Her mother scolded her. “Sleeping pills aren’t something you should take recklessly. Fan Fan, why don’t you see a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) doctor? They can prescribe herbal remedies to help. These days, pharmacies even offer pre-brewed options—you won’t have to prepare them yourself. Remember, your father’s stomach trouble was cured with just two doses...”
Scratching her head, she thought that maybe seeing a TCM doctor wouldn’t be a bad idea. After all, it was just money. Her life was already so barren, even lacking sleep—what did she have left but money?
At the TCM clinic, she waited for ages, but there wasn’t a single doctor in sight. The building was eerily quiet. Across the way was the pharmacy, lined with neatly arranged rows of small compartments, sealed tightly. Only one or two people moved about, holding prescriptions and small scales. She recalled how, as a child, any cough would lead her grandmother to take her to a famous old TCM doctor, whose remedies would cure her within three doses.
Suddenly, a nurse appeared at the door. Shen Xi Fan quickly called out, “Miss Nurse, excuse me—where’s the doctor here?”
The nurse glanced at her chart and apologized. “Miss, I’m sorry. Dr. He just went to the acupuncture room. I’ll call him for you. Please wait a moment.”
As she spoke, a tall man emerged from the innermost room, supporting an elderly patient. The nurse gestured toward Shen Xi Fan and called out, “Dr. He, you have a patient!”
Shen Xi Fan had always imagined TCM doctors as elderly men with graying hair and beards. She hadn’t expected such a young doctor—and one so handsome. Truly handsome. Even compared to the wealthy elites she interacted with daily at the hotel, this man scored at least ninety out of a hundred. Only his expression was a bit too cold.
Feeling regretful, she realized she’d come with dark circles under her eyes, no makeup, and dressed casually in a shirt and jeans. If she’d known, she would’ve dressed more carefully to meet this handsome doctor.
The doctor asked, “What’s bothering you?”
Shen Xi Fan replied indignantly, “Insomnia—for five days straight!”
The doctor unexpectedly smiled, revealing a deep dimple on his right cheek. “This doesn’t really count as insomnia. But have you always had trouble sleeping?”
She thought for a moment and nodded. “It’s always hard for me to fall asleep, I wake up easily, and once I’m awake, I can’t go back to sleep. Lately, though, I’ve been completely sleepless through the night.”
He pointed to the armrest. “Let me take your pulse.”
His warm fingers touched her cold wrist, and she felt a little uneasy. Although she knew he was just doing his job, she couldn’t help feeling a bit nervous—especially with such a handsome face in front of her. She silently prayed he wouldn’t notice her slightly accelerated heartbeat.
After a moment, the doctor withdrew his hand, opened her chart, and offered his diagnosis. “You have a constitution that’s naturally deficient, and emotional stress has exacerbated it. Specifically, liver and kidney yin deficiency, excessive liver yang, internal heat disturbing your mind, overthinking, and damage to the heart and spleen.”
She froze, mumbling to herself, “It sounds so serious—issues with both my heart and kidneys. Doctor, is there any hope for me?”
The doctor seemed slightly surprised but soon smiled and explained, “Your body is naturally on the weaker side, and coupled with stress, it’s causing inner heat to flare up. Do you often feel irritable, restless, unable to sleep, with mouth sores and dryness?”
Shen Xi Fan muttered, “Wow, that’s spot on! You got it all right.”
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