"That won’t do. Teacher can’t drink right now. He had a bit of a cough the past couple of days, so alcohol is absolutely out of the question." Mr. Mu had overexerted his body too much in his youth, and now that he was older, his health was steadily declining.
Bai Jiu and Gao Zhijun planned to help him carefully nurse his health back, so alcohol was an absolute no.
"Sigh, it’s all from the starvation back in the day." Hearing about Old Mu’s health, Aunt Xu sighed with emotion.
It wasn’t just Old Mu; everyone their age suffered from similar ailments. Take her own husband, for example. He had severe stomach issues. He could only eat soft and liquid foods now. Anything too hard would give him a stomachache and could even cause intestinal blockages. Now, they had porridge for breakfast and dinner, or they would make separate main dishes for the rest of the family so they didn’t have to eat the same things as him.
"Exactly. That’s why I had some traditional Chinese medicine prescribed for Teacher to regulate his body. I plan to help him recover properly." The medicine had been procured by Gao Zhijun through his connections.
For someone like Mr. Mu, everything he ingested had to be strictly screened. Otherwise, Chi wouldn’t be following him around around the clock. She actually wanted to handle his treatment herself, but she simply didn’t have the opportunity.
"Traditional Chinese medicine is terribly bitter. Uncle Xu refuses to drink it. Making him take his medicine is like asking for his life. Don’t you think that’s annoying?" Aunt Xu began to complain at the mention of this.
Bai Jiu knew this as well. Traditional Chinese medicine was genuinely bitter. The saying that "good medicine tastes bitter" wasn’t just empty words.
"Then just switch Uncle Xu to a medicinal diet. Stomach problems are finicky and require careful nursing," Bai Jiu suggested. "I happen to know a few medicinal recipes. Would you like to give them a try, Aunt Xu?"
Aunt Xu was very surprised to hear this. "You know about this stuff? I couldn’t tell at all.
"Is it convenient for you to share? If so, tell me how to prepare it. I’ll have someone ask the doctor about it later. If it’s safe for him to eat, I’ll stop your uncle’s medicine so he’ll stop whining in my ear every day." She truly hadn’t expected Bai Jiu to possess such skills. Of course, she didn’t pry any further.
Afraid that Bai Jiu might overthink it, Aunt Xu quickly explained, "Please don’t take offense. I really can’t make the final call on this matter; I have to consult the doctors." She looked a bit embarrassed but also full of anticipation. It was clear she had been truly tormented by Mr. Xu’s illness.
"It’s nothing. You don’t need to explain, Aunt Xu, I understand. Teacher’s medicine is also prescribed by them." Bai Jiu smiled and patted Aunt Xu’s hand to show her understanding.
"Sigh, exactly. It’s so troublesome." Aunt Xu was only complaining verbally; she was actually quite happy with the state’s arrangements for them. After all, not just anyone could receive this kind of treatment.
"Stomach illnesses need to be nursed. I know a few dishes, and the ingredients aren’t anything rare. Let me tell you about them," Bai Jiu said, proceeding to share what she knew.
"The first is Codonopsis and Eel Soup, which mainly treats gastritis. You stew eel with codonopsis root, red dates, bergamot, and Ban Xia. Once it’s stewed until tender, add a small amount of salt and let it simmer for a bit. It has the effect of warming the center, strengthening the spleen, promoting qi circulation, and relieving pain.
"Alternatively, you can make White Peony and Yam Chicken Soup. Stew lotus seeds, yam, white peony root, and goji berries with chicken. Add the goji berries at the very end after the chicken is tender, then season with salt. This soup replenishes qi, strengthens the spleen, preserves yin, and relieves pain. It’s great for nourishing yin and the stomach."
Bai Jiu listed two of the most effective recipes. "Try these first. If the results aren’t good, we can switch to something else."
Stomach ailments came in many forms, which was why she only offered two options for now. Both recipes contained pain-relieving ingredients. For chronic sufferers like Mr. Xu, they likely endured a lot of pain on a daily basis.
"Oh my, Bai Jiu! You’re amazing! I can tell just by listening that these will be effective," Aunt Xu said, growing increasingly excited. She had initially thought Bai Jiu only knew some rural folk remedies. But these recipes were nothing like folk remedies—they were genuine, solid medicinal diets.
"Not necessarily. It still depends on Uncle Xu’s specific condition," Bai Jiu said, feeling a little intimidated by Aunt Xu’s enthusiasm. Traditional Chinese medicine required prescribing treatments tailored to the individual. Unlike Western medicine, where different illnesses might sometimes be treated with the exact same medication.
"You should ask the doctor first to see exactly what’s wrong with Uncle Xu’s stomach. Is it gastritis, a stomach ulcer, or gastroptosis?" Different illnesses naturally required different diets.
Aunt Xu was truly shocked this time. Leaning close to Bai Jiu’s ear, she asked in a soft whisper, "Jiu, does your family have a background in medicine?"
Studying medicine wasn’t anything shameful, but the Bai Family had simply attracted too much attention back in the day. Because of this, they were envied by many and eventually exploited. The old master had been completely terrified by the political climate of those times, which led to his premature passing.
"Yes, I learned from my grandfather for a few years." She wasn’t lying; the original owner of her body had studied medicine since childhood.
"Oh my, I really couldn’t tell. You’ve kept this hidden quite well." In this era, medical resources were incredibly scarce. Having someone around who understood medicine was a wonderful thing. How could Aunt Xu not be happy?
"I’ll go ask the doctor later. I’ll leave your Uncle Xu in your hands then." Aunt Xu was ecstatic. Even if it didn’t cure him completely, just allowing him to eat a normal variety of flavors again would be fantastic.
"No, no, no," Bai Jiu said, nearly scared to death by Aunt Xu’s words. The original owner had been a theoretical student of Chinese medicine, but she wasn’t! Knowing the theory was one thing, but she didn’t dare actually prescribe medicine. She simply didn’t have the skill. Now, if it were Western medicine, she could prescribe it with her eyes closed.
"You still need to ask the doctor. There can’t be a single mishap with Uncle Xu’s health. How about this: I’ll write down a few recipes, and you can show them to the doctor to see what they say?" These kinds of recipes weren’t closely guarded secrets; anyone who understood traditional Chinese medicine knew them.
"That sounds great." Aunt Xu had gotten carried away in her excitement. If something went wrong, she would end up harming Bai Jiu. So, she immediately agreed to the proposal.
"I’ll go back and write them down, then bring them over to you later. Don’t go asking today; wait until tomorrow." Bai Jiu figured it would be better to write down a few extra options. She would write down one or two recipes for each type of stomach issue and let the doctor choose.
"Alright, I’ll listen to you."
After returning home, Bai Jiu felt a sudden wave of regret, thinking she shouldn’t have revealed her medical knowledge. She wasn’t afraid for herself, but she worried it might bring negative consequences for Gao Zhijun.
When Gao Zhijun came back that evening, she told him about the incident. Mr. Mu was also present and naturally overheard her.
"It’s fine. Knowing medicine isn’t anything to be ashamed of. Your family didn’t use medicine to harm people, so what’s there to be afraid of? I don’t know about the outside world, but here, the majority of medical treatments are based on traditional Chinese medicine," Mr. Mu quickly comforted her upon seeing her fear and worry.
"I suppose Zhijun has already mentioned the exams to you?" The old man soon remembered the upcoming college entrance examinations. "If you want to study medicine, I know a good place for you to go. It just depends on whether you’re willing." The old man’s fondness for Gao Zhijun had extended to her as well.
Bai Jiu calmed down after hearing Mr. Mu’s words. "The place you’re talking about must be excellent, Teacher. But as you know, the two children at home are still young. I don’t have much free time," she said, looking troubled.
Chi, on the other hand, was quite surprised when he heard Mr. Mu mention a place to study medicine. He immediately thought of a specific person, as that was the only individual whose medical skills Mr. Mu truly acknowledged.