During his independent consultation session in two days in a row, Fang Qiu improved rapidly. Feng Xuexin couldn’t help glaring in shock.
“Can’t you just pretend to be not this outstanding?”
Feng Xuexin felt speechless.
He thought Fang Qiu’s performance during the study of the four diagnostic methods was already terrifying. He couldn’t believe Fang Qiu actually made bigger progress in the past two days of independent consultation.
He finally understood why Xu Miaolin was so confident in Fang Qiu.
However, he had no fear.
In his opinion, despite Fang Qiu’s quick progress, the gap between them was still very big. It wouldn’t be easy for him to catch up.
Of course, Feng Xuexin was getting too impatient to wait.
He wished time could fly by more quickly so that Fang Qiu would learn less and the competition would take place sooner.
In the next evening…
“Tick, tick…”
As the three were chatting in the yard, Xu Miaolin’s mobile suddenly rang.
“Hello?”
After reading the caller ID, Xu Miaolin stepped away to answer, leaving Fang Qiu and Feng Xuexin continuing with their conversation.
“It’s getting colder and colder. More people will fall ill due to the weather changes.”
Feng Xuexin sighed with emotion.
“Yeah.”
Fang Qiu nodded as he answered, “We can make a warning sheet on the door so that more people can see it.”
“Good idea.”
Feng Xuexin’s eyes brightened.
This might affect his profit but his family had opened this clinic to save lives. It was never about money.
At this time, Xu Miaolin returned.
“Let me tell you something.”
Approaching the pair, Xu Miaolin chipped in directly, “Knowing I’m here, an old friend just called. He’s not feeling the best. I’m going to see him tomorrow and catch up with him.”
Feng Xuexin was shocked for a second and asked, “So tomorrow I will be seeing patients on my own again?”
“Fang Qiu stays,” said Xu Miaolin directly.
“We don’t have much time. Every day matters for Fang Qiu. Don’t go with me tomorrow. Stay to receive patients.”
“Sure.”
Fang Qiu nodded his consent.
“Uncle Xu, I can handle this on my own. Tomorrow, take Fang Qiu with you. You’ve stayed for several days but never make it out of the clinic.”
Feng Xuexin moved closer as he suggested with a smile.
That was right.
He hoped that Fang Qiu would go with Xu Miaolin.
Once Fang Qiu left, he would have one less day of study and a smaller chance of winning in the competition.
Most importantly, he would finally have a chance to show off his medical skills in front of Fang Qiu.
“I brought him here to study instead of visiting.”
Xu Miaolin rolled his eyes at Feng Xuexin and continued, “Tomorrow, I won’t be here. Fang Qiu’s independent consultation is in your hands.”
“Alas…”
Feng Xuexin heaved a sigh before replying, “Okay. You have my words. I’ll keep an eye on your dear apprentice.”
In the next morning, the clinic opened for business.
Fang Qiu took a seat behind the consultation desk, getting ready to receive patients.
Feng Xuexin stayed by the medicine cabinet, watching Fang Qiu from a distance.
“Take care of the patients. I’ll test you tomorrow.”
After breakfast, Xu Miaolin reminded him.
“Got it,” Fang Qiu answered with a nod.
As soon as Xu Miaolin left, the consultation began.
Fang Qiu had been conducting the four diagnostic methods a whole morning. Other than filling the prescriptions, Feng Xuexin stayed close to Fang Qiu, looking for an opportunity to teach Fang Qiu a lesson to show off.
In the end, he didn’t make any mistake throughout the morning.
Fang Xuexin felt depressed.
Helplessly, he felt the pulses, prescribed, and filled the prescriptions.
They were great together. Fang Qiu practiced the four diagnostic methods and Feng Xuexin gave and filled prescriptions.
Time flew by quickly.
In the blink of an eye, it was already 3 p.m.
A middle-aged man walked into the clinic and sat down at the consultation table.
Fang Qiu finished reading symptoms, about to ask Feng Xuexin to start with the prescription. Feng Xuexin was stunned.
Looking at Fang Qiu, he had a flash of slight excitement in his eyes.
He caught him at last.
After a whole day of waiting, he finally got one opportunity.
He thought Fang Qiu would make no mistake at all.
He didn’t expect that an opportunity came at last.
“You are only a beginner!”
“Your symptoms reading is wrong.”
Locking his eyes on Fang Qiu, Feng Xuexin coughed and put on a very serious face.
“Yeah?”
Much confused, Fang Qiu asked, “How?”
“You are too young after all.”
Feng Xuexin chuckled as an experienced senior and continued, “Since you don’t know about this, I’ll tell you everything.”
Fang Qiu listened with a frown.
“Look.”
“This man has been coughing for over a year.”
Feng Xuexin looked at the patient and went on, “He often feels his chest distended. Every time when he catches a cold, overworks, or has a bad mood, his conditions worsen. Right?”
“Yeah.”
Fang Qiu nodded.
“The patient said that he was diagnosed as chronic bronchitis based on his x-ray scan result in some hospital. He received many treatments but his illness was not relieved. On the contrary, it was sometimes mild and sometimes severe. Recently, it was worse due to his cold and anger.”
Feng Xuexin glanced at the patient before continuing, “So now, what symptoms does the patient have?”
“First of all, to look.”
Feng Xuexin turned to the patient and said, “The patient seems in a bad state of mind and coughs from time to time.”
“Second, to ask.
“During your earlier inquiry, the patient already mentioned his chest tightness, little white sputum, vexation, nightmares, and abdominal distention.
“And he felt short of breath after some mild exercise.
“His appetite was not bad, urine was normal, but the bowel movement could be better.
“Check out his tongue. Red and dry with a thin white coating and thin pulse.
“Based on these circumstances, this patient is suffering from the cold and wicked in his lungs. Heat is transformed and Yin is damaged. Treatment requires opening up the lungs, depressing qi, restraining Yin, and relieving the cough. Cold and hot must be employed together to attack the illness and nourish the health.”
Then, Feng Xuexin put on a confident smile and began writing a prescription.
“Scutellaria baicalensis, processed ephedra, processed perilla seed, processed flos farfarae, sweet almond, and processed loquat leaf 10 grams each. Ripe ginkgo, schisandra chinensis, and raw licorice root 6 grams each. One potion per day. Decocted in water for juice and consumed in two times.”
As he finished with the prescription, he got up to fill it.
But then, “Wait!”
Fang Qiu reached out and laid his hands on Feng Xuexin’s hand and prescription. He continued with a frown, “You are wrong.”
“What?”
Feng Xuexin was stunned.
He looked at Fang Qiu in shock.
While watching Fang Qiu performing the four diagnostic methods, he knew Fang Qiu was reading the symptoms wrong. He spoke out at last to help correct Fang Qiu’s mistake. But Fang Qiu didn’t seem to appreciate his teaching but accusing him of making a mistake.
“How am I wrong?”
Feng Xuexin sounded dissatisfied. “What I said is correct. The patient’s symptoms are obvious. You were wrong. How am I wrong?”
“You are really wrong.”
Fang Qiu shook his head and went on to explain, “Besides the symptoms you have mentioned, the patient also suffers dryness and bitterness in his mouth, dry stool, and numerous thin pulses. Considering his symptoms and pulse, he has heat in his liver and stomach, which is affecting his lungs.
“The treatment should focus on soothing the liver, relieving depression, and clearing the stomach and organs.”
After that, Fang Qiu took a pen and wrote down a prescription.
“Bupleurum in vinegar and Hangzhou white peony root 12 grams each. Stir-fried bitter orange, rhizoma pinelliae preparata, trichosanthes seed, poria cocos, coke areca nut, fat rhizoma anemarrhenae, and the root bark of white mulberry 10 grams each. Raw plaster (fry first)15 grams, raw rhubarb (add in later) and cornel 3 grams each. Sichuan rhizoma coptidis and raw licorice 6 grams each. 3 doses, 1 dose per day. Boiled for juice and consumed in two times.”
After that, he pushed the prescription to the patient and ordered, “Use this one.”
“Don’t listen to him.”
Feng Xuexin said at once, “You should use my prescription.”
This time, the patient at the consultation desk was puzzled.
They were both doctors.
Which one should he listen to?
The patient was confused and anxious.
After all, they both saw his illness. As the patient, he for sure wanted to be cured as soon as possible.
In addition, rumor had it that Chinese Medicine was very toxic. If he got the right one, he would be cured. But if he took the wrong medicine, he might lose his life.
How could someone with little Chinese Medicine knowledge make the decision?
“You are really wrong.”
Fang Qiu looked at Feng Xuexin seriously and added, “Your symptoms reading was wrong.”
He didn’t want trouble, but he sincerely felt Feng Xuexin’s mistake. If the patient took his prescription, his illness wouldn’t be cured, but he might suffer some negative influence.
“I can’t be wrong.”
Feng Xuexin shook his head immediately and scolded angrily, “For how long have you been studying? Don’t play stubborn in front of me. You don’t have sufficient experience.”
“Trust me or take another look.”
Fang Qiu insisted.
“What else should I look? It is obvious.”
Feng Xuexin seemed annoyed and commented, “It has nothing to do with the liver and stomach stagnation or the liver-fire damaging his lungs. His lungs are invaded by the cold and wicked. Heat is transformed and Yin is damaged.”
Then, he took his own prescription to fill for the patient.
As soon as he attempted to walk away, Fang Qiu grabbed him.
“What are you doing?”
Fang Xuexin was getting angry. He turned around and glared at Fang Qiu. “Let go of me. Don’t you waste my time!”
“No!”
Fang Qiu shook his head firmly and added, “I stick to my opinion. Your reading is wrong. If the patient used your prescription, his illness couldn’t be cured.”
Over here, the two fought intensely, refusing to give in.
At the consultation desk, listening to the two doctors arguing, the patient opened his mouth after a long silence. “Maybe I’ll go with Doctor Feng’s prescription.”
From the conversation he had heard, he knew Fang Qiu was new in the Chinese Medicine field, probably still an apprentice.
After some comparisons, he chose to believe Feng Xuexin.
After all, Feng Xuexin was a proper doctor, and this clinic had been operating for a long time.
“No. You can’t use this prescription.”
Fang Qiu’s frown grew tighter. He looked at Feng Xuexin and said, “If the patient used your prescription, his cough would be more severe, and the rest symptoms would remain the same. You are chasing the trifles and ignoring the essentials.”
“What is wrong with you?”
Feng Xuexin was really mad. He looked at the very stubborn Fang Qiu and scolded, “You are a Chinese Medicine apprentice who hasn’t finished studying the four diagnostic methods yet. You haven’t learned to write a prescription. How dare you give one so boldly? And you are accusing me of doing it wrong?”
