Noticing the wry smile and hint of helplessness on Xu Ze’s face, Deputy Director Lin Zhikui from the National Medical Examination Center—who had remained silent until now—suddenly chuckled softly and looked at Xu Ze. “Dr. Xu, I’ve heard that your primary focus is Western clinical medicine, and Traditional Chinese Medicine is a secondary pursuit for you. How about I make you a promise today?”
Everyone was momentarily taken aback by Deputy Director Lin’s sudden interjection. But Xu Ze sensed a particular implication in Director Lin’s tone and looked over curiously, nodding with a polite smile. “Director Lin, what did you have in mind?”
“Well, Dr. Xu, since all these esteemed seniors wish to test your acupuncture skills, let’s consider this an additional examination,” Director Lin said, regarding the composed and unruffled young man before him with a smile. “I have also witnessed your proficiency in Western clinical skills just now. It was quite impressive.”
He paused, then continued with a grin, “If your acupuncture demonstration here satisfies the seniors, I’ll take it upon myself to issue you an extra license.”
“An extra license?” Xu Ze picked up on the distinct meaning in those words, and his heart leaped with excitement.
“Yes. If you pass this acupuncture assessment smoothly, in addition to the TCM license, I will also grant you a Western Clinical Practice License!”
“Really?” Xu Ze’s face lit up with unrestrained delight. “That would be wonderful!”
“Of course. When I say something, it’s true. Pass this, and you get two licenses,” Deputy Director Lin affirmed with a smile.
The senior experts nearby, hearing Director Lin’s unexpected proposal, exchanged bewildered glances. They hadn’t expected the Deputy Director—who normally just attended as a formality and served as a proctor—to intervene like this, let alone offer the young man two licenses.
They understood precisely what dual licensure signified. It meant that if this young man passed the acupuncture test, Director Lin would grant him separate licenses for both TCM and Western clinical practice. Holding both would mean national recognition and legal qualification to practice in both fields of medicine.
As it stood, a sole TCM license legally restricted a practitioner to prescribing only herbal formulas. While many TCM practitioners did issue Western prescriptions, it was technically a violation of regulations. To legally prescribe Western medicine, they would need to pass an additional integrated medicine examination. The authorities simply hadn’t been enforcing this strictly yet.
But with a Western Clinical Practice License in hand, this young man would have the full, unchallenged legal right to prescribe both TCM and Western treatments. No health regulatory body in the country could fault him for it.
Hearing Director Lin’s words, the other rising stars in the room couldn’t hide the envy in their eyes. They knew exactly what two separate licenses represented. While they could currently apply for a combined “Integrative Medicine” license alongside their TCM license to prescribe both types of treatment, that was entirely different from holding a standalone Western Clinical License.
A Western Clinical License alone would qualify Xu Ze for positions in major hospitals nationwide. In contrast, those with only TCM or even Integrative Medicine licenses often faced difficulty being accepted by large hospitals unless it was for a niche, standalone TCM department.
Thus, the others watched Xu Ze with admiration. Meanwhile, a few of the more self‑assured candidates, like Guo Yujian, were already scheming. Once this kid is done, maybe I should volunteer for a demonstration. My acupuncture skills are decent too. If I pass, surely Director Lin wouldn’t play favorites.
Xu Ze’s earlier flicker of resentment vanished instantly under Director Lin’s proposition. Now, his face glowed with pure excitement.
“A Western Clinical Practice License…” Xu Ze could scarcely believe his luck. He had come here hoping to scrape by with a TCM license, just enough to escape the label of “practicing medicine without a license.” But now, to potentially receive a clinical license as well? This would remove all remaining constraints. Even at the First Affiliated Hospital, once Director Zhang Lide informed the Medical Affairs Department, Xu Ze could write his own prescriptions legally without needing Zhang or another doctor’s co‑signature.
“Dean Guo, shall we begin?” Xu Ze asked eagerly, his earlier reluctance completely replaced by enthusiastic impatience.
Dean Guo watched Xu Ze’s transformation from unwilling participant to eager contestant and could only stroke his beard with a rueful chuckle. Young people these days are so impatient. One moment they’re sulking, the next they’re chomping at the bit.
Of course, he wasn’t about to object to Director Lin’s generous incentive. While he might not have wished for Xu Ze to outshine everyone completely, as participants in this Rising Star Assessment, all the seniors here could consider themselves Xu Ze’s teachers. He would never stand in the way of a promising junior’s success.
He smiled at Xu Ze. “Very well, Xu Ze. Since Deputy Director Lin has offered such excellent terms, give it your best effort. Don’t let this opportunity slip away.”
“Yes, Dean Guo,” Xu Ze nodded and approached the patient, who was still clutching his abdomen in discomfort.
The facilities at the National TCM Research Institute were quite well‑equipped. An assistant promptly brought over a small box of alcohol swabs and placed it nearby, ready for Xu Ze to perform acupuncture on the patient.
Xu Ze gestured to an adjacent examination bed and said to the patient, “Please lie down on the bed. I’m going to perform some acupuncture. It should relieve the pain shortly.”
The patient, suffering from the dull, persistent ache, brightened at the promise of relief. He wasted no time in climbing onto the bed and lying down, waiting for Xu Ze to insert the needles.
Once the patient was settled, Xu Ze removed several silver needles from his case. He carefully sterilized each needle with an alcohol swab, then disinfected the relevant acupuncture points on the patient’s body. Picking up the needles one by one, he inserted them into four points: Zhigou, Qimen, Riyue, and Taichong. Each needle sank in precisely to the required depth.
The senior experts, seeing the needles in place, rose from their seats and gathered around to observe. Acupuncture required a closer look; from a distance, it was impossible to assess the accuracy of point location or needle technique.
The elderly masters nodded approvingly at Xu Ze’s choice of points. Zhigou, Qimen, Riyue, and Taichong were indeed known for their ability to regulate Qi and alleviate pain.
However, after placing the fourth needle, Xu Ze showed no sign of inserting more. The group was puzzled. Could these four needles alone truly relieve the patient’s biliary colic? Furthermore, Xu Ze didn’t appear to be employing any manipulation techniques like reducing or scraping. Is that it?
They turned questioning glances toward Elder Wang, who had vouched for Xu Ze’s skill. If this was all there was to it, they would be sorely disappointed.
Elder Wang simply smiled serenely at their confusion. He gestured for them to be patient and wait.
Seeing Elder Wang’s confident demeanor, the other seniors settled down, watching to see if Xu Ze had more up his sleeve.
Naturally, Xu Ze was supremely confident in his acupuncture abilities—especially with two priceless licenses on the line. He had no intention of disappointing them.
After ensuring the patient had no adverse reaction to the four needles, Xu Ze extended his right hand. He gently curled his thumb and index finger, then lightly flicked the handles of the four needles one by one. Ting… Ting…
“Flicking Needle Technique?” The senior masters blinked in surprise. For a treatment aimed at soothing the liver and regulating Qi, shouldn’t one use the Scraping Needle Technique to enhance the needle sensation?
Despite their doubts, they trusted Elder Wang’s judgment and continued watching intently, curious to see what changes would occur in the patient.
After a short while, the elders began to notice something unusual about Xu Ze’s flicking method. Soft murmurs of surprise escaped their lips. They realized that after Xu Ze’s flick, the tails of the silver needles continued to oscillate for a remarkably long time without stopping.
The senior experts exchanged astonished glances, each seeing the same shock mirrored in the others’ eyes. None spoke, however; they kept their attention fixed on the patient. If this unique flicking technique could produce remarkable results, then Elder Wang’s praise would indeed be well‑founded.
While the others wore expressions of amazement, Elder Wang stood off to the side with a knowing smile. His confidence in Xu Ze was absolute. He believed this extraordinary technique would yield significant effects.
The patient, under the intense scrutiny of the crowd, began to change as the amplitude of the oscillating needle tails gradually diminished. His soft groans of pain grew quieter and quieter. The grimace of discomfort on his face slowly eased, replaced by a look of relief.
“It’s working? And so quickly?” The senior masters were utterly incredulous. They all had experience with acupuncture, and they had treated gallstone pain before. But they had never witnessed such rapid relief.
The rising stars, craning their necks from the back, were equally dumbfounded. With over a decade of TCM study behind them, they had never seen such a peculiar flicking method. Any thought of competing with Xu Ze evaporated instantly. Even the supremely proud Guo Yujian wore a crestfallen expression, his competitive spirit completely extinguished
