Chapter 32 Crisis! Entire Staff Resigns

For Shen Qingtang, getting medicine was not a difficult task, especially since she had been here for half a month.

But... looking at the prescription, she frowned slightly and said, "Are we really going to follow this prescription? This one herb and..."

Before Shen Qingtang could finish speaking, Chen Maquan impatiently interrupted her, saying, "This is the prescription that Old Chen has been using to stop Mrs. Li's diarrhea, and it has always been very effective." After a pause, he added, "If you don't recognize all the ingredients, then let Mingyue get the medicine."

Shen Qingtang pursed her lips and said, "No need, I'll catch it right away."

Seeing Shen Qingtang's worried expression, Cui Mingyue patted her shoulder to comfort her, "Sister Shen, don't worry, Mrs. Li has been taking this prescription for so long, there won't be any problems." She whispered, "Senior Brother is very skilled at treating diarrhea, this might be his improved prescription."

Shen Qingtang nodded, but felt uneasy, with a sense of foreboding.

This ominous premonition, like a time bomb, exploded three days later.

Mrs. Li was slamming her hand on the medicine cabinet, her fat jiggling high as she said aggressively, "Director Chen, I came to your Renxin Medical Clinic to get medicine because I trusted you, but it's made me suffer from stomach pain and body aches for the past few days. I had to go to the hospital for IV drips to get better. You have to give me an explanation."

Upon hearing this, Chen Tu frowned and retorted first, "My prescription couldn't possibly have a problem." He reached out and stroked his gray beard, saying, "Mrs. Li, have you recently eaten anything that clashes with your diet?"

Mrs. Li waved her hand and said, "How could that be? I've been taking care of my stomach and intestines these past few days, eating only porridge and liquids." Besides, it's the same routine every time she comes here to get antidiarrheal medicine after taking diet pills. Her housekeeper is already very skilled at it and won't let her eat anything she can't eat.

"Besides, I've been getting Chinese medicine from Dr. Chen for so long, I don't think it could be a problem with the prescription."

Upon hearing this, a glint of shrewdness flashed in Chen Maquan's eyes. He stroked his chin and said, "Since it's not a problem with the prescription, it's very likely a problem with the herbs themselves." He paused for a moment and then asked, "Mrs. Li, do you have any herbal medicine packets with you?"

Mrs. Li nodded hurriedly and handed it over, saying, "I brought it. I was in so much pain less than a day after drinking the Chinese medicine that I didn't even have time to decoct the next few doses."

Chen Maquan took the package but didn't open it. Instead, he handed it to Chen Tu with a serious expression and said, "Old Tu, take a close look and see if there's a problem with our medicinal herbs. If so, we need to investigate immediately."

Upon hearing this, Chen Tu's expression turned serious and solemn. He inserted his fingers into the Chinese medicinal herbs and began to examine them carefully. Suddenly, he picked up a herb and frowned, saying, "How come there's Codonopsis pilosula in here? Didn't I prescribe Codonopsis pilosula?"

After saying that, he looked enlightened, and his gaze toward Shen Qingtang grew even colder: "Mrs. Li, I think I've found the problem. There's nothing wrong with the prescription I gave you. The mistake was that Shen Qingtang got the wrong medicine and mistakenly put in Codonopsis pilosula instead of Codonopsis pilosula."

Seeing Mrs. Li's puzzled expression, he continued to explain, "Although Codonopsis pilosula and Codonopsis pilosula differ by only one character, their effects are worlds apart. You just took a large amount of weight-loss hormone medication, so your spleen and lung qi are deficient, and your qi and blood are insufficient. Taking Codonopsis pilosula can help you replenish qi and strengthen your spleen. Codonopsis pilosula, on the other hand, is suitable for symptoms such as lung heat and cough, and has the effect of calming the liver and detoxifying. It is contraindicated for those with spleen and stomach deficiency and cold. Therefore, after you take this prescription, it will actually worsen your diarrhea symptoms."

Hearing this, Chen Li looked at Shen Qingtang with a mocking expression and said, "Shen Qingtang, you've been interning at the pharmacy counter for so long, yet you can't even distinguish between Codonopsis pilosula and Codonopsis pilosula var. mongolicum."

"Codonopsis root is cylindrical with a grayish-yellow surface, while Codonopsis rhizome is slender with a semi-transparent epidermis, making it the easiest to distinguish. How did you obtain this basic Chinese herbal medicine license?"

Shen Qingtang frowned and said, "I didn't make a mistake. The prescription originally said it was Codonopsis pilosula." That's why she raised her doubts back then.

Chen Tu scoffed and glanced at Shen Qingtang, saying, "As expected, it looks good but is useless. I've prescribed this formula more than ten times. How could you use Codonopsis pilosula?" He nodded slightly, adopting the air of a senior, and continued, "Shen Qingtang, since you've prescribed the wrong medicine, you have to admit it."

Shen Qingtang moved her lips, about to retort, when she heard Chen Maquan respectfully say to Mrs. Li, "Mrs. Li, Qingtang has just obtained her Chinese medicine practitioner's license and has no practical experience yet, so she accidentally prescribed the wrong medicine."

Chen Li followed behind and said, "Mrs. Li, look... you didn't kill anyone, did you? Qing Tang is the owner of my Renxin Pharmacy. We can just compensate you a little more. Please don't spread this around."

Hearing this, everyone was shocked. Cui Mingyue touched her ears in disbelief, wondering if she had misheard.

How could Chen Li say such a thing so brazenly?

Mrs. Li wasn't usually one to hold grudges, after all, she was a regular customer of Renxin Medical Clinic. She had only come to ask for an explanation and an apology. Upon hearing this, she immediately flew into a rage: "So, it won't kill you! If it really could kill you, wouldn't I be lying in the hospital morgue right now?"

Mrs. Li's face was no longer as kind as before. She blinked and stared straight at Shen Qingtang, saying, "I knew it! No wonder this name sounded so familiar. So you're Shen Qingtang from the Shen family. You're so young, yet you're not learning anything good and keep making mistakes. You even forced your parents and family to go abroad."

Mrs. Li and her husband are self-made second-generation entrepreneurs who grew up together. They were childhood sweethearts and after marriage, they valued their children's family education the most. They especially disliked unfilial sons and daughters who squandered their parents' good intentions. She sneered and said, "If I had known that Renxin Medical Clinic was owned by you, I would never have patronized it, not to mention that your medical skills and ethics are both terrible."

"Pay me two million, give it to me in a month, or we'll see each other in court." With that, she swung her flabby body and left quickly, not even sparing a second glance.

Seeing this, Chen Maquan felt a surge of joy, but on the surface he sighed and said with a worried expression, "Qingtang, you've really messed up this time. You've offended Mrs. Li. Mrs. Li is a long-time customer of our pharmacy. If she spreads this around, our reputation will be ruined."

"And..." He rubbed his forehead and looked at Shen Qingtang, saying, "Where do we have 2 million in our accounts?"

Cui Mingyue frowned and said, "Director Chen, didn't we make quite a bit of money last month? Let's go apologize to Mrs. Li, explain the misunderstanding today, and pay her 200,000 yuan in compensation."

Upon hearing this, Chen Li touched his nose and said, "I can indeed spare 200,000, but unfortunately I used it all to pay the supplier yesterday, and also gave a deposit for dried perilla leaves, so it's all gone."

Every autumn and during the transition from autumn to winter, colds and flu are common. Perilla leaves are warm in nature and pungent in taste, and have the effect of relieving exterior symptoms and dispelling cold. They are suitable for symptoms such as chills, fever, and cough caused by colds and flu. Moreover, perilla leaves are widely cultivated and can be considered an inexpensive and commonly used Chinese medicine. Medical clinics stock up on some of them every year during this season.

But Cui Min quickly raised another question: "Perilla leaves are very cheap, and the deposit is only ten or twenty thousand yuan, how could it be spent exactly?"

Chen Li pursed his lips and said, "A supplier said he had a channel where the price of perilla leaves would be 20% lower, so I ordered the entire quantity for next year, a full twenty tons."

Twenty tons! Upon hearing this number, everyone's eyes widened.

Chen Maquan was the first to shout angrily, "You unfilial son! How could you order so many?" Perilla leaves are very common and have no value in hoarding.

Chen Li said, "We're going to need it anyway, right? Besides..." He crossed his arms and looked angrily at Shen Qingtang, "If she hadn't prescribed the wrong medicine, we wouldn't have angered Mrs. Li, and we wouldn't be facing cash flow problems. I had a good plan, and it could have saved the clinic a lot of money."

Upon hearing this, the people in the clinic looked at Shen Qingtang with a hint of resentment and blame.

Some people communicated with just their eyes, while others started discussing things more openly.

"Instead of being a proper rich heiress, she insists on causing trouble at our clinic."

"The clinic's business was already so-so, and now it looks like it's about to go out of business."

"Don't think she's some rich heiress; she's actually been expelled from the family."

"No wonder Mrs. Li disliked her so much just now."

"People in the elite circles say she's a jinx, and sure enough, she's going to bring down the clinic by coming to work there."

......

Hearing this, Cui Mingyue's expression changed, and she called out, "It's time to go to work, it's time to go to work. Senior brothers and sisters, don't all crowd together here." After saying that, she patted Shen Qingtang's shoulder and said, "Sister Shen, it's okay. I know Mrs. Li. She's quite easy to talk to. We'll apologize properly later." She paused and said, "You've only just started at the clinic. It's normal for you to prescribe the wrong medicine."

Shen Qingtang shook her head and said, "I couldn't possibly have given the wrong medicine." She was now absolutely certain that the prescription Chen Maquan had given her had been tampered with.

Hearing this, Cui Mingyue sighed softly, her gaze towards Shen Qingtang filled with complex emotions. Shen Qingtang didn't offer any further explanation, knowing that as a newcomer without any evidence, no one would believe her no matter how much she pleaded.

Chen Maquan coughed and said, "It's working hours now, everyone, cheer up. I believe Qingtang will handle this matter, so please don't spread it." He nodded slightly, paused, and said with a warning look, "If anyone goes out and tells nonsense and I hear it, I will dock your salary."

After saying that, his tone softened a bit, and he looked at her and said, "Qingtang, come over here and let's talk. Old Chen, come over here too."

Seeing the other person's seemingly gentle but actually calculating shrewd smile, Shen Qingtang ignored her discomfort and followed after him.

Chen Maquan led the group into the office. He looked at Shen Qingtang and sighed heavily, saying, "Qingtang, the matter of you getting the wrong medicine could have been a big deal or a small deal, but it has escalated to this point." He glanced at Shen Qingtang and immediately said, "Of course, my son's reckless remarks angered Mrs. Li, but the most important thing is that you got the wrong medicine."

"If you ask me, we shouldn't have let her get the medicine in the first place. She's pretty, but she doesn't do things pretty well." Seeing Chen Maquan and Chen Tu singing in unison, Shen Qingtang's heart skipped a beat. She realized that the two of them were going to pin the blame on her.

But she remained calm and unhurried, saying, "Director Chen, how do you plan to handle this matter?"

Chen Maquan stroked his chin and said, "We definitely have to lose money. Mrs. Li is a senior member of the Chinese Medicine Association. Her family is in the building materials business and invests millions of yuan in the Chinese Medicine Association every year. She also has a certain say in the Chinese Medicine industry. So we have no choice but to sell the clinic and lose money."

Chen Li sneered and said, "For someone with such medical skills, it's only a matter of time before he sells his clinic. It's better to sell it at a high price sooner rather than later."

Chen Maquan nodded and said, "What Xiao Li said is not without reason."

He showed a helpless and distressed expression, patted Shen Qingtang on the shoulder and said, "Qingtang, I know you may be reluctant, but this may be the best outcome. And as you have seen in the past two weeks, our business here hasn't been very good. We've only been able to keep going thanks to the neighbors in the neighborhood."

"Although this clinic is small, its location is quite valuable, and it can still be sold for two million."

After saying that, he looked meaningfully at Shen Qingtang, but the next second he was pierced by the sharpness in her eyes, and felt that his thoughts had been seen through. He touched his nose with a little guilt, but still braced himself and said, "Qingtang, do you think this idea is good? This way we can raise Mrs. Li's compensation money very quickly. This afternoon I will swallow my pride and take you to Mrs. Li's residence to apologize."

Hearing this, Shen Qingtang replied without blinking, "Two million isn't much to me, I can afford to pay it back, but I won't." Her words further dashed Chen Maquan's hopes: "And I won't sell this clinic either."

"Foolish, this is utterly foolish." Hearing this, Chen Tu slammed his hand on the sofa, his lips trembling with anger. Seeing Chen Maquan nod slightly, he blurted out, "I want to resign!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a chattering sound came from outside.

"Mr. Shen, I'm sorry, but I also want to resign."

"Since it's going to go bankrupt anyway, it doesn't matter whether I come in the last few days or not. Just settle my wages."

"I'm also going to resign; my mother is sick."

......

Seeing the door being pushed open and the excited crowd outside wanting to quit, Shen Qingtang blinked and finally understood what kind of magic potion Chen Maquan was up to.

They couldn't force her to sell her clinic, so now they're taking most of her staff and leaving.

Seemingly noticing Shen Qingtang's gaze, Chen Maquan put on a helpless expression and sighed softly, saying, "Qingtang, you are really too stubborn. I can't help you like this."

He shook his head and said in a serious tone, "Since you want to take over the clinic, then go ahead. I'm too tired lately and I want to rest."

A sharp glint flashed in Shen Qingtang's eyes, but her face remained unmoved. She nodded and said, "Then I'll have to trouble Uncle Chen to take care of you during this time." After saying that, she turned to the crowd and said, "Since someone wants to resign, I won't try to stop them. Although it's only the middle of the month, I will pay you all your full salary this afternoon."

Although Chen Tu had long known that he wouldn't be able to work at Renxin Medical Clinic for long, he didn't expect Shen Qingtang to agree so readily without even saying a word to persuade him to stay. For a moment, he felt like he had lost face.

He snorted coldly and said, "I told you that someone like her shouldn't come to the clinic. Now she's harming herself and others. I can't stay in a clinic like this anymore."

Upon hearing this, Shen Qingtang no longer held back as before, and retorted, "A woman like me? A woman as beautiful as me?" A cold glint flashed in her eyes as she said, "Dr. Chen, you always say that your wife betrayed you, that she cheated on you because she's beautiful, but these past few days I've been asking around the neighborhood, and the facts you're telling seem incomplete. I heard that you treat your wife very badly, often verbally abusing and physically abusing her. Many people say that it's fortunate your wife was able to leave you, this devil, and that she's living a very happy life now, enjoying her grandchildren every day."

Chen Tu's face paled. Over the years, he had forgotten many details, but the fact that his wife had cheated on him and made him a cuckold remained firmly in his mind and continued to deepen.

"Back then, you seemed to have had mistresses, right? You were a womanizer, yet you accuse your wife of cheating. That's a huge double standard. Even now, you still like to make things difficult for pretty doctors and patients."

These words felt like stinging slaps to his face, making his entire face burn. He bit his lip and said, "You're lying, I didn't."

Although he said that, he lacked confidence, because he knew he had indeed done it. Sure enough, the others remained silent, because they had clearly seen how Chen Tu had been making things difficult for Shen Qingtang over the past two weeks.

Chen Tu took a deep breath and hurriedly left the place.

Chen Maquan then took out a business card and handed it to Shen Qingtang, saying earnestly, "Qingtang, this is the last time I'll help you."

Shen Qingtang took it and looked closely; it turned out to be a business card from a real estate salesperson.

Cui Mingyue followed the gaze and said, "Uncle Chen is really going too far." Cui Min snorted coldly and said, "Isn't that just his nature?"

Hearing this, Cui Mingyue asked in surprise, "Fifth Senior Brother, why didn't you resign with them?"

“This is Master’s clinic, I must hold on until the very end.” Hearing this reason, Cui Mingyue was also moved to tears and said, “Fifth Senior Brother, I have the same thought.”

Shen Qingtang glanced at Cui Mingyue and said, "You already knew they wanted to resign, didn't you?" Hearing this, Cui Mingyue thought Shen Qingtang was angry, and touched her nose somewhat embarrassedly, saying in a low voice, "Sister Shen, don't be angry. I actually just overheard them talking about it once. I didn't know they were resigning today."

"It's all such a coincidence."

Upon hearing this, Shen Qingtang smiled faintly and answered herself, "Coincidence? It is indeed quite a coincidence." She had angered Mrs. Li one minute, and then everyone resigned the next. It seemed like Chen Li and Chen Tu were the ones jumping around, but in reality, Chen Maquan was the mastermind behind it all.

Not only that, but it also left her with a mess.

Cui Mingyue pursed her lips and said, "Sister Chen, what should we do now?"

Shen Qingtang stroked her chin and said, "Go outside and put up a job advertisement." Since most of the doctors have already left, let's hire some more.

Cui Mingyue: "..." She thought Sister Shen would paint a rosy picture for her and her fifth senior brother, but she didn't expect her to be so pragmatic. For some reason, seeing the other party's calm expression as usual, the anxiety in her heart was suddenly extinguished.

On the other side, Chen Li, who had finally left Renxin Medical Clinic, said with a happy face: "Dad, we can finally open our own clinic. When we buy Renxin Medical Clinic, this Changchun Street will be enough for us to make a fortune."

Seeing Chen Maquan's furrowed brows, he asked with some confusion, "Dad, what's wrong with you?"

Chen Maquan sighed softly and said, "It seems I underestimated Shen Qingtang's financial resources." Faced with all these unexpected events, Shen Qingtang remained so calm and composed, which made him wonder if the other party had any other tricks up their sleeve.

Hearing this, Chen Li said dismissively, "Dad, Shen Qingtang is still a member of the Shen family. Although she has been expelled from the Shen family, she is definitely richer than the average person. Two million is a lot, but she can still squeeze it out if she wants."

After saying that, he chuckled and said, "Even if she can compensate, so what? She has already offended Mrs. Li, and the reputation of Renxin Medical Clinic is ruined. She will not have any customers in the future. Moreover, we have taken so many doctors with us. It is only a matter of time before the clinic closes down."

"When our clinic opens, she will be even more anxious and overwhelmed. Just the outstanding payments to suppliers will keep her busy. We can also acquire Renxin Clinic from her at a low price."

Hearing this, Chen Maquan's worries finally subsided, and he turned around and smiled, "In that case, we'll open for business tomorrow."

He simply couldn't believe that Renxin Medical Clinic could continue operating after his disruption.

Chen Maquan and others had been waiting long enough for this opening day, so they were well-prepared. They immediately notified people in the industry that they had opened a new clinic and invited many people.

The opening ceremony was a lively affair, with drums and firecrackers filling the air. Because it was the first day of business, they only charged half the usual consultation and medicine fees, and the place was packed with customers.

Of course, some people stared at the "New" in the shop's name, "New Benevolence," for a long time before asking in confusion, "Director Chen, have you opened a branch? And why is it located right across from the original one?"

It's important to understand that opening branches is usually done to seize resources in other markets; there's never been a precedent of opening two stores opposite each other.

In response, Chen Maquan chuckled and said, "These are two unrelated shops now." He then subtly revealed that Shen Qingtang's medical skills were inadequate, which angered Mrs. Li, so he was preparing to open a new shop.

This tactic of praising one while belittling another quickly garnered sympathy and praise from many people. Customers of Renxin Pharmacy, seeing their usual doctor there, immediately decided to come to the new Renxin Pharmacy for treatment in the future.

Cui Mingyue stood at the door, gazing at the bustling scene across the way, and could only sigh at how desolate and dreary her own side was.

When she finally saw the sign the other side had put up, she was so angry that her face contorted and her veins bulged. The words "New Benevolence!" seemed to be squeezed out from between her teeth.

How dare this person choose such a name? The other side is New Benevolence, so they naturally become Old Benevolence.

It's a well-known fact that the old is not as good as the new. So, will anyone still choose their clinic then?

Seeing Shen Qingtang still checking the medicinal herbs as usual, Cui Mingyue couldn't help but get impatient. She ran in and said, "Sister Shen, why aren't you worried at all? Do you know what kind of signboard Chen Maquan and his team are using for their new clinic?"

Only now did she belatedly realize how despicable Chen Maquan was: "Director Chen deliberately made you get the wrong prescription, offend Mrs. Li, and then made it impossible for you to gain a foothold in the industry."

“Now he has opened a new Renxin Medical Clinic across the street and taken away so many doctors. He is clearly trying to challenge us.”

"Is this a tournament? This is clearly a crushing defeat." Cui Min walked over, her sharp tongue undiminished. However, since he had expected this, he wasn't too surprised.

Chen Maquan had tried to win him over several times before, but he had always firmly refused. Thinking of this, he looked at Shen Qingtang with a hint of disappointment and said, "If you ask me, you might as well just sell the clinic to avoid an even worse outcome. Anyway, your medical skills are nothing special." Although Cui Min's words were harsh, they were true. After all, if they left now, the only loss would be the clinic.

Chen Maquan is a very cunning man. His account balance is practically empty. At the beginning of next month, they still have to pay a large sum of money to the supplier. Now they have also offended Mrs. Li. It's really a headache for them.

Shen Qingtang looked at the new clinic across the street and said, "I will not sell this Renxin Clinic." She pursed her lips and asked, "Mingyue, did anyone come to apply for a job yesterday?"

Cui Mingyue touched her nose, her tone somewhat embarrassed, and said, "No, I don't think anyone would apply." No matter what industry it is, rumors always spread the fastest, especially with Chen Maquan spreading them so vigorously. Everyone thought that Renxin Medical Clinic was bound to close down sooner or later. Some people even thought that although it was unethical for Chen Maquan to open a new Renxin Medical Clinic, it was also an extremely wise move.

Upon hearing the result, Shen Qingtang showed no particular expression, simply saying, "I understand." After saying that, she began packing her medicine kit.

Seeing Shen Qingtang bustling around, Cui Min asked in confusion, "What are you going to do?"

Shen Qingtang uttered softly, "I'll come to your home for a consultation."

"A doctor's visit? For whom?" Cui Min's brow twitched. Looking at Shen Qingtang's calm expression, an idea involuntarily popped into her mind.

Could it be Mrs. Li? Shen Qingtang's words soon confirmed his suspicions.

Shen Qingtang said with a relaxed expression, "I'll go see Mrs. Li." Cui Min gasped and said, "Shen Qingtang, you're really daydreaming. You probably don't even know where Mrs. Li lives." This kind of information has always been in Chen Maquan's hands, and no one else knows it at all.

Shen Qingtang nodded slightly and frankly admitted, "I really don't know, but someone does."

As soon as she finished speaking, a beautiful figure appeared at the door. Today, she was wearing a bohemian-style long dress, which was different from her elegant and refined look at the banquet. Instead, she exuded a more relaxed and comfortable vibe. She walked over in white leather sandals and asked with some confusion, "Qingtang, isn't that clinic across the street yours? The names of the clinics are too similar. I almost went to the wrong one."

She waved her hand while holding the car keys and said, "Let's go. Mrs. Li invited me to her house for morning tea. I specially drove a convertible supercar over today, and I'll give you a ride."

This person is Zhang Xihua, a socialite in high society with a wide network of connections.

Shen Qingtang nodded and said, "Okay, wait for me a moment." She looked at Cui Min and Cui Mingyue and said, "If there's not much business in the morning, you can take half a day off."

Cui Min glanced at Shen Qingtang with some unease and cautioned, "Don't anger Mrs. Li again." Otherwise, they really won't be far from going bankrupt.

Shen Qingtang nodded and said, "I know my limits."

Mrs. Li lives in a townhouse with a small garden on the second floor. She even has a ginkgo tree planted there, which turns yellow in autumn. The rustling sound of the ginkgo tree constantly brushes past her ears like wind chimes. Paired with a macaron and a mojito, it's a very leisurely and pleasant experience.

It was clear that Zhang Xining and Mrs. Li were very familiar with each other; they found the elevator that led directly to the small garden without needing a maid to guide them.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, Mrs. Li's enthusiastic voice greeted them, "Xining, you've finally arrived! Come help me decide what dress to wear to my son's engagement party. I trust your fashion sense the most." But when her gaze swept over Shen Qingtang behind her, her smile vanished, and she said with displeasure, "Xining, how do you know this person?"

After saying that, she looked at Shen Qingtang and said, "I'm sorry, you're not welcome here."

Mrs. Li was a straightforward person and immediately wanted to ask Shen Qingtang to leave. Zhang Xining immediately stepped forward to mediate and said, "Mrs. Li, Qingtang is my good friend. I have heard about what happened between the two of you. There must be some misunderstanding."

“Misunderstanding? What misunderstanding could there be?” Mrs. Li rolled her eyes so hard they almost reached the sky. “Isn’t it just that her medical skills are bad and she prescribed the wrong medicine for me? Right now, I’m only asking you to compensate me two million, but if you anger me, then it will be more than just this little compensation.”

Shen Qingtang blinked and said calmly, "Mrs. Li, I know you don't believe me right now, so I'll just say one thing: if you want me to leave after hearing this, then I'll leave right away."

As expected, Shen Qingtang's words immediately piqued Mrs. Li's curiosity. She raised her eyelids, took a sip of her cold drink, and said, "Go ahead and say it."

Shen Qingtang looked into the other person's eyes and simply said eight words: "I can help you lose weight successfully."

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Li couldn't help but scoff, "I've heard that countless times. If you're trying to fool me, you'd better go back now." In her younger days, Mrs. Li was quite petite and charming. She and Mr. Li were childhood sweethearts, supporting each other through thick and thin, and had a son together. However, since entering middle age, perhaps due to excessive happiness, she developed a tendency to gain weight easily. In layman's terms, she's the type who gains weight even from drinking water. What's even more tragic is that Mrs. Li is a food lover, spending her days in painful dieting.

Over the years, she has tried many different weight loss methods, such as hot spring bathing, laser therapy, yoga, and dieting. She has even had liposuction several times until the doctor finally declined, saying that her body could not withstand the strain.

People in the social circle of wealthy wives praised her to her face as "plump and healthy" and "generous and chubby," but behind her back they gave her the nickname "Fatty Li."

No matter how profound Mrs. Li's mindset is, as a woman, hearing such a nickname would inevitably make her sad and upset, which further fueled her pursuit of extreme weight loss, almost endangering her life. Fortunately, her husband comforted her and her son reassured her, and she has gradually come to terms with it over the years.

Normally, turning a blind eye to her weight and making peace with it would be a good thing, but on the day she went to try on her son's wedding dress, she happened to bump into Mrs. Wang.

Mrs. Wang was also a fat woman, but she weighed 20 pounds less than Mrs. Li, so they were kindred spirits in their struggle to lose weight. She was brainwashed by Mrs. Wang's theory that "being too fat will embarrass her son and daughter-in-law when they go on stage," and she started to do things regardless of her health. As a result, she chose a diet pill that would work quickly in the short term, which caused her to suffer from persistent diarrhea. That's when she went to Renxin Medical Clinic to get a prescription.

If Mrs. Li had an Aladdin's lamp and asked her what she wished for, she would definitely answer with two words without hesitation: lose weight!

She dreams of losing weight! But over the years, she's fallen for every diet she's tried, each time in a different way!

Therefore, when she heard that Shen Qingtang could help her lose weight, her first reaction was not relief and excitement, but doubt.

After all, in her eyes, Shen Qingtang was a despicable person who was both incompetent in medicine and morally bankrupt.

Hearing Mrs. Li's refusal, Shen Qingtang did not give up. She continued, "I heard from Xining that there's only a month left until the wedding banquet." She deliberately paused for a second and said, "What if I could help you lose twenty pounds in a month?"

Twenty pounds! Upon hearing this astonishing number, Mrs. Li gasped, her heart trembling involuntarily.

She had actually set her sights on a beautiful dress a long time ago, but unfortunately, she couldn't fit into the largest size in the store. If she lost twenty pounds, she could fit into it, right?

Although Mrs. Li did not speak, Zhang Xining could see that she was interested, so he pressed on and said, "Sister Li, do you remember the short video of a rescue that I once told you about? That was Qingtang's doing. She did a good deed without leaving her name, and the little girl's family couldn't find her to thank her, so they could only leave me a private message."

“I don’t know what misunderstanding happened between you, but in terms of character, she is absolutely fine. Moreover, Huang Lao’s daughter, Huang Minmi, told me herself that she idolizes Qingtang. Think about it, if she were really that kind of despicable person, would Huang Lao let his daughter worship such an idol?”

Upon hearing the name of Old Huang, Mrs. Li's resistance finally disappeared. She grumbled a couple of times and said, "I didn't realize she was so capable. She even knows Old Huang's daughter."

"That's right. If she didn't have some skills, Sister Chen wouldn't have said she could help you lose weight," Zhang Xining quickly chimed in.

Mrs. Li looked at Shen Qingtang and said, "Alright then, I'll give it a try." She bit her lip and said, "If you can really help me lose twenty pounds in a month, no... ten pounds, I won't make you pay two million in compensation, and I'll even actively promote your weight loss results in public." Mrs. Li was self-aware and knew how difficult it was for her to lose weight, so she took the initiative to lower her demands.

Shen Qingtang said in a calm tone, "It's twenty catties, so it's twenty catties." She took out a cotton pillow from her medicine box and said, "Now, let me take your pulse first."

Seeing the other person's serious and earnest expression, Mrs. Li suddenly felt a glimmer of hope. For some reason, she felt that she might actually be able to lose weight this time.

Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes "observation, auscultation, inquiry, and palpation." While taking Mrs. Li's pulse, Shen Qingtang inquired about her physical condition, even learning in great detail about her condition during each hospitalization.

Mrs. Li initially thought that Shen Qingtang's medical skills were not good, but through their questions and answers, she gradually dispelled such doubts. Seeing the other party's increasingly furrowed brows, her heart began to pound with anxiety.

When Shen Qingtang withdrew her fingers from her pulse, she swallowed hard and asked nervously, "Doctor Shen, is there still a chance for me to successfully lose weight?"