Physician's Odyssey

Chapter 239 - Destined to be opponents

Translator: Thyaeria

Song Sichen gave Su Tao a call that took over an hour and came to an agreement of using the Qihuang Charity Funds under the TCM Alliance to receive their by-far largest unconditional donation.

The donor was the wealthy SG Chaebol. Although South Korea’s enterprises were occasionally hateful, known for their pettiness and harsh in terms of their operation, they wouldn’t go against an agreement that was written in black and white. Thus, they swiftly remitted the money over to the official account under the Qihuang Charity Funds.

“Now, Old Dou and I are rest assured. As for those old fellows who previously had doubts about you, they can shut their mouths now.” Song Sichen never mentioned the opposing voices of Su Tao being the Chairman to the latter, which he and Dou Fanggang had been bearing the pressure by themselves.

However, Su Tao had also heard about it, so the performance this time could be considered as an actual achievement that could change the view of those opposing voices.

In the month that Qihuang Charity Funds was established, the members of the TCM Alliance had been doing their best to publicise it to pull funds. However, they only managed to gather a few million, so they were shocked to see how Su Tao pulled a donation of ¥58,000,000 in just one treatment.

A few million was nothing much for other charities, but it was a good start for them, and a big step in their establishment.

Although Su Tao had his own pharmacy and could get the SG Chaebol to remit over to the Three Flavour Hall to turn it all into his personal assets, he did not do that for the sake of making a contribution to the Qihuang Charity Funds and the TCM Alliance standing behind it.

He was grateful for Song Sichen and Dou Fanggang’s support. The friendship between gentlemen was as insipid as water, not to mention that their friendship has crossed the boundary of age. “What does Old Song intend to do for the next step with Qihuang Charity Funds?”

Song Sichen had an understanding of Su Tao’s character, and in fact, he would already have an answer in every single one of his questions. Thus, Song Sichen smiled. “I have discussed it with Old Dou, and we have to choose the appropriate path to develop with so many public welfares going on. Old Dou suggested paying attention to those declining areas like the healthcare of the elderly by themselves. What do you think?”

“Providing for the elderly has gradually become a serious problem with China moving towards the aging population, and this can be considered one of the uses for the funds in Qihuang Charity Funds.” After a brief pause, Su Tao continued, “Perhaps we can also try to look into another area, like the children welfare agency!”

After his brows were knitted and pondering for a long time, Song Sichen sighed, “Giving a helping hand to those orphans? That’s truly a blank area in the country, but it’s worth it for us to take a look.”

With a faint smile, Su Tao replied, “But this is an immature idea. After all, there aren’t any benefits for us to help orphans.”

“That is precisely why we have to help!” Song Sichen’s tone turned grave.

There were a lot of people working on the elderly market. Although they’re disadvantaged social groups, they generally held a large sum of pension. Furthermore, the demand was also increasing, with more people retiring.

For a businessman, this was a massive gold mine, and it’s a market that could earn them profits. On the contrary, it wasn’t the same for the orphans, and they belonged to a grey area that not many people would pay attention to. Not only businessmen, but even the media wouldn’t pay much attention to it, since it was undoubtedly an investment that wouldn’t see any profits.

But since you intend to do charity, then you couldn’t do it for the sake of profits, but genuinely contribute to society. This way, it could draw the support of the compassionate group to support the funding.

Many charity funds were actually empty shells, and their motive was actually to gain donations from compassionate people to support circulation fundings for those influential people, and this was also the reason for the chaos in the charity funding industry. Since the TCM Alliance was going to establish a charity fund that convinces the public, then they would have to be realistic without flights of fancy.

Paying attention to the orphans wasn’t an idea that Su Tao casually came up with, it was something he felt from Lu Shimiao. Thus, this was also the reason why he wanted to accompany her back to the orphanage for Chinese New Year. He wanted to put himself in their shoes to understand the situation in the orphanage.

After talking with Song Sichen about his thoughts a little more, they ended the call.

In the future, the Qihuang Charity Funds would revolve around two projects; providing healthcare for the aging and orphanage welfare. The development of the funds was also separated into two procedures. Firstly, by providing medical care for nursing homes and orphanages. Secondly, by using the finds as a foundation to contact the local government to establish nursing homes and orphanages under the Qihuang Charity Fund, which could also mean constructing new ones or transforming old ones as a foundation.

Naturally, it didn’t mean that there wouldn’t be any benefits for them. The country and local governments would also have a subsidy policy for a private-run welfare agency.

After a long pondering, Song Sichen gave Dou Fanggang a call and informed the latter about Su Tao’s intentions.

Gently slamming his hand on the desk, Dou Fanggang became emotional. “That is the thought of a young leader that can bear the entire banner of TCM! If he only sees benefits and was not willing to make any contribution, I would look down on him instead. We’ll do it this way, and I will support this!”

With a sigh, Song Sichen bitterly smiled. “Truly paying attention to the dusk and morning sun. If it’s done well, it will be earth-shattering news. Otherwise, it will be only a mere formality.”

Shaking his head, Dou Fanggang replied, “Old Song, you’re good at everything, except you lack in courage. Su Tao has such a grand thought at such a young age, so old fellows like us have to support him!”

“You’re right. We can’t shrink back!” Hearing Dou Fanggang’s words, Song Sichen even felt his blood boiling.

While Su Tao was checking up on the information of nursing homes and orphanages, Xiao Jingjing suddenly knocked on his door and informed him that there were guests.

When he came out, he saw Kim Jung-ho with a dashing man and a gorgeous woman by his side.

It took some time for Su Tao to recognise that the man was Park Joong-sun, while the woman was Choi Beom-gyu. But they’re already discharged in just a day? It looked like his medical skills were getting better.

The reason why he couldn’t instantly recognise them was the fact that the two of them had put on makeup. It was understandable for women to put on makeup, but wasn’t it a little sissy for a man to put on makeup?

At this moment, Park Joong-sun’s hoarse voice resounded, “Physician Su, nice to meet you!”

Su Tao could understand his speech, albeit to his terrible pronunciation. It was just like how Chinese would pronounce English with an inaccurate accent, and yet, it could be understood by those countries that use English as their mother tongue.

“You and Ms. Beom-gyu aren’t fully recovered yet, so you shouldn’t be walking around.” Su Tao reminded after feeling the coldness on Park Joong-sun’s hands.

Kim Jung-ho first translated his words to Park Joong-sun before he took the initiative to explain, “We’re leaving for Seoul later today, and Joong-sun wanted to express his gratitude to you personally. Thus, I’ve brought him over to see you.”

When Kim Jung-ho finished his words, Park Joong-sun suddenly kneeled on the floor and started talking.

This sudden turn of events stupefied Su Tao, before he immediately helped Park Joong-sun up.

With a smile on his face, Kim Jung-ho acted as a translator again, “Joong-sun not only wants to thank you for treating him and Beom-gyu, but he also wants to thank you for convincing his mother. He and Beom-gyu are planning to get married next year’s Chinese New Year, and when the time comes, he wishes that you can attend his wedding.”

Seeing that he could still think of him, who was the matchmaker, Su Tao didn’t find Park Joong-sun hateful, so he smiled. “I’ll see how it goes. But even if I can’t make it, I will certainly send my red packet over!”

His words instantly left Kim Jung-ho stunned. He was clearly unaware of the congratulations for Chinese. However, he still translated it to Park Joong-sun.

Firmly holding onto Su Tao’s hand, Park Joong-sun spoke again, which Kim Jung-ho translated with a smile, “He says that he will send someone to invite you over at that time. If you’re not willing, he will even tie you up and bring you over!”

Having a smile on his face, Su Tao helplessly agreed, “Then promise him first!” Park Joong-sun had already even knelt before him, so it was inexcusable for him to refuse.

Taking out a white envelope from his pocket, Kim Jung-ho said, “This is an invitation. The opening of my Korean Medical Center is around the time of Joong-sun’s wedding, and I hope that you can honour your presence as well! Furthermore, the International Medical Summit will also be held around this time next year, and you will definitely be able to perform brilliantly on the summit with your skills!”

Although Kim Jung-ho was an opponent, he wasn’t hateful.

Storing the envelope, Su Tao felt that this invitation for him to attend the International Medical Summit was probably the main point here. Does this fellow want to defeat me at a higher platform? Thus, Su Tao smiled, “I will surely go if I’m free!”

Looking at Su Tao with a complicated gaze, Kim Jung-ho sighed at the charm that Su Tao possessed. But it was a pity that he couldn’t be friends with Su Tao. To allow TKM to obtain the acknowledgement of the world, they would have to defeat TCM, and according to his estimation, Su Tao would probably be the representative of TCM in ten years, and they would have to fight it out.

“You have to be careful. Lee Jun-hyuk has already confessed that he invited a famous Venerable Father from Thailand. Since you’ve dissolved his black magic, he will certainly come looking for you.” Kim Jung-ho warned.

Venerable Father was a title in Thailand for famous and respected monks. Even if Su Tao was an opponent, Kim Jung-ho didn’t wish for Su Tao to suddenly die. He still hoped to defeat Su Tao honourably in a public venue.

Since the three of them had to rush for a plane, they did not stay for long. When Su Tao looked at Park Joong-sun and Choi Beom-gyu’s silhouettes, his mood became better. Although he wasn’t familiar with Park Joong-sun, he could tell that this was a man loyal to his relationships and knew how to express his gratitude.

Although patients were patients in the eyes of doctors and not further classified into good and evil, saving a good man was better than saving a crook.

As for Kim Jung-ho, Su Tao had gained a better understanding of the former. If he wasn’t a doctor, perhaps he would look up to a gentleman like him. But it was a pity that they shared the same trade, and they’re standing on the opposite sides, which determined that they could only be opponents!