Chapter 3: Eugene's Junior

Words : 1817 Updated : Sep 24th, 2025

Ramon had been chatting with Eugene when a car pulled up outside. Daniel burst in first. As soon as he stepped through the door, he called out in a rush, "Dad, my boss is here." Only then did Daniel notice the young man sitting in the living room. He did not recognize Ramon. Ramon had only visited Eugene's home once, and the two had never actually met. Daniel assumed he was just another youngster seeking treatment. Before Eugene could make introductions, medical staff carried Daniel's supervisor in on a stretcher. A stroke had left him half-paralyzed. He could no longer walk and had to be brought in. "Dr. Chandler, I'm sorry to trouble you," Louis, Daniel's supervisor, said from the stretcher. "Don't mention it. You've taken good care of my son. Let me take a look at you first." Eugene waved off the thanks and crouched beside him to check his pulse. Eugene focused, his fingers steady on the wrist. The room fell so quiet you could hear a pin drop. After a long while, he released the hand and said, resigned, "It's been delayed too long. I'm not confident. Let me try some acupuncture first to get your meridians flowing. We'll only know more once I see how you respond." Louis had gone to the hospital right after the stroke. Months of treatment brought no improvement, and only then did he think of Eugene. The optimal treatment window had already passed. Hearing that, Louis's eyes dimmed, but he still managed a smile. "Dr. Chandler, whatever happens, I'm grateful." "No need to thank me. Let me start with some acupuncture to help get your meridians moving." Eugene didn't waste any time. He took out the needles and inserted them swiftly at three acupoints: the knee acupoint, the inner thigh acupoint, and the outer calf acupoint. He might be old, but his hands were as steady as ever. His needling was quick, precise, and without a hint of hesitation. "How is it? Any sensation?" He tapped lightly around Louis's knee. "No. Except for a flush of heat when the needles went in, nothing after that." Louis shook his head. Eugene pressed several more acupoints in succession. Louis kept shaking his head. "I'm sorry. I don't have a good solution right now." Eugene apologized, guilt creeping into his voice. People trusted his skill, and he hadn't managed to help. For him, healing had been the measure of a life in medicine. "It's all right. At my age, I've made my peace. Spending what time I have in a wheelchair isn't the worst thing," Louis said, trying to comfort him instead. "Don't worry. I'll keep looking for a way," Eugene promised. Seeing that even Eugene had hit a wall, a heavy, disappointed silence fell over the room. Every treatment they could think of had been tried. It seemed Louis was fated to spend his remaining days in a wheelchair. He was a principled public servant who had spent his life serving the people. He'd barely had time to enjoy a few peaceful years before illness struck. Anyone would find that hard to accept. "Then I'll leave it in your hands, Dr. Chandler," Louis said gratefully when he heard Eugene's promise. He turned to the medical staff. "Let's go. We shouldn't take up any more of Dr. Chandler's time." Daniel crouched to straighten Louis's pant leg and said, "Mr. Louis, go home and rest. My dad will think of something." "I will. You know me," Louis answered with a relieved smile. Daniel nodded and signaled the medics to lift the stretcher. "Wait." Just as they were about to hoist him up, Ramon rose from the sofa and walked over. Only then did the others really notice the young man in the room. Their minds had been on Louis. No one had paid attention to the youth sitting on the couch. Eugene's eyes lit up. In the moment, it hadn't occurred to him to ask Ramon. Don't be fooled by his age. Ramon was the true heir to their mentor's legacy. The eldest disciple had trained in cultivation, the second in strategy, and Eugene in traditional medicine. The three together had barely scratched the surface of Alistair's knowledge. Ramon was different. He was the real successor. So when Eugene had earlier seen Ramon wear the sect ring, he hadn't found it strange at all. He'd only wondered why Alistair had passed the mantle while still alive. They all knew the position belonged to Ramon. Besides, they were old. Even if Alistair offered it to them, they wouldn't have taken it. Daniel frowned when Ramon spoke up and was about to cut in, but Eugene beat him to it, delighted. "Mr. Louis, there's still hope for you. This one's on me." Smack, smack, smack! He patted his own forehead three times, grinning like a boy. His sudden behavior left everyone dumbfounded. If he hadn't been the mayor's father, they would have wondered what kind of oddball had wandered in. "Dr. Chandler, what do you mean?" Louis asked, taken aback. "Allow me to introduce my junior from my sect. His medical skill far surpasses mine. If even he can't help, then no one can." "Unless Mr. Alistair handles it." Eugene thought. In truth, Eugene didn't know that Ramon's medical skills had already surpassed Alistair's. "Your junior? At his age?" Louis was stunned, and so was Daniel. Daniel knew his father belonged to a sect, but Eugene never talked about it. He didn't even know who his dad's seniors in the sect were. Every time he asked about the sect, Eugene clammed up. The sect's affairs were too out of the ordinary. Back then, you couldn't even talk about this stuff. These days, everyone believed in science. So Eugene kept silent. There were some things better left unknown to Daniel. After Daniel grew up, he pressed him about it twice more. Eugene still said nothing. After that, Daniel stopped asking. He only vaguely knew that his father had spent half his life's savings to buy Alistair an apartment. He'd even held a grudge about it. Now, looking at this young man, who was his father's junior. The whole thing felt unreal. He felt as if his father had been duped for half a lifetime. Yet his father insisted that his traditional medicine had come from the sect, and Daniel had no grounds to argue. Skill stood right in front of him. He couldn't deny it. "This..." Louis looked at Ramon, unsure how to address him. "My junior's name is Ramon Baxter. Just call him Ramon. He'll treat you in a moment," Eugene said quickly. "Thank you, young miracle doctor." Louis accepted graciously. In any case, things had come to this. How could it get worse? "Dad, Ramon, he..." Daniel had barely started when Eugene cut him off, his expression hardening as he snapped, "Who are you to call him Ramon? Do you have no respect for your elders?"

Chapter 3: Eugene's Junior

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