Chapter 744: One Month Passes

Chapter 744: Chapter 744: One Month Passes

Looking at the outspoken woman, Li Xu concluded, "The results of your follow-up examination this morning show that your white blood cell count has risen significantly and returned to normal.

"This is what traditional Chinese medicine calls ’expelling pathogens without harming the healthy qi.’ While completing the tasks of reducing fever and fighting the virus, it not only didn’t harm your body but also protected your spleen and stomach, awakening your own immunity.

"Just imagine, if I hadn’t diagnosed your specific condition and blindly given you the same Ma Xing Gan Shi Tang Extract Decoction as Uncle Guo, with your weak foundation at the time, you would only be sicker now, perhaps even going into shock."

"Oh..." The outspoken woman listened to this lengthy speech, an expression of sudden realization dawning on her face.

In the next bed, Xu Huimin listened, completely dumbfounded. Seeing the older woman’s expression, she couldn’t help but ask curiously, "Did you understand all of that?"

The outspoken woman shook her head and replied self-righteously, "No. All that stuff about fundamental qi and damp-toxins is way too profound."

Xu Huimin was speechless.

"However," the woman added, changing the subject, her eyes shining as she spoke. "I did understand the most crucial point. What Dean Li means is—when treating illnesses with traditional Chinese medicine, there are no side effects from the herbs. Not only can they cure the disease, but they can also nourish the body. Right?"

Hearing this conclusion, Li Xu almost couldn’t hold back his laughter.

This woman’s reading comprehension skills were truly something else. Although she hadn’t understood any of the complex theories, this final "simple" conclusion had hit the nail on the head, perfectly summarizing the core advantage of traditional Chinese medicine: "strengthening the body’s resistance to eliminate pathogenic factors."

Li Xu smiled, not bothering to explain complicated concepts like "all medicines have some toxicity" or "Chinese herbal medicines also have biases."

He waved his hand. "All right, as long as you feel that you’re cured, that’s enough. You two chat; I have to go to the next ward. I’m heading out."

Watching Li Xu’s retreating back, Uncle Guo rubbed his knees, turned around, and earnestly reminded the outspoken woman, "Sister, you can’t just blindly read those inflammatory posts online anymore, and you certainly can’t badmouth traditional Chinese medicine again. Look, Dean Li not only has high medical skills but also a broad mind; he didn’t even hold it against you. If it weren’t for this Chinese medicine, you’d still be running a high fever right now!"

"This..."

Being scolded by Uncle Guo like this, the outspoken woman’s weathered face experienced a rare blush. She thought of how she had cursed traditional Chinese medicine as being worthless when she was first admitted, and then looked at her current fever-free state. For a moment, she didn’t know how to respond.

Days passed, and in the blink of an eye, another month had gone by.

The fierce peak of the flu season finally began to subside under the joint efforts of medical staff across the city. The comprehensive internal medicine ward of the Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine also restored its former order; it was no longer in a tense situation where it was hard to find an available bed. Li Xu finally laid down the heavy burden of being the "commander-in-chief against the flu" and returned to the expert outpatient clinic.

It was a sunny day with a refreshing autumn breeze.

Li Xu had just changed into his white coat and sat down, ready to start a new day of consultations, when the door to the clinic was pushed open.

The person who came in was Li Lin. He wasn’t wearing a white coat today; he was clearly on his day off. Coming in with him were a young woman about his age and another woman around thirty years old. The older woman was holding the hand of a little boy who looked to be about six or seven.

"Senior Brother Li, morning," Li Lin greeted him with a grin.

"Hello, Senior Brother Li. My name is Wang Xue, we’ve met before." The young woman also introduced herself to Li Xu gracefully, her eyes revealing undisguised admiration.

Li Xu looked at the girl and felt she looked quite familiar. After a moment of thought, he remembered.

Wasn’t she the junior with the ponytail who dared to stand up and ask questions at the seminar at Feng City Medical College that day, practically demanding he share medical cases on the spot? Her fearless spirit of a newborn calf had left a deep impression on him.

"Oh, I remember now. Junior Sister Wang Xue. Please, have a seat," Li Xu greeted her politely.

"Senior Brother Li Xu, this is my cousin," Wang Xue pointed to the woman in her thirties next to her and introduced her. "My cousin’s son has been repeatedly coughing and getting sick for the past few years, basically becoming a walking pharmacy. After listening to your class at school, I benefited a lot, so I strongly suggested that she bring the child here specifically to see you."

"Have a seat." Li Xu smiled and nodded at Wang Xue’s cousin.

The cousin didn’t say much. She just forced a smile at Li Xu, looking a bit haggard. She pulled the little boy along and had him sit on the round stool next to the consultation desk.

When they had just walked in, Li Xu’s gaze had actually already fallen on the little boy. The child’s complexion was a bit pale, lacking color, and even showing a slight tinge of blue. Moreover, in just these few short minutes, he had intermittently coughed several times. The sound was somewhat hollow and not crisp enough.

"How long has he been coughing?" Li Xu asked the cousin gently.

"He coughs often, on and off, and has never completely recovered." Bringing this up finally opened the cousin’s floodgates. "Basically, ever since he started kindergarten when he was just over three years old, he’s been constantly getting sick. Every time, it starts with a sore throat, and then he begins to cough. We go to the hospital for a few days of IV drips, or take some azithromycin, cephalosporin, or whatever. He’ll be better for a few days, but before we can even breathe a sigh of relief, if he gets slightly chilled, or runs around and sweats in kindergarten and catches a breeze, he immediately relapses.

"Over the past few years, this child has taken more antibiotics than actual food. It worries me to death."

Li Xu nodded. As he created a medical record on his computer, he continued to ask, "Besides coughing, are there any other regular symptoms? For example, does he easily feel tired, lack energy, or sweat a lot?"

A doctor’s consultation is a highly refined art. It cannot be just passively listening to what the patient says; it must be guiding and anticipatory. For instance, if a doctor suspects a certain pathogenesis might be possible, they have to confirm or rule it out through specific questions.

Many times, parents’ descriptions of an illness are fragmented, and they might even omit crucial details that they deem "unimportant." Patients often go to see a doctor with a prepared speech in their heads, but once they arrive, if they get nervous or interrupted, they might forget to mention important things on the spot, only remembering them when they get home.

Therefore, to be a good doctor, one must have enough patience and carefulness, digging for clues like a detective. This is especially true when treating children. Because children cannot accurately express their feelings, it tests the doctor’s ability to "extract" information from the parents even more.

In this regard, Li Xu had always done exceptionally well.

"Yes, yes, yes," the cousin nodded repeatedly upon hearing Li Xu’s question. "Besides coughing, his biggest problem is sweating heavily. Every time he coughs, his head is covered in sweat. Not only does he sweat profusely during the day when playing and moving around even a little, but even when sleeping at night, when he clearly isn’t covered by much, his head is soaked in night sweats. Half of his pillowcase can end up drenched."