Chapter 25 was still so polite and distant.
When Huo Nanchen came downstairs after get off work, Lin Xili was under the longan tree with her head down, a book open on her lap, focused and quiet.
He stepped forward and handed her a bottle of mineral water.
"Let's go back."
Lin Xili looked up, closed the book, and took the water: "Okay."
The two walked side by side toward the parking lot without saying a word.
The car drove away from the health center and merged into the country road.
Lin Xili suddenly spoke up: "The iodine intake rate in 3 hours is 58%."
Huo Nanchen replied casually, "Hmm, the numbers are pretty good. We'll check the 24-hour figures tomorrow."
He glanced at her quickly, turning his head. "Don't be nervous. Iodine intake is affected by many factors. Even if it doesn't meet the standard tomorrow, it's just a matter of waiting another week and stopping the medication to test again."
"I understand," she replied softly.
Back at the guesthouse, Grandma Huo was sitting in the courtyard picking vegetables. When she saw the two of them come in one after the other, her face immediately lit up with a smile.
She nodded in satisfaction and said to Huo Nanchen, "That's right. You're a sensible kid, knowing to accompany Xili to the clinic. You can't let her run back and forth by herself."
Huo Nanchen didn't reply and walked inside.
Lin Xili was a little embarrassed and explained, "Grandma, I'm the one who troubled him."
"No trouble at all, it's just on his way."
Dinner was a light, home-style meal cooked by Huo Nanchen, which the three of them ate quietly.
After Lin Xili finished washing the dishes, Huo Nanchen stood up and said to his grandmother, "Grandma, let's go back."
Since the couple got their marriage certificate, Grandma Huo has been staying at the guesthouse and hasn't gone back home. She feels that the newlyweds are at a crucial time for cultivating their relationship and need some alone time.
Because they were close, Huo Nanchen let her have her way.
Lin Xili said goodbye to Grandma Huo and walked with her towards the two-story building at the end of the town.
Back at their residence, Huo Nanchen went into the study, while Lin Xili returned to her room.
In the evening, after washing up, Huo Nanchen went downstairs in his pajamas, opened the refrigerator, and took out a bottle of ice water.
The grapes, apples, and plums I bought this morning are still there, untouched, in the same spot.
He stopped moving, remembering how she thanked him when she took the bottled water.
Even after settling in, I never touched anything here, and remained as polite and distant as ever.
Huo Nanchen was silent for a moment, then reached out and took out a bunch of plump, purplish-red grapes, rinsing them clean.
He found a small, delicate basket woven by his grandmother from thin bamboo strips, put the grapes inside, and the natural color of the bamboo basket gave it a rather elegant feel.
He walked to Lin Xili's door and knocked with his finger.
The door opened quickly, and Lin Xili was still reading a book, holding a pen in her hand.
Huo Nanchen handed over the small bamboo basket: "Have some fruit."
Lin Xili paused for a moment, looked at the juicy grapes and the quaint little basket in front of her, and then took them, saying, "Thank you."
"You don't have to feel constrained here. Use whatever you want, eat whatever you want. You can touch anything in the refrigerator."
Lin Xili gripped the cool bamboo basket handle, her fingertips curling slightly, unsure how to respond.
His directness and thoughtfulness made her carefully maintained sense of boundaries seem somewhat awkward.
"……good."
Huo Nanchen didn't say anything more, nodded, and turned to go back to his room.
Lin Xili closed the door and looked at the plump grapes in the bamboo basket. He sensed her awkwardness and politeness and used this subtle way to tell her that she didn't need to be so formal.
The two arrived at the health center again at 9 a.m. the next day.
The second floor was even more lively than yesterday.
People lined up to have their 24-hour iodine intake measured, while new patients gathered around Huo Nanchen's consultation booth.
Lin Xili silently joined the queue for iodine intake measurement.
She could hear snippets of conversation coming from Huo Nanchen's end; he was explaining the illness and treatment plan to the new patient and patiently answering various questions.
His presence seemed to inject a stable core force into this somewhat noisy and outdated environment.
When it was her turn to enter the small room, the process was exactly the same as yesterday.
The cold probe was pressed against her neck again, and the two-minute wait still felt long.
When Dr. Zhang Jie looked at the computer screen and skillfully printed out a report and handed it to her, Lin Xili's heart was in her throat.
"Here, just take it to Dr. Huo's office to get in line."
Lin Xili took the report and eagerly jumped to the most crucial data:
[24-hour thyroid iodine uptake rate: 78.6%]
78.6%!
It far exceeds the 60% passing mark!
A tremendous feeling of relief washed over her body instantly, making her breathe a sigh of relief.
She suppressed her excitement, thanked Dr. Zhang, and left the small room with the report in her hand.
As she walked towards Huo Nanchen's consultation table and waited in line, she overheard Dr. Zhang giving instructions to the patients behind her.
Several people had significantly low iodine intake and were advised to return home.
"Your result is only 25%, that's not good, your absorption is too poor. Go back first, and you must be careful, absolutely no more seafood! Come back for another test in a month."
"For you, 30% is also not allowed. Have you forgotten to watch your diet? You can't touch seaweed, kelp, or dried shrimp at all!"
The patients who were turned away were filled with disappointment and frustration, and some muttered under their breath:
"Oh dear, I just couldn't resist having a couple of bites of the cold jellyfish salad..."
"I thought drinking some seaweed soup would be fine..."
Lin Xili listened from the side and suddenly realized what was going on.
No wonder the iodine intake rate was below standard.
It turns out that iodine is everywhere, especially in seafood where it is found in very high concentrations.
Strict dietary restrictions are a prerequisite for ensuring accurate iodine intake and the effectiveness of subsequent treatment.
She couldn't help but feel grateful that she hadn't been careless about her diet during this time under the supervision of Grandma Huo and Huo Nanchen.
It's her turn now.
She sat down on the stool opposite Huo Nanchen and handed him the iodine intake report.
Huo Nanchen took the form, checked it, and said, "The iodine uptake rate is very good, 78.6%, which is very suitable for iodine-131 treatment."
These words completely put Lin Xili's mind at ease.
"Go pay the fees and get a full-body CT scan." Huo Nanchen wrote down the instructions on the medical record while explaining the next steps. "After the scan is done, bring the images and report to me directly."
As he spoke, he pulled out a sheet of printed paper from a stack on the table and handed it to Lin Xili.
"These are the precautions for taking iodine-131. You can take a close look at them while you are queuing to pay and waiting for your CT scan."
"It's all written very clearly on it. If there's anything you don't understand, just ask me when you bring the film up."
His arrangements were meticulous, with every step taken into account for the patients. He even offered suggestions on how to utilize the waiting time.
Lin Xili took the thin piece of paper, but felt its weight was somewhat heavy.
"Okay, I understand." She nodded, clutched the report and instructions in her hand, and got up to leave the consultation room.
On her way to the payment counter, she couldn't help but look down at the notice.
The precautions for taking the medication are clearly listed above:
Do not eat or drink water for two hours after taking the medication, and avoid hot water.
Those prone to motion sickness are advised to stay overnight or rest for 3 hours after taking the medication before leaving, otherwise the medication will not be effective if the patient vomits it up.
Keep your distance from the elderly, children, and pregnant women for 14 days. It doesn't matter for adults, but it's best to sleep in a separate room.
Avoid high-iodine foods such as seafood and fish for six months. There are no other dietary restrictions, and iodized salt is fine to eat.
After taking the medication, pay attention to rest, avoid heavy labor, do not stay up late, supplement nutrition, and eat more meat, eggs, freshwater fish and poultry.
If a woman is pregnant and wants to give birth, she must wait six months to a year before undergoing a follow-up examination at the hospital to confirm the diagnosis before she can become pregnant and give birth again.
Breastfeeding women must stop breastfeeding after taking the medication.
Flush twice after using the toilet to maintain good hygiene habits.
...
Each point of attention is written in a simple and easy-to-understand manner.
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