Chapter 588: Zhuang Jingshu

Old Sir He nodded, it was the same as what Minister Wei had said on the way.

In summary, it’s like treating a dead horse as if it’s alive. If it can be treated, treat it. If not, it’s fine.

"Take me to see the patient."

Having made everything clear, Bai Qifeng didn’t delay and led Old Sir He and Lin Chuxia to the adjacent room.

After knocking twice, the door was opened by a young man, who looked like he was in his early thirties.

Upon seeing Bai Qifeng and an old gentleman behind him, he knew who they were.

He politely said, "Director Bai, please come in."

His gaze finally landed on Lin Chuxia.

Earlier, Bai Qifeng had mentioned inviting an old Chinese medicine practitioner to see their chairman, which he knew, but he hadn’t expected the practitioner to have a young pregnant woman with him.

Judging by her position next to the old practitioner, she should be the practitioner’s child or assistant, so he didn’t stop them.

Lin Chuxia met his gaze with a slight nod, and the man also nodded back at her.

This room was a suite, and the patient was in the inner room.

The man led them to the entrance of the inner room and greeted the person inside.

Upon hearing the response, he led them inside.

Lin Chuxia followed behind Bai Qifeng and her master, looking around the room as she walked.

She had previously stayed at guesthouses, so she knew the conditions of guesthouses from that era.

This was likely the most luxurious room in all of Yan City, not only was it a suite, but the furnishings inside were also very refined.

The bed in the room was a newly popular Simmons mattress.

On the bed, a woman was leaning against the headboard, reading a newspaper.

The woman had maintained herself well; just looking at her hair and skin, she seemed to be in her early forties.

She was also very beautiful, and even with a heavy air of illness, it didn’t diminish her mature charm and elegance in the slightest.

Yet, she clearly remembered that Minister Wei had once disclosed that the woman was already in her fifties.

Seeing the woman like this, the man first walked over briskly and took the newspaper from her hands, with a slight hint of disapproval in his voice.

"Chairman, you need to rest now. If you want to read the reports, let me read them to you. The doctor said you shouldn’t exhaust yourself."

The woman took off her gold-rimmed glasses and smiled nonchalantly, "It’s not as exaggerated as they say, and reading these newspapers myself is more interesting. I haven’t read such newspapers for so many years, I didn’t expect the country’s development to be so good now. If I don’t read more, I won’t recognize it anymore."

By this time, she had also spotted Bai Qifeng and the people behind him.

"Director Bai, thank you for your hard work again."

"It’s my duty. Ms. Zhuang returning to support national construction, we have the responsibility to take care of Ms. Zhuang’s health."

After saying that, he introduced Old Sir He, "This is the old Chinese medicine practitioner I mentioned to you before."

Zhuang Jingshu extended her arm and smiled at Old Sir He, "It’s been a very long time since I last saw a Chinese doctor. Thank you for your trouble, sir."

Old Sir He nodded and didn’t say much, sitting on the chair beside the bed, earnestly feeling her pulse.

As soon as he touched her wrist, his brow furrowed, and he glanced at Zhuang Jingshu.

Zhuang Jingshu smiled and asked, "Is my body beyond saving? To be frank, when I was abroad, they provided many treatment plans, even wanting to replace some parts of my body, which I refused. I don’t trust those, what’s mine is mine. If I am to trust anything, I believe more in our country’s Chinese medicine. But it was impossible to find one abroad, I thought when I returned home..."

The unspoken words were understood by everyone present.

Old Sir He had finished checking the pulse, "Your body is indeed quite troublesome. I’ll write a prescription for you to take for a few days, and then we’ll proceed with the next step of treatment. As for what level it can be nursed back to, that depends on your fortune."

Zhuang Jingshu seemed well-acquainted with the etiquette, smiling as she expressed her gratitude, "Thank you, sir."

Then she looked towards the young man beside her, "Zhuang Yang, help the gentleman with paper and pen."

The man named Zhuang Yang hurriedly placed paper and pen on the table.

Old Sir He gave Lin Chuxia a faint glance.

Lin Chuxia understood immediately and stepped forward willingly.

Old Sir He dictated, and she wrote. Once finished, Lin Chuxia handed the prescription to the man.

Zhuang Yang took the prescription but looked troubled, glanced at Zhuang Jingshu, then at Old Sir He, "So, what should I do next?"

He seemed a bit embarrassed after saying that, "I’m sorry, I’ve lived abroad since I was young, and I’m really unfamiliar with this matter... Please guide me a bit."

Lin Chuxia took back the prescription, "I’ll help you get the medicine, you probably don’t know how to boil it either, right?"

"Boil the medicine?"

Seeing the man’s clear eyes...

Alright, it seems she still has to do it.

Helping others to the end, Lin Chuxia said, "Well, I’ll get the medicine. Each dose of this medicine is boiled twice, taken in three parts. I’ll boil the medicine and then you can take it back and let Ms. Zhuang take it on time."

Zhuang Yang immediately beamed, "Thank you very much."

Zhuang Jingshu had forgotten that traditional Chinese medicine required this process. Seeing Lin Chuxia’s pregnant belly, she couldn’t help but ask, "Isn’t this too much trouble for you? I could have the guesthouse staff take care of it."

By then, giving a bit more money should work.

She knew that with Chinese medicine, the process could end with the prescription, leaving the rest to get and boil the medicine oneself.

"I’d better do it, boiling the medicine isn’t like other things, it requires careful attention to the heat."

In the eyes of those present, Lin Chuxia, as Old Sir He’s apprentice, was certainly professional in this aspect.

Since she said so, there was no more argument.

Zhuang Yang discussed it with Zhuang Jingshu, grabbed his car keys, and went out of the guesthouse with Lin Chuxia and the others to get the medicine from the hospital’s Chinese pharmacy.

During this era, individually owned pharmacies didn’t exist. In the city, to buy medicine, one went directly to the hospital or health center, where both Chinese and Western medicine departments were available.

After buying the medicine, they went straight to Old Sir He’s place.

When moving from An City to Yan City, among Old Sir He’s belongings were two medicine pots.

At the time, she didn’t understand and had poked fun at her master, saying that despite not treating people, he couldn’t bear to part with those two medicine pots.

Later, she realized that even the pot for boiling Chinese medicine had its significance—the longer it was used, the more it was used, the more valuable it became.

As the saying goes, a medicine pot lasts for a hundred years.

Those two medicine pots were left behind back then because people didn’t understand their value and didn’t see a reason to destroy them.

Arriving home, Lin Chuxia skillfully went into the kitchen and took out Old Sir He’s medicine pot from the very back of the cupboard.

Though the house was heated with radiators, a coal stove was also lit for convenience in cooking.

Lin Chuxia then uncovered the coal stove.

First, she cleaned the medicine pot, then poured a packet of medicinal herbs into the pot to soak in cold water.

Old Sir He hadn’t said a word since she took over the task of boiling the medicine.

But now, he stood with his hands behind his back, watching her work.