold with cough and low fever, entered the fake clinic. The room reeked of pungent herbal medicine mixed with damp mold. Seeing a customer, Qian Dadan immediately greeted him, sat at a shabby desk, and pretended to feel Wang Er's pulse with rough hands, his gaze wandering. He then randomly grabbed handfuls of herbs from a rickety cabinet, prescribed a strong decoction, and vowed, "This medicine will cure you instantly."
Wang Er returned home full of hope and took the medicine. That night, as the wind howled and windows rattled, his condition worsened instead of improving. His forehead burned like a red-hot iron, and he babbled in delirium, body trembling from violent coughs. His family was frantic, tears welling as they packed in dim light to seek the real Lin Yue. "Do you know where Lin Yue's clinic is? My Wang Er was harmed by a fake clinic!" they cried along the way, their voices full of despair.
Meanwhile, other patients from the fake clinic also developed problems. The fake clinic's door was crowded with angry, complaining crowds—some clutched their aching bellies in pain, others sat paralyzed on the ground, eyes blazing with anger and regret. Finally, a sharp-witted family member grew suspicious. Peering through the dusty window of the fake clinic, he saw its occupants behaving crudely, lacking any medical professionalism. That night, by the moonlight, he secretly followed Qian Dadan to a remote tavern. Inside, dim lamps and thick smoke filled the air as Qian Dadan and his gang laughed raucously, mocking the patients they had cheated.
Hearing their conversation, the family member turned red with rage, his knuckles white from clenching his fists. He immediately informed Lin Yue.
At the time, Lin Yue was treating patients in her bright, tidy clinic. Upon hearing the news, her brush "snapped" onto the desk in shock and anger. "Outrageous! How dare they toy with patients' lives!" Her eyes blazing with resolve, she immediately wrote a detailed letter to the local authorities, then draped a white cape and led several assistants to the fake clinic.
As they arrived, dark clouds covered the sky, as if a storm was imminent. Inside the fake clinic, Qian Dadan and his men were still pretending to "diagnose" an old man. Lin Yue kicked open the door and glared: "You frauds! How dare you use my name to cheat and worsen patients' conditions!" Her clear, forceful voice echoed through the room.
Qian Dadan and his men turned ashen, trembling, but still quibbled, "We… we just wanted to help, but our skills were poor."
Lin Yue scoffed, "Poor skills yet daring to open a clinic? Come with me to the local government and explain!" Her dignity made them shrink from her gaze. Just then, officers arrived and arrested the entire gang.
Lin Yue and her assistants rushed to examine the misdiagnosed patients. The clinic reeked of oppression, with patients lying pale and moaning on shabby beds. Lin Yue diagnosed each one carefully, discovering their conditions were worse than imagined: some had damaged organs from improper medication, with abnormal liver and kidney indicators; others were in critical condition from delayed treatment.
For days and nights, Lin Yue and her team worked tirelessly in the small clinic—consulting medical books by dim light, debating treatment plans, boiling herbal decoctions in the backyard as flames roared and aromas wafted. They fed patients spoonful by spoonful, performed acupuncture and massage with skilled hands, and stayed by their beds, snacking on dry rations and napping briefly when exhausted.
Finally, after days of effort, Wang Er woke up. Morning sunlight spilled across his bed. "Dr. Lin, thank you for saving my life," he whispered weakly, his voice hoarse with gratitude. Lin Yue smiled warmly, "It's over now. Rest and recover." Her smile, as bright as sunshine, warmed Wang Er's heart. Other patients also gradually improved, prompting deeper gratitude toward Lin Yue and anger at the frauds.
Seizing the opportunity, Lin Yue posted notices across the city with bold characters warning people to distinguish real and fake clinics. She also opened free medical lectures in her clinic. In the spacious, bright hall, crowds sat as Lin Yue wrote on the blackboard, explaining common symptoms and treatments in simple language to popularize basic medical knowledge and teach self-diagnosis.
Her kindness was widely praised, with people vowing to trust only her clinic. Yet Lin Yue did not relax. Knowing her fame might attract more frauds, she strengthened clinic management: a mahogany consultation desk with carved patterns, staffed by experienced doctors in neat white coats to answer questions and introduce the clinic; and a mobile medical team visiting remote villages to provide free care.
During one such free clinic, Lin Yue met an elderly man with a rare illness in a damp, dilapidated thatched hut. Local doctors had given up, but Lin Yue sat by his bed, felt his pulse, and pored over ancient medical texts for days until she found a cure. After treatment, the man recovered, and his family presented a silk banner inscribed with "Exquisite medical skills, Noble medical ethics," shimmering in the sun.
Lin Yue's story continued to spread, her fame growing, but she remained true to her healer's original resolve, silently dedicating herself to public health. Her clinic became a beacon of hope, and she never disappointed—guarding every patient with skills and compassion.
Over time, her clinic expanded into a spacious, bright building with herb gardens and flower beds, training batches of excellent doctors in her image. Her deeds inspired more to pursue medicine, raising societal respect for the field and advancing medical standards. Young people flocked to medical schools, aspiring to be healers like her.
Lin Yue embodied the true spirit of a healer with benevolent heart. Her story, etched in history, would inspire generations of doctors to strive for human health, her name shining like a star in the river of time.