Chapter 18, Chapter 18: Are you all done?
As the last rays of the setting sun faded, night enveloped the earth, and the lights in the 515 dormitory were dim.
"Comrade Chen, you're too kind. This meal is even more lavish than what we eat at home during the Chinese New Year."
Hu Fengshou was a short, middle-aged man dressed simply, wearing a blue hat that was a bit too big, making his eyes slant upwards.
"Sister Huang has helped me a lot. I feel like this meal is too meager!"
"How shabby! I think the food is even better than the food at the factory's state-run restaurant. It smells so good that I keep swallowing my saliva."
The folding table could only comfortably seat four people when unfolded. They borrowed a dining table from Ruanqiu's house and put it together, but the uneven heights made it look like there were two separate tables for everyone.
The two elderly members of the Huang family did not come. The family of four sat at the high table, with Chen Yun sitting in the middle of the remaining four, facing Hu Mei who kept glancing at her.
The girl was indeed tall, dressed in a mature style, and seemed to have applied makeup to her face.
"Everyone, pick up your chopsticks and take whatever you want to eat," Chen Yun said with a smile.
The ingredients were fresh enough, and since we don't usually have many opportunities to eat like this, everyone praised Chen Yun's cooking skills.
After eating half a bowl of chicken soup and two pieces of chicken, my stomach, which had been craving vegetarian food for too long, suddenly rebelled when it tasted greasy food.
"What's wrong?"
Gao Ming had been secretly watching Chen Yun, and as soon as he raised his hand to rub his stomach, he immediately asked her with concern.
"Could it be mushroom poisoning?" Ruanqiu worriedly rubbed her stomach as well. "I heard that someone in our factory got poisoned after eating mushrooms and had to go to the hospital."
The others visibly panicked.
Chen Yun, both amused and exasperated, quickly waved her hand, "What are you talking about! I just ate too much oily food all at once and my stomach can't handle it. I'll be fine in a bit."
"Drink some warm water to calm down."
Gao Ming had already poured a glass of warm water and sat back down. He brought the rim of the glass directly to Chen Yun's lips, and as she slightly opened her mouth, the warm water slowly flowed down her throat.
"I remember one year the army hunted a wild boar in the mountains, and the whole company had a big meal of meat. As a result, before it got dark, many people had diarrhea and vomiting... The army doctor said that the comrades' stomachs had been empty for too long, and their stomachs couldn't handle eating too much meat all at once!"
Upon hearing Gao Ming's words, Li Huguo quickly recalled the scene from that time, and was filled with emotion: "To put it bluntly, life was too hard, and we never tasted sweetness." As he spoke, he glanced at Chen Yun.
"Young lady, you must not be too frugal with food and drink in the future, lest you ruin your health..." Huang Lian sighed.
The more frugal Chen Yun is in her daily life, the more generous she appears. Today's meal includes chicken and meat, and the rice is all new rice.
"I don't mistreat myself." Chen Yun quickly smiled to ease the atmosphere, her tone light: "It's just that the food in the cafeteria isn't good, it has nothing to do with saving money." After saying that, she picked up her chopsticks and took half a crab.
"Crabs are cold in nature." Gao Ming put the crab into his own bowl, picked up Chen Yun's bowl and scooped out half a bowl of degreased chicken soup: "Blow on it carefully, it's hot."
Chen Yun chuckled to herself, picked up the bowl, and began to sip the soup slowly.
Hu Mei stared intently at the two of them, and especially when she saw Chen Yun's lips curling up behind the bowl, she couldn't help but frown deeply.
The others at the table didn't seem to find anything strange; they all smiled knowingly at the two of them.
"Now the dormitory has a kitchen, so we can cook whatever we want to eat in the future," Hu Fengshou said with a smile.
"You guys don't know yet! Chen Yun will be the head of internal medicine at the health center... or the factory workers' hospital from now on. How will she have time to cook?" Ruanqiu blurted out the good news.
"To become a director at such a young age, he has a bright future ahead of him!"
"Then wages should increase accordingly!"
"Let's start by congratulating Comrade Chen on his promotion with soup instead of wine."
The five people offered their congratulations in unison, with Hu Yongqiang pouting his greasy lips and spouting auspicious words, making Chen Yun burst into laughter.
"Xiao Gao is so lucky. Comrade Xiao Chen is not only good-looking, but also so capable at work. You can take good care of the family in the future!"
Hu Fengshou arrived late and, seeing Li Huguo joking, assumed that Gao Ming and Chen Yun had already established a relationship.
Just as everyone was having a lively conversation, this sentence suddenly came out.
Gao Ming and Chen Yun, who were involved in the incident, were relatively calm, but Hu Mei reacted strongly, jumping up in shock.
"You...you're actually healed!"
"How can you talk like that, child?" Huang Lian's face stiffened, then her eyelids twitched violently, and she hurriedly tugged at Hu Mei's clothes at the back: "If you're full, go back first."
"Mom!" Hu Mei bit her cheek and broke free, pointing at Gao Ming and loudly questioning, "You know perfectly well that Yanzi's sister likes Comrade Gao Ming! How am I supposed to explain this to Yanzi!"
Chen Yun: "..."
"What nonsense are you spouting! We can talk about this at home..."
"I don't care!" Hu Mei became more and more agitated as she spoke, raising her hand and pointing straight at the opposite side, her fingertip almost poking Chen Yun's nose: "What makes her worthy of Comrade Gao Ming? You all praise her so much!"
"Comrade Hu Mei." Gao Ming slammed down his chopsticks, his clear voice filled with suppressed anger: "Please watch your words. It's none of your business to interfere in my affairs with Comrade Chen Yun."
"Hu Mei!" Hu Fengshou shouted, grabbing Hu Mei's arm and trying to pull her outside. "Just wait until we get back, I'll teach you a lesson. You're always following Liu Yan and not learning anything good."
"I'm not leaving." Hu Mei was determined to get an explanation from her friend's sister today. No matter how much Hu Fengshou pulled her, she held on to the edge of the table and refused to let go: "If Gao Ming doesn't give me an explanation, I'll go to the Party Committee and report you for abandoning me after I leave."
Chen Yun turned to look at Gao Ming with a half-smile.
Seeing Hu Mei's resolute expression, Chen Yun began to suspect that Gao Ming and Liu Yan's sister might indeed have some connection.
And she wasn't the only one who thought this way. Li Huguo blurted out, "You wouldn't actually have something going on with that woman, would you!"
"Am I that kind of person?!" Gao Ming replied coldly, then turned to Chen Yun: "Trust me."
Chen Yun nodded.
A person's eyes are the most telling indicator of their character. I used to watch TV dramas and felt that no matter how intimate the male and female actors were as lovers, there was not a trace of love in their eyes.
With just a glance from Gao Ming, Chen Yun's heart miraculously relaxed.
"Sister Huang." Gao Ming slowly stood up and looked at Huang Lian: "Is Liu Yan's sister Liu Yun?"
Huang Lian nodded and apologized to Chen Yun, explaining, "Sister, please don't misunderstand. Liu Yun and Xiao Gao have absolutely no relationship. I can guarantee that with my hand on my heart."
"Impossible!" Hu Mei exclaimed even louder, "Yanzi clearly said that Comrade Gaoming would soon be her brother-in-law, and her sister even knitted a sweater for Gaoming."
Chen Yun responded with an "Oh".
"Chen Yun." Gao Ming, thinking Chen Yun had been misled by Hu Mei's words again, was so anxious that cold sweat broke out on his forehead. "Listen to me..."
Chen Yun raised her hand and stood up: "Is it Liu Yun who has a one-sided crush on you?"
"..."
The relationship between Liu Yun and Gao Ming was explained in a single sentence.
Huang Lian nodded anxiously, pressing down on her stubborn daughter who clearly didn't believe her, and continued to explain.
In fact, the phrase "unrequited love" perfectly encapsulates the entire situation.
Gao Ming was handsome and gentle, and many unmarried women in the factory had feelings for him, the most obvious being Liu Yun, the eldest daughter of Liu Congwu.
Liu Congwu is the head of the factory's security department. His eldest daughter became a teacher at the factory's affiliated school after graduating from vocational school.
"That girl is stubborn as a mule. Her mother, Cai Fang, and I are on good terms. In fact, she had asked me to introduce her to someone a long time ago..."
Gao Ming refused directly at the time, and Huang Lian went back and told Cai Fang the truth, and the old couple readily stopped mentioning it.
Liu Yun is stubborn but timid. After learning that she had been rejected by the person she liked, she hid at home every day and cried. She was neither brave enough to pursue him nor willing to give up.
She secretly regarded Gao Ming as her lover, but he was completely unaware that such a person existed in her life.
“A few days ago you told me that Liu Yun was knitting a scarf for her boyfriend, and I thought she had finally given up and started dating someone else.” Huang Lian looked helplessly at Hu Mei’s astonished face and had to be more explicit: “Xiao Gao has absolutely nothing to do with Liu Yun. Tell Liu Yan not to spread rumors and cause misunderstandings.”
Hu Mei had read quite a few books, so how could she not tell who was telling the truth and who was lying when her friend and mother were talking?
No wonder Liu Yan said that her family was unhappy when Gao Ming and her sister started dating. Hu Mei thought that Liu Yun's parents were stubborn and did not accept free love.
"How could this be so absurd?" Hu Mei clutched her braid tightly, her eyes darting left and right, unable to focus. Her words were almost a monologue: "Could we have all been deceived by Liu Yun...?"
"I have absolutely no personal relationship with Comrade Liu Yun. Not only her, but I have never had any involvement with any female comrade before I met Comrade Chen Yun."
Gao Ming's words were so confident they practically had the words "swearing an oath" etched on his forehead.
Although he was well-versed in the ways of the world, at this moment he felt his tongue go numb and he didn't even know what he was saying.
His intuition simply told him... he had to say it.
"..."
The tall man hunched over, explaining to Chen Yun in an extremely cautious and ingratiating manner. As he spoke, his tongue seemed to get tied, and the last few words were barely audible.
Chen Yun tilted her head slightly and glanced at him, a smile creeping onto her face.
"Comrade Hu Mei, I believe that after everyone has said so much, you should already know who is right and who is wrong."
"..."
"My boyfriend is very outstanding, it's normal for some people to have a crush on him, but spreading rumors is unacceptable..."
Chen Yun slightly raised her eyes. Her tone was not loud and her pauses did not seem to be deliberate, but they contained a power that made it impossible to look away.
The next second... in front of everyone, Chen Yun took Gao Ming's hand.
"Go back and tell Liu Yan and her sister Liu Yun that Gao Ming is my boyfriend, so she won't need to bother with knitting scarves anymore." She then gently shook her stiff, outstretched hand: "I can't knit scarves, will you mind?"
"No...no...I can! I'll knit you a scarf, and I can knit sweaters too!"
The congealed blood surged up instantly, and Chen Yun felt a slight tremor in his fingers. Then his hand was enveloped by a large hand, so hot that it made his heart burn.
"Aren't you leaving yet? Are you planning to stay here and continue to embarrass yourself!" Hu Fengshou was filled with shame. His daughter was supposed to be an intellectual, yet she was so unable to distinguish right from wrong. "If you dare to associate with Liu Yan again, get out of here and never come home again."
Liu Congwu and Cai Fang were such good people, how could they have given birth to two such immature daughters? I wonder what kind of trouble Liu Yun will cause after I heard that Gao Ming is dating someone.
Huang Lian shook her head and sighed, thinking that she should hurry home and go to the Liu family to tell Cai Fang about what happened tonight.
"Please don't blame Meizi, she's just too trusting..."
"I'm so sorry, Comrade Xiao Chen. I'll make sure this kid apologizes to you properly when I have the chance."
After expressing their apologies, Hu Fengshou and Huang Lian left with gloomy faces.
The footsteps gradually faded away.
Li Huguo's tense face suddenly relaxed, his eyes narrowed into crescent moons as he looked at the two still holding hands: "You're still reluctant to let go... Let go quickly, it's not a good look."
After saying that, he made a move to forcibly separate them, but as soon as he reached out, Ruanqiu slapped him back hard twice.
"What bad impact could there be! I think we'll have to hold hands when we go out from now on, so those people won't have any more excuses to talk nonsense!"
Li Huguo rubbed his reddened hands, pouted bitterly, then laughed: "Little Chen is really amazing! Gao Ming is my boyfriend... wait! How did you two get together?"
Chen Yun coughed lightly, and even though she had been so bold just now, she couldn't help but feel shy now.
"You talk too much!" Ruanqiu patted Li Huguo on the back again and gave Chen Yun a mischievous smile: "My wife and I will go downstairs for a walk first. We ate too much tonight and are a bit full. Gaoming will help wash the dishes."
"..."
"Let go now."
The moonlight was soft and warm, and Chen Yun's smile made her already beautiful face look even more gentle, making it impossible for Gao Ming to look away.
"You probably don't know much about my background, so let me tell you more..."
Their hands came together, slowly changing from holding hands to interlocking their fingers.
Gao Ming stared intently at Chen Yun for a long time before leading her into the house and sitting down at the desk.
Snap—
Gao Ming pulled down the lamp cord, and the lamp emitted a warm light that illuminated their clasped hands.
"I'm from Beicheng. My parents both work in government agencies, but they're not government officials like the rumors say. They're just ordinary staff members..."
Chen Yun blinked.
She hadn't heard any rumors about Gao Ming from the outside world, but how come they were completely different from what Ruan Qiu had said?
Wise parents are healthy, loving towards their children, and very open-minded.
Then Gao Ming recounted the story of his elder brother Gao Fei and his sister-in-law, frowning slightly when he mentioned his younger sister Gao Lan at the end.
"It's just that my third sister, Gao Lan, has been spoiled by Grandma since she was little and doesn't know any better. If she says anything gossipy in the future, you don't need to pay any attention to her..."
Gao Lan's younger sister has never experienced hardship since birth. After graduating from vocational school, she didn't stay at the job assigned to her for long because she found it too tiring and sold it to someone else.
Although her parents didn't mention it in their letter, Gao Ming knew that Gao Lan was always concerned about her mother's work.
Last month, Gao Lan's family called the factory and learned that she was getting married next month. Her fiancé was also a returned educated youth who was three years older than Gao Ming.
That person works at the material allocation department and has been living in the company dormitory since he has no place to live at home.
Because her partner lacked the qualifications to apply for a house, Gao Lan shamelessly insisted on living at her parents' house. Before the wedding was even held, the two of them openly moved into the house.
“Gao Lan disliked her sister-in-law for being from the countryside, and would pick fights at home, forcing her brother and sister-in-law to move to their workplace.”
The mother sighed helplessly on the phone, her words revealing her strong desire for Gao Ming to be transferred back to the city as soon as possible.
Gao Lantian fears nothing but his second brother, Gao Ming.
Unlike his older brother Gao Fei, Gao Ming was not gentle and easy to bully. He would not listen to reason and would resort to violence. Gao Lan was often beaten up when she was young.
Chen Yun nodded, and couldn't help but laugh when she thought of what Ruan Qiu had said about Gao Ming being unloved by his parents.
"When I was a kid, I liked to solve problems with force. That was because I was young and didn't know any better..." Gao Ming thought Chen Yun was laughing at him for using his fists to reason when he was a kid.
"Ruanqiu said you could have transferred back to Beicheng, but you didn't want to go home, so you hid far away... Is that true?"
“That kid Li Huguo has been talking nonsense with Comrade Ruan all day long.” Gao Ming chuckled twice, then patted their clasped hands with his other hand: “Back then, there was only one post in Beicheng, which I gave to another comrade… He was injured in the leg on the battlefield.”
"So that's how it is."
"In short, that's my family situation. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask."
"Then..." Chen Yun blinked, and asked with a leisurely smile, "You really know how to knit sweaters?"
"We'll start learning tomorrow."
"Comrade Liu is so devoted, tell me honestly... were you a little smug just now?"
Not at all.
"I don't think so! Didn't you immediately think of their name? And you still say there's nothing at all!"
"I'll go wash the dishes!"
The large hand finally loosened its grip, and the damp palm quickly dried in the wind. Chen Yun watched with a smile as the tall figure bustled around the room, showing no intention of getting up to help.
A cool breeze is blowing... I shouldn't have to sleep in the corridor tonight.
***
Hongri Machinery Factory Staff Hospital
"Pear Blossom's father, is this the health center the doctor told you about?"
The woman wore an ill-fitting blue blouse, the hem tucked into her dark blue trousers, and her aged face was full of anxiety.
"Don't panic, I'll go ask."
The man licked his dry lips and finally mustered the courage to call out to a young man passing by.
"Comrade, how do I get to the factory's health clinic?"
"The health center was recently converted into a hospital!" The man turned around and pointed to the hospital gate: "If you're coming to the health center for treatment, this is the place."
"Is Dr. Chen still working at the hospital?"
"Dr. Chen...you mean Dr. Chen Yun, right?"
As luck would have it, the young man was Zhao Zhiguo, who had come to get medicine for Master Niu. Upon hearing that the man was looking for Chen Yun, he immediately and enthusiastically led the group into the hospital.
The large characters painted above the main gate have been officially changed to "[Factory Staff Hospital]".
Under Liu Baoguo's arrangement, all the miscellaneous trees in front of the gate were cut down and paved with cement, and three propaganda boards for the hospital were erected.
The nurses' station was moved from the corridor to the middle of the lobby, and the cashier was moved to the main entrance, increasing the number of windows from one to three.
Zhao Zhiguo led the group to the payment counter before leaving.
Which organization is it from?
Registration and payment were both done at the same window, and at this time everything was recorded manually. The cashier would register the information step by step.
“I…we are from Huangniba Commune.”
"Huh?" The cashier looked up, paused for a moment in surprise, and then turned to ask the nurse next to her, "Sister Duan, she's not an employee of our hospital."
Since the factory clinic opened two years ago, this was the first time they had encountered someone from outside the factory coming to see a doctor, and they were all a little unsure how to handle it.
"Why don't people from Huangniba Brigade go to the brigade's health center for treatment?" Duan Yun asked.
"It was...it was Dr. Chen who told us to come to the factory hospital to see her." The man's heart, which had just been at ease, jumped again, and he stammered for a long time before he could finish a sentence.
"Dr. Chen?"
There was only one doctor surnamed Chen in the hospital, so Duan Yun was unsure what to do and hurried upstairs to find Chen Yun.
Chen Yun hurried downstairs and recognized the middle-aged man from a distance as the one she had met at Xiaokouzi last time.
A little girl with timid eyes peeked out from the basket on his back, her two small hands tightly gripping the edge of the basket.
"Dr. Chen."
Chen Yun's masculine appearance would never be forgotten. His anxious heart finally settled down, and he was completely unaware that he was already covered in sweat from nervousness.
"Sister Zhao, please register them! I remember it's three cents if you pay out of pocket," Chen Yun said with a smile, looking out the window.
"Director Chen, our hospital has no precedent for treating people from outside the factory." The cashier looked at Chen Yun with difficulty: "Why don't you explain the situation to the hospital director first?"
"Does the hospital have a rule that it can only provide medical treatment to its employees and their families?" Chen Yun asked.
"No, not at all." The toll collector shook his head.
"I remember the hospital's rules and regulations state that our hospital's mission is to serve the people. How come people from outside the factory aren't considered part of the people?!"
"..."
"I will report the situation to the dean truthfully."
"That's fine then."
After receiving the 30-cent registration fee, the cashier wrote out a receipt and handed it out the window.
"Actually, I'd love for more people from outside the hospital to come for treatment, but... I don't dare to be the one to start it."
No rule says that they don't accept people from outside the factory, but no one dares to claim they can treat patients.
The nail that sticks out gets hammered down... Everyone was terrified by the report from the Reform Committee.
Chen Yun smiled but didn't say anything.
creak—
As soon as the office door closed, the smell of paint, which had only been applied a few days prior, quickly filled the room.
Chen Yun sat back down at her desk and opened the window.
"Pear blossoms".
The man lifted the little girl onto the woman's lap and gently pinched her cheek.
The child named Lihua curiously looked at Chen Yun, who sat obediently in her mother's arms, and did not look sick or weak at all.
"Strangely enough, the child didn't complain of stomach pain even once today," the man said.
Chen Yun reached out and touched the child's topknot: "Let me check first." She then took off her stethoscope and put it on: "First, lift up the child's clothes a little."
The woman deftly unbuttoned Lihua's jacket, exposing the girl's upper body to Chen Yun.
Fortunately, the child was only three or four years old and not yet at the age to be shy; he just stared at the stethoscope with curiosity.
Chen Yun: "..."
She took off the stethoscope and hung it back around her neck, then placed her hand on Pear Blossom's bulging belly.
Chen Yun felt that her belly was unusually round. She carefully pressed on her abdomen, then suddenly stopped at a certain spot and pressed it again.
"Is Pear Blossom very ill?" the woman asked anxiously. Chen Yunguang's expression alone terrified the woman, leaving her completely flustered.
"It's not serious." Chen Yun smiled reassuringly, then put on a stethoscope and carefully examined the heart and lungs.
My initial surprise was simply because I hadn't encountered this situation in many years and was a little caught off guard.
Does it hurt here?
Pear Blossom shook her head.
What about here?
Does it hurt when you press it?
When she pressed down to the hard lump that was moving around in her lower right abdomen, Pear Blossom nodded gently: "It hurts a little bit."
"Put your hand on the towel, let me see what's wrong that's causing Pear Blossom's stomach pain."
The pulse diagnosis confirmed Chen Yun's earlier diagnosis.
Pear Blossom has roundworms in her stomach...
How is the child eating?
After confirming the psychological diagnosis, Chen Yun opened the medical record and conducted a detailed consultation. The parents' reports of poor appetite and weight loss were consistent with the symptoms of intestinal worms.
"Doctor, is my daughter Pear Blossom's illness life-threatening?"
"It's nothing serious." Chen Yun put the pen back on the table, his expression relaxing. "He has roundworms in his stomach. Let's take some deworming medicine first."
"A worm?"
The couple never expected this answer. The village barefoot doctor said the baby's intestines were rotting, which terrified them so much that they couldn't sleep for several days.
"The river water, the vegetables that weren't washed properly, sometimes the knife used to cut meat was used to cut onions..."
In my previous life, roundworms were already a rare disease among children, as the pesticide content in the soil was so high that roundworm eggs could not survive.
Unlike now, where manure is used for irrigation, which greatly increases the chances of ingesting roundworm eggs.
"Is the child's intestines alright?"
The man was extremely nervous, as he immediately thought of the barefoot doctor's words about his intestines being perforated and his stomach rotting.
"My intestines are fine. Once the roundworms are expelled, my stomach won't hurt anymore."
"It comes out of your mouth?" The woman pointed to her lips. "What if it doesn't climb up?"
"Don't worry, sister-in-law. The roundworms are in the intestines. The child will pass them out with the stool after taking the medicine."
"..."
Chen Yun explained to the couple in detail how to observe and handle the situation after the child took the medicine.
Seeing that their expressions had finally softened, he continued writing out prescriptions and writing out the medication.
"Our hospital has two kinds of deworming medication. One is Artemisia annua, which is a foreign aid product for our country, and the other is what city kids are taking..."
Most of the factory workers' families ate the former because it was cheaper, but it also had more side effects.
The latter is more acceptable to children and does not cause side effects such as stomach pain or nausea, but it costs 50 cents per pill.
Chen Yun wrote down both the words "artemisia annua" on the list, but the man chose the latter, pagoda-shaped candy, without hesitation.
"I have five yuan with me, doctor, please prescribe the medicine."
The couple's love for their daughter was evident; even though the adults wore straw sandals, Lihua's plastic sandals were brightly colored and spotless.
"Open first..."
Knock knock knock—
The knocking was abrupt, but Chen Yun ignored it and continued talking to the man: "Prepare four pills first, take them home and see how they work, then bring the child back for a follow-up check-up next week."
creak—
The door was pushed open, and Duan Yun, holding the doorknob, leaned half his body into the room: "Dr. Chen, another person from outside the factory has registered specifically to see you."
"Tell them to wait a few minutes, I'll be right there after I write the prescription."
"Then I'll have them wait at the door."
The door closed, and Duan Yunchong and the others waiting in the corridor smiled: "Dr. Chen is seeing patients, please wait a moment."
"Dad, sit down and rest for a while."
"Those who come inside for medical treatment also come from Huangniba Commune," Duan Yun casually remarked.
The old man's trousers were rolled up high, and his feet were covered in mud, clearly indicating that he had just come back from working in the fields.
The word "also" startled Li Weihong: "Are the people who come to the office for medical treatment also members of the Huangniba Commune?"
"That's quite a coincidence. It really is Huangniba Commune inside, and they might even be from the same brigade as you."
Duan Yun was puzzled.
How did Chen Yun become famous in Huangniba Commune...?
"The person has come out."
The man, carrying the child, thanked her repeatedly as he left. As soon as he turned around, he couldn't hide his joy and gave his daughter a big kiss on the cheek.
"Let's see if you dare to sneak a drink from the river again."
"I won't drink it anymore. The doctor said I can only drink boiled water." Pear Blossom patted her tummy and promised her father in a childish voice.
"The Three Yangs!"
Li Weihong's father cried out in alarm as soon as he saw the man's face.
"Uncle Li."
"It really is someone I know," Duan Yun said, becoming even more certain that someone was specifically promoting Chen Yun within the team.
"You said you were taking the child to the hospital, so this is where you came from?" Uncle Li asked.
Old Yang's only granddaughter had been suffering from stomach pain for a month or so, and the whole production team heard about it. The brigade secretary even announced on the loudspeaker that part of the brigade's public funds would be used to send the child to the county town for medical treatment.
Everyone knew that the couple had left the village this morning with their child, but no one expected that they would come to the health clinic at the machinery factory for a medical check-up.
San Yang nodded: "Lihua is fine, Uncle, you should go in and see the doctor quickly! Don't keep Doctor Chen waiting..."
"I'll go back with you after my doctor's appointment, so Wei Hong won't have to see me off," Uncle Li said to San Yang before going inside.
Li Weihong helped her father into the house, where Chen Yun was drinking water from a glass.
"Dr. Chen."
Seeing that the person who came in was Li Weihong, Chen Yun was not surprised at all and smiled and nodded at her.
"Uncle, where do you feel unwell?"
“My dad has asthma, and we went to the county hospital to see him…” Li Weihong took out a medical record from her bag and placed it on the table: “The medicine they prescribed worked for a while, but the attacks became more and more frequent later on…”
The doctor in charge of the consultation had such illegible handwriting that it took Chen Yun a long time to finally understand it by half reading and half guessing.
“According to the latest medication guidelines, there is no problem with the medication prescribed by the county hospital, and based on Uncle’s test results…” Chen Yun looked up and observed Uncle Li’s face: “It should be mild asthma.”
“Sometimes he coughs so badly he can’t even breathe, which scares us so much that we take him to the brigade’s health center overnight, but he gets sick again in just a few days,” Li Weihong’s mother said with a worried expression.
Chen Yun nodded.
As usual, auscultation of Li Shu's lungs and heart was performed, followed by pulse diagnosis for auxiliary diagnosis.
The testing equipment promised by the provincial hospital has not yet been delivered, so Chen Yun can only rely on traditional Chinese medicine pulse diagnosis as an aid.
Li Weihong's father does have asthma, but it hasn't affected his heart yet, and his lung condition isn't too serious.
The reason it flares up so frequently.
Chen Yun: "..."
Startled, Chen Yun lifted Uncle Li's chin with her hand: "Uncle, don't move yet."
Wipe the tweezers with an alcohol-soaked cotton ball, turn on the flashlight, and carefully pick out a piece the size of a fingernail from her nostril.
There are quite a few of these fragments in the nostrils. Some are large enough to be cleaned with tweezers, while others are covered in a thick layer of dust that is impossible to remove.
"Clean with a cotton swab dipped in water, then breathe in oxygen for twenty minutes."
This last task was naturally completed by Duan Yun, who took Uncle Li to clean Chen Yun and began to carefully examine the fragments.
If you ask why he needed to inhale oxygen for twenty minutes... the hospital only had one bottle of oxygen, so Chen Yun had to be frugal with his treatment.
"..."
"Does Uncle Li usually sleep in the woodshed?" Chen Yun asked a question that had nothing to do with his illness.
Li Weihong looked puzzled, and then could only look at her mother.
Li's mother hesitated and refused to explain, which angered Li Weihong so much that she raised her voice and asked again before Li Weihong finally nodded shyly.
"Your dad has been sleeping in the woodshed ever since the third brother got married last year; it's been about a year!"
"Mom, did you and Dad have a fight?" Li Weihong asked, puzzled.
Li's mother's expression became even more unnatural.
Chen Yun was only trying to confirm her guess about the fragments; she didn't actually want to know the reason for the room assignments.
However, Li's mother thought that the matter was related to her illness, and after some hesitation, she finally told the truth: "The third son is already married, but your father still keeps thinking about that matter. I'm just worried that his body can't handle it..."
Li Weihong turned her head away to avoid eye contact, but accidentally asked about her parents' little secret. She was so embarrassed that she wanted to slap herself a few times.
Chen Yun remained calm, speaking as if she hadn't heard, "Uncle Li must have inhaled a lot of dust from the corn stalks, which is why he often has asthma, plus the dampness in the house..."
Mild asthma can be prevented from recurring easily with appropriate medication and by paying attention to daily lifestyle habits.
As for whether asthma has caused COPD, also known as pulmonary heart disease, the hospital lacks testing methods, and Chen Yun judged from experience that there was no major problem with his lungs.
"This year they switched to a new medication for asthma, but our hospital doesn't offer it to patients in the county..."
"I'll go to the county hospital to buy it tomorrow. As long as it works, that's fine." Li Weihong assured her repeatedly, "You don't need to worry about the cost."
Chen Yun understood the urgency of the patient's family to grasp at any straw and do anything. After Li Weihong finished speaking hastily, Chen Yun smiled and continued, "The medicine is effective, but I think it can only be used for emergency treatment and is not suitable for long-term use."
In his previous life, Chen Yun had read a history of the development of asthma treatment in China.
In the 1970s, asthma treatment focused on bronchiectasis and theophylline, which could quickly relieve symptoms but lacked means to control inflammation.
Repeated emergency treatments only gradually worsen lung function, and this problem was not solved until the advent of inhaled hormones in the 1980s.
Chen Yun mentioned the potential side effects of long-term use to Li Weihong.
“No wonder your dad was so tired and out of breath after taking the medicine for two months. I knew it was the medicine that was the problem…” Li Weihong’s mother immediately attributed the problem to the medicine.
"There's nothing wrong with the medicine itself," Chen Yun smiled. "Without taking the medicine, an asthma attack can be fatal."
"..."
"Our country's medical level is still relatively backward, but it will definitely get better and better in the future."
"I can't take this medicine, but I can't not take it either... What should I do?" Li Weihong was at a loss.
"Medication can be used for emergency treatment; try traditional Chinese medicine for regular treatment."
“Dr. Ma from our health center said that herbal medicine can’t cure a sore throat…” said Li’s mother.
"Have you taken any herbal medicine?"
“No.” Mother Li shook her head: “After Dr. Ma said that, how could we dare to eat anything indiscriminately? Besides, there is no doctor in our brigade who knows how to prescribe herbal medicine.”
"Then..." Chen Yun turned to Li Weihong, "would you like to try acupuncture?"
The traditional Chinese medicine pharmacy and the newly arrived internal medicine doctor were late in arriving, but two sets of silver needles sent by a senior leader from the provincial TCM hospital who studied TCM arrived first, as a thank you for her recommendation of TCM treatment in her report.
Although it was specified that it was specifically intended for Chen Yun, it still ended up as a public medical supply for the hospital and is currently locked in the dean's office.
Li Weihong's eyes lit up, and she asked incredulously, "Is this what the old folks in the brigade often call 'acupuncture'?"
Chen Yun nodded: "The hospital lacks Chinese medicinal herbs, otherwise, the effect should be better if we used all three methods together."
"Dr. Chen, just write the prescription. I'll find a way to get the medicine... I'll definitely find a way to cure it."
Li Weihong had no connections, but it wasn't difficult for her in-laws to get some traditional Chinese medicine; the real challenge was finding a prescription that matched their symptoms.
"Then let me write a prescription first." Chen Yun took out a notebook from the drawer and tore off a page: "The prescription wasn't issued from the factory hospital..." He glanced at Li Weihong, but didn't finish his sentence.
Not using a hospital prescription was just in case; even if Li Weihong had ill intentions, it couldn't be blamed on Chen Yun.
"Don't worry, I understand." Li Weihong was filled with gratitude.
The prescription was written down in a few quick strokes, but Chen Yun did not hand it to Li Weihong. Instead, she placed it on the table.
Seeing this, Li Weihong immediately went around to the other side of the table, picked up the prescription, folded it, and put it into her handbag.
The prescription was taken from the table; if investigated later, Chen Yun could easily accuse her of being a thief.
It's always good to be cautious!
Next, Chen Yun consulted the family about their wishes regarding acupuncture treatment.
Li's mother's reluctant attitude suddenly changed drastically when she heard that each acupuncture session cost only eight cents, and she generously asked Chen Yun to prescribe six treatments at once.
Four yuan and eight jiao was their travel expenses to the county town, but now it can actually cure the old man's illness.
"We'll come to the hospital for injections tomorrow after we finish earning work points in the fields."
Not only Li's mother, but even Li Weihong's father was quite positive after learning that the condition could be completely controlled.
"Those are all follow-up treatments. The most important thing to do when we get back today is to move the woodshed out." Chen Yun saw them off at the hospital entrance, waving with a smile, "Otherwise, all that oxygen this afternoon will have been for nothing."
Uncle Li chuckled and replied, "Okay."
"Director Chen."
The unpleasant voice was full of schadenfreude. Ye Yuanjun and others waited until Chen Yun turned to look before nodding towards the stairwell.
Liu Baoguo stood at the top of the stairs, his face so gloomy it looked like it was about to drip water.
"Our Director Chen is now the head of the internal medicine department. Whether or not he can treat people outside the factory is up to him."
When it comes to being sarcastic and unpredictable, Ye Yuanjun is undoubtedly number one.
In the past, people of the same rank could openly criticize Chen Yun for being ignorant, but now they dare not criticize him openly; instead, it has become common for them to kick him when he is down.
"Director Chen," Liu Baoguo said.
"Dean..." Chen Yun was about to speak when Liu Baoguo suddenly raised his hand. As his right hand, which had been behind his back, extended out, his expression changed drastically: "The reward from above has been delivered to our hospital. Please come and collect the award, Comrade Chen Yun!"
"..."
The expressions on everyone's faces instantly became a fascinating mix.
Upon hearing that a bad thing had turned into a good thing, Ye Yuanjun's expression turned ashen, as if he had swallowed a fly. He mumbled a few words and then simply turned his head away, refusing to look.
"Thank you, Dean."
Chen Yun happily went up to accept the reward, and ran her hand over the words "Medical Security Bureau" on the envelope.
"Let all the comrades see what kind of rewards have been given out from above," Liu Baoguo said with a smile.
The envelope was sealed tightly with wax. Chen Yun tore it open from the other end and took out five ten-yuan bills and... a roll of domestic washing machine paper.
The bonus was enviable, but the washing machine roll was something every married person would be jealous of.
"Director Chen, let me see what the washing machine roll looks like!"
"You'd have to go to the provincial capital to buy it, right?"
"Even if you have a voucher, it will still cost a lot of money."
Everyone swarmed around Chen Yun, and Liu Baoguo's face darkened again.
"Ye Yuanjun!"
"..."
"Director Chen selflessly serves the people, yet you've turned it into a selfish, one-man show!" Liu Baoguo coldly glanced around, pointing haphazardly with his index finger: "Director Chen's ideological awareness is far superior to yours."
"From now on, whether they are factory workers and their families or ordinary people who come to see a doctor, our hospital has a responsibility to help them get treatment."
Chen Yun chuckled softly.
It seems that the upgrade of the health center into a hospital has greatly changed Liu Baoguo's mindset.
"Ye Yuanjun, write a self-criticism and submit it to my office."
Ye Yuanjun: "..."
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