Chapter 293 Special Cases
The archives of Peking Union Medical College Hospital are located on the basement floor. The lighting is dim, and the air is filled with the smell of musty paper.
Shen Qingyun stood in front of rows of metal cabinets, holding a slip of paper in her hand. It read Zhang Lan's name and her husband Li Yong's workplace—the Logistics Department of the Beijing Military Region.
She stuffed the note into her white coat pocket and turned to go upstairs.
The next morning, Shen Qingyun took half a day off and rode her bicycle to the military compound.
The sentry at the gate stopped her.
"Comrade, who are you looking for?"
Shen Qingyun took out her work ID and said, "I am a doctor from Peking Union Medical College Hospital, here for a follow-up visit."
The sentry looked at her ID, then at her, and asked, "Who are you looking for for a follow-up visit?"
"Li Yong, from the Logistics Department."
The sentry went into his post to make a phone call, then came out and nodded to her, "Go in, the logistics department is in the third building on the left."
Shen Qingyun thanked her and pushed the cart inside.
The logistics department was located in a gray three-story building with a sign hanging at the entrance. Shen Qingyun parked her car and went upstairs.
The office at the end of the second-floor corridor had its door open.
Shen Qingyun knocked on the door frame.
A man in military uniform was sitting inside, writing something. Hearing a knock on the door, he looked up.
Who are you looking for?
"Is Comrade Li Yong here?"
The man sized her up. "Who are you?"
"I'm a doctor from Peking Union Medical College Hospital, here for a follow-up visit." Shen Qingyun took out her work ID again.
The man stood up. "You wait here, I'll go get him."
After a while, Li Yong arrived.
He was wearing a faded military uniform, walked with a slight limp, but was full of energy. He paused for a moment when he saw Shen Qingyun.
"Who are you……"
"Comrade Li Yong, I am Shen Qingyun from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Peking Union Medical College Hospital." Shen Qingyun said, "Your husband, Zhang Lan, visited our hospital before, and I would like to make a follow-up visit."
Li Yong's expression changed. "A follow-up visit?"
"Yes, I just want to know about her current situation." Shen Qingyun smiled. "If it's convenient, I'd like to visit your home."
Li Yong hesitated for a moment, then said, "Okay then."
After the two left the logistics department, Li Yong got on his bicycle, and Shen Qingyun followed behind.
Li Yong's family lived in a tenement building on the east side of the compound, on the third floor, in a room of less than 20 square meters.
The door was open, and Zhang Lan was washing clothes.
Hearing footsteps, she turned around and saw Shen Qingyun, the clothes in her hands falling into the basin.
"Dr. Chen?"
Shen Qingyun entered the room. "Comrade Zhang Lan, I'm here to make a follow-up visit."
Zhang Lan wiped her hands, stood up, and said, "Please, please sit down."
There was only a bed, a table, and two chairs in the room. Shen Qingyun sat down, and Li Yong poured her a glass of water.
"Comrade Zhang Lan, congratulations." Shen Qingyun got straight to the point. "I heard you're pregnant."
Zhang Lan blushed and lowered her head, "Mmm."
"I'm very curious," Shen Qingyun said, "How did you get cured?"
Zhang Lan and Li Yong exchanged a glance.
Li Yong coughed and said, "Well... I met an old traditional Chinese medicine doctor who gave me some prescriptions."
"An old Chinese medicine doctor?" Shen Qingyun stared at him. "What old Chinese medicine doctor?"
“He was just a wandering monk,” Li Yong said. “He gave us some folk remedies, we tried them, and they worked.”
Shen Qingyun laughed, "Comrade Li Yong, I don't believe you."
Li Yong was stunned.
"Five years of infertility, cured in just one month," Shen Qingyun said. "This is something that folk remedies can't do."
Li Yong opened his mouth, but didn't say anything.
Shen Qingyun looked at him, then at Zhang Lan, "I'm not here to cause trouble. I'm a doctor, and I just want to know what method can cure such a serious illness in such a short time."
Zhang Lan bit her lip. "Dr. Shen, we really don't know who that old Chinese medicine doctor is. He told us not to ask."
Shen Qingyun was silent for a moment, then asked, "Are those prescriptions still available?"
Li Yong and Zhang Lan exchanged another glance.
“Yes,” Zhang Lan said. “There are still some dregs of the medicine, and that acupuncture point chart.”
"Can I take a look?" Shen Qingyun said. "I promise, I'll just look, I won't take it away."
Li Yong stood up and rummaged through the cabinet, pulling out a paper bag.
He handed the bag to Shen Qingyun, saying, "Here you go."
Shen Qingyun opened the bag, inside were several packets of medicine residue wrapped in newspaper, and a neatly folded piece of paper.
She first picked up the dregs of the medicine, opened the newspaper, and smelled them.
Red dates, goji berries, angelica, chuanxiong, white peony root... these are all common Chinese medicinal herbs.
But the proportions are strange.
Shen Qingyun picked up the paper again and unfolded it.
The paper shows a person's back, with three acupoints circled in red and labeled with the names: Shenshu, Mingmen, and Zhishi.
Each acupoint has a detailed description, including its location, depth, and needling technique.
The characters are written very neatly, with every stroke meticulously executed.
Shen Qingyun stared at the picture for a long time.
She recognized these three acupoints, but she had never seen this combination before.
According to Western medical theory, acupuncture at these three acupoints simultaneously will not only fail to produce a therapeutic effect, but may even damage the nerves.
But Zhang Lan was indeed pregnant.
Shen Qingyun looked up. "Comrade Li Yong, could I borrow these things for a few days?"
Li Yong hesitated.
"I promise I'll just take it back for research and won't lose it," Shen Qingyun said. "This is very valuable for medical research."
Li Yong glanced at Zhang Lan.
Zhang Lan nodded.
“Well… alright then,” Li Yong said, “but you have to promise me you won’t tell anyone about this.”
"Don't worry," Shen Qingyun said, "I won't tell."
She put the paper bag away, stood up, and said, "Thank you."
Li Yong escorted her to the door.
Shen Qingyun walked to the top of the stairs and looked back.
Li Yong stood at the door, his face full of tension.
Shen Qingyun rode her bicycle out of the compound and headed straight for the hospital.
Back in her office, she locked the door and drew the curtains.
She poured the dregs of the medicine onto the table, separating them one by one.
Red dates, goji berries, angelica root, chuanxiong rhizome, white peony root, rehmannia root, codonopsis root, astragalus root...
These are all medicines that replenish qi and blood.
But the proportions are completely wrong.
According to traditional Chinese medicine theory, these medicines, when combined, are too potent and can harm the body.
But Zhang Lan not only didn't suffer any health problems, she actually got pregnant.
Shen Qingyun picked up the acupuncture point chart again.
She stared at the three acupoints, her mind racing as she recalled her anatomical knowledge.
Shenshu (BL23), Mingmen (GV4), Zhishi (BL52).
These three acupoints are located in the lower back, near the kidneys.
According to Western medical theory, acupuncture at these three acupoints will stimulate the nerves in the lower back, but will not affect the reproductive system.
But Zhang Lan was indeed pregnant.
Shen Qingyun put down the blueprints and leaned back in her chair.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
She has studied medicine for twenty years and has seen no fewer than a thousand patients.
She believes in science, in data, and in theories that have been verified countless times.
But now, all these theories fall apart in the face of this blueprint.
Shen Qingyun opened her eyes, picked up the notebook on the table, and began to take notes.
She wrote down the proportions of the dregs in detail and copied down every detail on the acupoint chart.
A few hours later, Shen Qingyun sat there, her mind in turmoil.
According to Western medical theory, it is impossible for it to have a therapeutic effect, and it may even be harmful.
......
The streetlights outside the window came on.
Looking at the lights outside the window, she suddenly felt very tired.
She has always believed in science.
Believe in theories that have been verified countless times.
Believe in the knowledge written in textbooks.
But now, none of these things stand up to this blueprint.
Shen Qingyun closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair.
She no longer knew what to believe.
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