After more than ten minutes, Samuel Bennett removed all the needles and said to the middle-aged woman, “Auntie, your acupuncture session is finished for today. Next time you come to the market, just come here again and I’ll do another session for you. As for the medicine in your hand, keep taking it on schedule after you get home.”

“Thank you, young man. If my leg gets better, next time I’ll introduce others to come see you for treatment.” With that, she handed one yuan to Samuel Bennett and left.

“Finally, I’ve opened for business. I’ve finally earned the first yuan of my life!” Samuel Bennett was overjoyed, shouting inwardly.

With the first patient done, the people waiting behind were no longer hesitant—after all, it was cheap here, only one yuan. A man nearby saw the middle-aged woman leave and immediately came over to sit on the chair.

This time it was simple, just a cold. Samuel Bennett quickly wrote a prescription, but the man only paid one yuan as well. Samuel Bennett had no choice but to accept this reality: from now on, every prescription would only earn him one yuan.

As the crowd at the market gradually thinned, Samuel Bennett treated a few more patients. Seeing that it was getting late, he prepared to pack up. He returned the tables and chairs to Dr. Cooper, and left his pens, paper, and other things there as well. Then he started walking up the mountain. This time, he didn’t buy anything, because this was the first money he had ever earned—he couldn’t bear to spend it.

Chapter 9: Gaining Some Fame

Samuel Bennett happily returned to the mountaintop. Seeing light in the cave, he knew his master was there, so he hurried inside, calling out as he ran:

“Master, today your disciple saw several patients! Look, this is the money I earned today.” He ran up to Franklin and took out the few one-yuan bills he had earned to show his master.

“Not bad, keep up the good work,” Franklin praised.

“I know, Master. Although it’s only a few yuan today, I believe the next market day will be better. I have confidence.”

“It’s good to have confidence, but next time you come back, you need to buy rice. There’s not much left on the mountain, and you’ll also need to buy oil.”

Hearing his master say this, Samuel Bennett felt a bit deflated. That’s right—a few yuan would be gone after buying some rice and oil. When would he ever be able to save up a hundred yuan? Thinking of this, he wanted to go back to his room and continue reading medical books. Combining today’s cases with his studies, he felt a new understanding. Before, he just memorized what he read, but now it was as if the words in the books had come alive—especially vivid. With firsthand experience, he paid special attention to common illnesses, and his grasp of the medical texts deepened.

Unknowingly, several days passed, and it was market day at Santang again. This time, Samuel Bennett went down the mountain at dawn and arrived at the market early. When he got to the entrance of Santang Pharmacy, they had just opened. The resident doctor, Dr. Cooper, hadn’t arrived yet, but the shop assistants already recognized Samuel Bennett from last time. They didn’t say much, just let him move the tables, chairs, and his own things outside to set up his stall in the usual spot.

In the early morning, the people walking around the market were all locals, mostly out to buy vegetables. Some early risers finished shopping and went for breakfast, while others were vendors from out of town setting up their stalls. After waiting for more than an hour, most people had finished buying vegetables, and the vendors on both sides had formed a long line. Only then did more people start coming to the market.

This time, Samuel Bennett’s first patient was an old man who couldn’t sleep at night and often felt dizzy and lightheaded—a common ailment among the elderly. Samuel Bennett sympathized with his suffering, gave him an acupuncture treatment, and wrote a prescription. He was supposed to charge two yuan, but only took one.

Next was a young man who was skeptical at first and wanted to go to Santang Pharmacy for treatment. The old man who had just been treated probably knew him.

“Shitou, this young man is pretty good. You should see him too.” Hearing the old man say this, the young man stopped, sat down at the stall, and, as it turned out, didn’t have any serious illness—just a mild fever and diarrhea. Samuel Bennett quickly wrote him a prescription.

Not long after, the middle-aged woman from last time came again, this time bringing an old lady with her. As soon as she saw Samuel Bennett, she said, “Young man, the acupuncture you gave me last time worked wonders! When it thundered and rained the other day, my leg didn’t hurt nearly as much as before—I could basically bear it. So, as soon as I finished breakfast, I hurried to the market to find you.”

“Then sit down quickly, and I’ll give you another acupuncture session.” Hearing that the treatment had worked so well, Samuel Bennett was very happy.

After finishing the acupuncture, the middle-aged woman stood up and said to Samuel Bennett:

“Young man, this is my mother-in-law. She’s had rheumatism for decades and has taken a lot of medicine, but nothing has really worked. Please give her an acupuncture treatment too.”

The old lady sat on the chair and placed her hand on the table.

Samuel Bennett took her pulse. Her condition was similar to that of the middle-aged woman, only it had lasted longer, and as an elderly person, her constitution was weaker, making it a bit more complicated than her daughter-in-law’s case—but it was nothing he couldn’t handle.