Chapter 31

Leaving the company, Xiao Chen thought of something and turned to ask, "Da Han, you haven't told me what illness your mother has."

Li Han's expression darkened, and his massive body trembled slightly. "Lung cancer, late stage."

"Late-stage lung cancer?"

Xiao Chen's hand on the steering wheel trembled. He had originally thought it was a common illness that he could treat... but late-stage lung cancer, he had no real solution for that!

It was a terminal illness, and there seemed to be no surefire cure in the world!

"When we first came, the doctors said that with active treatment, there was still hope... Later, they said there was no hope and told us to go home."

Pain flashed across Li Han's face, and he clenched his fists tightly, the veins on his thick arms bulging.

"Da Han, life and death are natural processes, and no one can change them," Xiao Chen said, trying to comfort him.

"They said there was hope to cure her, why did they later say it couldn't be cured! I don't want my mother to leave me; she's the only family I have in this world!"

Li Han's emotions became agitated, and large tears rolled down his cheeks.

Xiao Chen looked at the distressed Li Han, wanting to offer more comfort but not knowing what to say! Should he tell him that the hospital said it could be cured because they had money, and when the money ran out, they told them to go home and wait to die?

That might be the reality, but saying it would be too disheartening!

"Wah, I don't want my mother to die..."

The big man suddenly cried like a child.

Xiao Chen slowed down the car and patted Li Han's shoulder. "Da Han, don't cry. Maybe there's a way out, maybe a miracle will happen, maybe your mother won't leave you!"

"Really?"

Li Han lifted his head and sniffed.

"Yes, really. Brother Chen wouldn't lie to you!"

Li Han nodded and wiped his tears. "Yes, my mother is a good person. I feel that heaven won't let her die."

"Right, good people have a peaceful life."

Xiao Chen looked at the tear-streaked face of Li Han, smiled, and made a decision in his heart.

When they passed a mall, Xiao Chen stopped the car, bought some nutritional supplements, and then found a medicinal cuisine shop to prepare some mild tonics.

"Sir, hello. What kind of tonic would you like?"

A staff member of the medicinal cuisine shop approached, smiling.

"Do you have all the ingredients?"

"Sir, we are the largest medicinal cuisine shop in Longhai. We have everything, whether it's Chinese herbs or other ingredients... There are also traditional Chinese medicine practitioners and professional medicinal cuisine chefs over there. You can consult them..."

"No need. Give me paper and a pen; I have my own prescription."

Xiao Chen shook his head.

The staff member was taken aback but still provided paper and a pen, handing them to Xiao Chen. "Sir, if you provide your own prescription, our shop will not be responsible for any consequences, and our medicinal cuisine chefs will need to review it..."

"Okay, no problem."

Xiao Chen took the paper and pen, thought for a moment, and wrote down a prescription.

"Brother Chen, you know about this?"

Li Han was a bit worried, after all, this was something for his mother to drink.

"Do you trust me?" Xiao Chen asked.

Li Han didn't hesitate and nodded. Although he was simple, he wasn't stupid. He could feel that Xiao Chen genuinely cared for him!

Xiao Chen smiled and handed the prescription to the staff member. "Give it to your medicinal cuisine chef for review."

"Xiao Zhang, let me see this prescription."

Suddenly, an elderly man in Tang attire spoke to the staff member.

"Medicine Master, hello!"

The staff member saw the elderly man and became extremely respectful, bowing slightly and presenting the prescription with both hands.

Xiao Chen looked at the elderly man curiously. Who was this? From his attire and demeanor, he was clearly no ordinary person. Could he be the owner of the medicinal cuisine shop?

The elderly man noticed Xiao Chen's gaze and smiled warmly. "Young friend, I am also part of this medicinal cuisine shop. I will help you review it."

"Old Master, please." Xiao Chen nodded with a smile, indifferent to who reviewed it.

The elderly man carefully examined the prescription, his eyes widening and his expression becoming more surprised. He then suddenly looked up at Xiao Chen and asked, "Young friend, may I ask what this medicinal cuisine prescription is for?"

"Hehe, what do you think, Old Master?"

Xiao Chen smiled, intrigued.

"Fish mint, pungent and cold, enters the lung meridian... Northern ginseng, sweet and bland, cold, enters the lung meridian... Ophiopogon... From these herbs, the patient's illness should be in the lungs, right?"

Xiao Chen nodded. "That's correct."

"Also, white flower snake tongue grass, could it be lung cancer?" the elderly man continued.

"Old Master is right, late-stage lung cancer."

"Then may I ask what these herbs are for? This is clearly a prescription for clearing heat and detoxifying, dispersing lung heat, but why are there pungent and hot herbs?" The elderly man pointed to a few herbs on the paper.

"Hehe, Old Master is truly talented. If it were an ordinary TCM practitioner, they would probably question why I added these herbs, but you didn't, which means you've noticed something." Xiao Chen smiled.

The elderly man was taken aback and then laughed. "Hehe, why don't you think I'm a mediocre practitioner? If I didn't understand the prescription, I wouldn't point it out, right?"

"True, but I think since this is the largest medicinal cuisine shop in Longhai, it shouldn't employ mediocre practitioners, right?"

The elderly man was taken aback again and gave a thumbs up. "Young friend, your insight is unique. Would you like to come inside and talk more?"

"Sure, but first, let them start preparing the medicinal cuisine."

The elderly man nodded and handed the prescription to the staff member. "Xiao Zhang, prepare the medicinal cuisine according to this prescription, and do it with care."

"Yes, Medicine Master."

The staff member nodded respectfully and turned to arrange it.

"Young friend, please come in."

The elderly man gestured with one hand, leading Xiao Chen and Li Han inside.

In the inner room, the elderly man invited them to sit down and then asked eagerly, "I once read a similar theory in an ancient medical book, but because the book was incomplete, I didn't fully understand it... Later, through my research, I found that it was feasible..."

"Hehe, Old Master, is the ancient book you mentioned the 'Yin-Yang Medical Canon'?" Xiao Chen's heart raced as he asked.

The elderly man stood up abruptly. "You, how do you know?"

"Hehe, if I say I've read the complete version, would you believe me?" Xiao Chen smiled.

"Complete version? That's impossible! I only obtained a fragment of it by chance..."

Xiao Chen didn't explain further but recited a passage from the book, which left the elderly man completely stunned. It was exactly the same as the content in the fragment he had!

"May I ask, young friend, who is your teacher?"

"Hehe, I learned from an old fortune-teller."

"An old fortune-teller?" The elderly man was taken aback. Learning medical skills from a fortune-teller? How strange!

"Old Master, about that prescription, it's like this..." Xiao Chen didn't elaborate on his teacher and instead explained the prescription.

The elderly man sat up straight and listened carefully, occasionally raising his own questions and discussing with Xiao Chen.

Beside them, Li Han was also happy. Although he didn't understand the yin and yang concepts Xiao Chen was talking about, seeing the old man listen like a student proved that Brother Chen had real skills!

"Brilliant, truly brilliant!" After about ten minutes, the elderly man slapped his thigh and smiled. "Today, listening to you, I feel like I've gained more than ten years of medical study!"

"Hehe, Old Master, you flatter me."

"Oh, I was so engrossed in the discussion that I forgot to ask your name." The elderly man remembered something and asked.

"My surname is Xiao, and my name is Xiao Chen."

"Good, good, Xiao Chen, here is my card." The elderly man took out a card and handed it to Xiao Chen.

Xiao Chen took it. The card was simple, with only the name 'Yao Qihuang' and a phone number, no other information.

But this simple name made Xiao Chen's heart race. It was really him?

Earlier, when the staff member called him 'Medicine Master,' he had thought of someone—the honorary president of the Chinese Medical Association, a towering figure in Chinese medicine, and one of the three most famous doctors in China, Yao Qihuang!

Because the surname 'Yao' was rare, and this old man had an extraordinary demeanor and a strong scent of Chinese medicine, he had guessed it might be him, and it turned out to be true!

"Old Master, I've heard of your name."

"Oh? Hehe, just a reputation, let's not talk about that, let's not talk about that!"

"Hehe, Old Master, why are you here?" Xiao Chen asked curiously.

"Oh, this medicinal cuisine shop is run by a relative of mine. I happened to be in Longhai for some business, and he asked me to come over during my free time... I didn't expect to meet a young friend like you, truly a coincidence!"

"Is that so... Hehe, indeed a coincidence. I didn't expect to meet a towering figure in Chinese medicine just by randomly choosing a medicinal cuisine shop..."

"I said, let's not talk about those titles. Your knowledge of the complete 'Yin-Yang Medical Canon' means you will surely shine in the future!"

"Brother Chen, is this old man... no, this old master, very skilled in medicine?"

Suddenly, Li Han asked.

"Yes, Old Master Yao is one of the three most famous doctors in Chinese medicine!" Xiao Chen nodded.

"Can he save my mother?" Li Han asked excitedly.

"Young friend, what illness does your mother have?" Yao Qihuang looked at Li Han and asked.

"What 'tang'?" Li Han didn't understand.

"Ah, I mean, what illness does your mother have?" Yao Qihuang was taken aback and rephrased.

"Late-stage lung cancer. Master, can you save my mother? If you can cure her, I'll work for you for the rest of my life!"

Yao Qihuang's mouth twitched. Late-stage lung cancer? Even as a renowned doctor, he had no certainty in treating such a terminal illness!