Doctor Gu understood the implication and looked shocked. "You mean there's a village that's been plagued by this disease for decades?"
Doctor Wang nodded. "No one remembers the original name of that village anymore. It's called Big Belly Village because everyone in the village has this 'belly disease.' Several years ago, someone asked me to go to that village to treat people. Everyone in the village has this disease. Some people live for several years or even decades, while others die a few months after their bellies swell up. It's been like this generation after generation, but no one can break the curse. At first, everyone thought they were under a spell or some kind of curse. Some people fled, but they still couldn't escape the fate of dying from swollen bellies."
He became more and more excited as he spoke, "If you have a way to cure this curse, it will surely be a blessing for the villagers of Dadu Village!"
He looked eagerly at Doctor Gu and his two companions, bowing deeply to them, "Please do not hesitate to offer your guidance!"
Xiao Youran nodded, "Although this disease is caused by a Gu, the schistosomiasis is not an intractable Gu. As long as we control it at the source, as I just said, we need to control the patient's feces and prevent them from entering the water; we also need to kill the snails that the miracidia depend on for survival, and we can gradually control the development of the cercariae; finally, we need to advise the local villagers to drink only boiled water to avoid swallowing the cercariae in the water, and to make sure that the snails are thoroughly cooked when they eat them, which will largely eliminate the schistosomiasis and get rid of this 'big belly disease'."
It was only then that Physician Wang realized it was all Xiao Youran talking, and he suddenly slapped Doctor Gu on the shoulder, who was also looking surprised. "Hehe, it turns out your apprentice's medical skills are even better than yours?!"
Doctor Gu chuckled and said, "So what? The student surpasses the master. No matter how skilled she is, she is still my disciple! In any case, it was he who made the bet with you, not me, so my victory is not unfair!"
Doctor Wang didn't care at all. "Knowing that this disease can be cured is already a great blessing! What does winning or losing matter? However... this four-year-old child has surpassed his master after only half a month of learning. I think the title of 'miracle doctor' will fall on your apprentice's head sooner or later!"
Doctor Gu glared and puffed out his beard, but his tone was one of pride and self-satisfaction: "The path of medicine is to heal the sick and save lives, which is a great merit. Empty fame is just a passing cloud."
Xiao You Ran: ……
If you're so open-minded, why bother with a bet?
Doctor Wang laughed heartily, as if he could forgive and forget, and said to Xiao Youran, "Then I'll call you Little Divine Doctor!"
He was extremely excited. "I'll go tell Tie Tou's mother right now not to pour their sewage directly into the river, so as not to pollute our river."
He lifted his leg to leave, then turned back and asked, "So, after the young master Sun recovers, could you please accompany me to Big Belly Village to treat the sick villagers?"
At this moment, he had no doubt whatsoever that the young man from the Sun family could recover from his illness.
Xiao Youran was in a dilemma. She only had 60 points of luck left, and she had already used up 5 points by taking a box of chocolates and the four boxes of medicine that Sun Chengyuan had used. If she wanted to treat a large number of villagers suffering from vampire disease, wouldn't she run out of medicine?
She thought for a moment, "Uncle Wang, I need to prepare the medicinal herbs... I'm afraid it won't be that quick!"
Doctor Wang slapped his forehead. "That's right! The New Year is just a few days away, so there's no rush. We can talk about it after the New Year!"
Xiao Youran added, “The matter of pest control and disease prevention can be accomplished in a few words. However, for those who have already contracted the disease, schistosomiasis has a long and complex course, and medication is not so simple. Therefore, we need to plan this further.”
Doctor Wang laughed heartily, “Absolutely right, absolutely right! Let’s discuss this further!”
...
Six days later, the group went to Tie Tou's house for a follow-up consultation.
Sun Chengyuan's symptoms have mostly subsided, his abdomen has completely shrunk, and there is no longer any pain when pressed. He also feels much more energetic.
Xiao Youran pushed her brother forward to take her pulse, and then she took her own pulse in a very professional manner.
Xiao Youran said, "Young man, the worms in your stomach are gone, but the damage to your body needs to be repaired slowly. Please ask my brother to prescribe a formula to nourish your spleen and protect your liver. Go back and get the medicine according to the prescription, and take it for seven days."
Sun Chengyuan was overjoyed.
Jiang Youchen didn't hesitate. Following what Doctor Gu had taught him, he wrote down a prescription, then presented it to Doctor Gu, saying, "Master, please take a look. Is this prescription appropriate?"
Doctor Gu took it, stroked his beard, and nodded, "Very good, very good."
Doctor Wang also came over to take a look and indeed there was nothing to complain about. He said with some envy, "You old fellow, to have these two young miracle doctors as your apprentices, I wonder how many lives you must have saved in your past life."
These past few days he's been going to the large estate every day, and he's already had a thorough discussion with the three of them—master and apprentices—about methods for preventing and controlling schistosomiasis, and they've become quite familiar with each other.
Sun Chengyuan took the prescription, stuffed it into the already packed bundle, and bowed deeply to Doctor Wang. "Thank you four benefactors for saving my life. The New Year is just around the corner, and I'm going home to reunite with my parents."
As he spoke, the boy's eyes filled with tears.
He was alone here, having come in despair, but unexpectedly he was reborn.
Doctor Wang was also very excited. "Your illness has been cured thanks to Doctor Gu and his two apprentices. Moreover... we have been exploring methods to eliminate pests in the epidemic area these days. I will go back with you to see your father now."
Sun Chengyuan was taken aback, but then immediately thought of the village of Dadu and nodded firmly, saying, "Alright! I'll take you to see my father!"
Xiao Youran asked curiously, "Brother Sun, why are you taking Uncle Wang to see your father?"
Doctor Wang laughed heartily, “Little miracle doctor, don’t you know that the county magistrate of Wufeng County is surnamed Sun?”
Xiao You suddenly realized that he was the son of an official.
She decisively pulled out another box of chocolates from her sleeve. "Brother Sun, this box of chocolates is for you. May you no longer suffer from this parasitic disease."
Sun Chengyuan happily accepted it upon hearing this, "Thank you, Xiaoyouran!"
As the group walked out of his house, they saw a woman, wiping away tears, being supported by Tie Tou's mother as she rushed in, crying, "My son!"
Sun Chengyuan quickly helped her up, "Mother!"
The woman looked Sun Chengyuan up and down, and seeing that he was indeed much better, she cried even more bitterly, “My son! You’re really better! Your heartless father has been locking me in the woodshed these past few days and won’t let me out! Yesterday, my sister sent me a letter saying that you were much better, so I begged your father to let me out and take you home… My son…”
Doctor Gu and his group were about to leave.
The woman, her vision blurred, finally made out the four men. She quickly dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief and curtsied to them. "These must be the miraculous doctors who saved my son! I am deeply grateful for your kindness in saving my life!"
As she spoke, she waved to the back of her hand.
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