Chapter 160 - 150: Diagnosis and Treatment
Chapter 160: Chapter 150: Diagnosis and Treatment
The Gu family was a military aristocratic family, but they fully respected their children’s choices. No one was forced to enlist if they didn’t want to.
That was why Gu Shaozhen could still live a carefree life. Zheng Shaojin was a maternal grandson, and Zheng Shaolian had only joined the army because his big mouth had gotten him on Gu Shaofeng’s bad side. Otherwise, he too could have stayed home and lived comfortably.
But just this spring, Mr. Gu had suddenly suffered a stroke and fallen into a coma. At the time, the men of the family’s older generation, as well as the eldest and second grandsons, were all away at their posts. Even the second son’s wife, a military doctor, couldn’t return to personally care for her father-in-law. The third son’s wife was also very busy. Only Granny Gu, the eldest son’s wife, and a granddaughter took turns keeping vigil by his bedside. Gu Shaozhen and Zheng Shaojin, with Gu Shaoqin in tow, were responsible for running errands.
Xiao Man followed the three young men into a building. They went up to the third floor, through a long corridor with several guard posts, and into the intensive care unit. There, she saw Mr. Gu, lying motionless on the hospital bed.
Granny Gu and the Gu family’s eldest daughter-in-law, Zhou Hui Lan, stood up from their seats. Their anxious gazes swept over the little girl Zheng Shaojin was leading by the hand before settling in unison on Gu Shaozhen.
"Weren’t you supposed to be picking up a famous doctor from the South? Where is he? Who is it?"
Gu Shaozhen pointed sheepishly at Mo Xiaoman. "She’s right here. It’s her."
Granny Gu’s mouth fell open, but no words came out. Zhou Hui Lan scolded him in a low voice, "Shaozhen, what time do you think this is? Is this really the time for jokes?"
"Mom," Gu Shaozhen said, looking completely innocent, "it really is her! Uh, Shaolian said on the phone that she hasn’t even finished her apprenticeship yet. She’s not supposed to be treating patients, but she agreed to come as a favor to my big brother!"
"Shaolian... Shaolian..." Granny Gu stammered, pointing a finger at Xiao Man.
"That’s right, Granny. This is Zheng San Niu, the sister Shaolian picked up!" Gu Shaozhen, knowing what his grandmother was getting at, offered the explanation. He received a major eye-roll from Xiao Man and shot back a grin.
Zheng Shaojin pulled Xiao Man forward. "Grandma, take a look at her. Doesn’t she resemble us?"
Xiao Man offered a greeting. "Hello, Granny Gu."
Zheng Shaojin corrected her, "Be good. You should call her Grandma."
Xiao Man was speechless. ’Sorry, but I’m from the South. The term for ’maternal grandma’ feels a bit strange to me.’
Granny Gu looked at Xiao Man, her eyes filled with disappointment. She let out a long sigh. "You’re a good child, but what a pity. You’re too young... It won’t work."
Xiao Man knew what she meant. Zhou Hui Lan added, "Exactly. What could a child this young possibly know? I can’t believe you boys even came up with this!"
Gu Shaozhen started, "But Mom, Big Brother..."
"Your brother isn’t infallible. He makes mistakes too. This is your grandfather we’re talking about. We can’t be reckless!"
Xiao Man pointed to the patient on the bed. "Aunt Gu, may I take a look at him? Just to feel his hand?"
Zhou Hui Lan hesitated for a moment, then looked toward Granny Gu. Sighing, Granny Gu nodded. "A look is fine. Go on."
Everyone accompanied Xiao Man to the bedside. She gestured for them to take Mr. Gu’s left hand and lay it flat on the edge of the bed. She sat down and gently took the old man’s wrist to feel his pulse. Normally, she had only ever taken the pulse of a few people close to her and had never handled a major medical case. But Mr. Gu’s pulse was very distinct. After a moment, she accurately described the symptoms that had occurred after his fall, the occasional convulsions during his coma, and the various dangers he currently faced. Her diagnosis was nearly identical to what the doctors had determined using their instruments.
Granny Gu stared at Xiao Man in astonishment. The expression on Zhou Hui Lan’s face changed as well, morphing into pleasant surprise. "So, the little girl really does have some skill?"
Zheng Shaojin and Gu Shaoqin both broke into smiles. Gu Shaozhen patted Xiao Man’s shoulder, a hint of smugness in his voice. "My brother is never wrong about people! Our Zheng San Niu..."
Xiao Man pushed his hand away. "That’s not my name. And I don’t like the term you’re using."
"But the other term doesn’t sound as good! My term is better!"
Xiao Man couldn’t be bothered to be as childish as him. She turned to Granny Gu and Zhou Hui Lan. "Grandpa Gu’s condition requires immediate treatment to avoid paralysis."
Granny Gu had clearly heard this from doctors before. She was extremely anxious. "Then what do we do? Child, tell us quickly, what’s the plan? My old man is always practicing his swords and martial arts. He refuses to take a car if he can walk at all. If he ends up paralyzed, he’ll curse out every last one of us!"
Gu Shaozhen muttered under his breath, "If he could still curse, we’d let him. The real worry is if he can’t..."
Zhou Hui Lan shot her son a glare. Granny Gu spat twice on the floor. "You rotten kid with your foul mouth! Watch, I’ll tan your hide!"
Xiao Man was left speechless.
’This old lady is the real deal—a genuine warlord’s wife!’
"Granny Gu, Aunt Gu, if you don’t trust me, surely you trust the doctors at this hospital?" Xiao Man said. "Please invite one or two senior traditional Chinese medicine practitioners to come. Have them stand by and observe. If there is anything even slightly wrong with my technique, they can point it out!"
Zhou Hui Lan nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes, that’s an excellent idea! Mom, what do you think?"
Granny Gu considered this for a moment, then looked at Xiao Man. "You practice traditional Chinese medicine, so I’ll invite four renowned practitioners to come. You will discuss the treatment plan with them, and then they will watch you perform the procedure. Is that acceptable?"
"That’s fine," Xiao Man said calmly. "Or, I can just give the instructions and have them perform the work. After the acupuncture, he will drink a decoction I’ve prepared. The patient will awaken within an hour! The sooner he wakes, the better, as it will prevent many long-term complications. So, please, be quick!"
Granny Gu’s mouth fell open again, stunned. The practitioners she planned to invite were some of the most distinguished traditional Chinese medicine doctors in all of Beijing. For this young girl to speak so boldly was bordering on pure arrogance.
Zhou Hui Lan had already stepped away to make the necessary calls.
Gu Shaozhen, Zheng Shaojin, and Gu Shaoqin stared at Xiao Man as if she were some mythical creature, their eyes filled with admiration. ’Regardless of whether this little girl has any real skill, she’s got some serious nerve talking to the old lady like that!’
While they waited for the renowned doctors to arrive, Xiao Man asked for a pen and paper to write out a prescription. The formula was for the other doctors to review; she didn’t need to have any herbs fetched from outside. She had everything she needed in the bundle she carried with her. And if something was missing from the bundle... well, she could just pull it out of her satchel!
She also had someone prepare a stove and a medicine pot. She would decoct the medicine herself; not even Zhou Hui Lan would be allowed to help. The reasoning was easy enough to explain: it was a rule of her sect. Or, since she was practicing medicine before completing her apprenticeship, she had to be extra cautious to prevent any accidents.