A Pulse Reading Awaiting Confirmation

After resting for a moment, Su Ziyang saw that Wang Jiahui's breathing had steadied, so he began taking her pulse.

As he took her pulse, Su Ziyang found that her chi pulse was very weak, and he could always feel a small knot beneath his fingers. Just as he closed his eyes to study her pulse, the vision that had appeared while he was taking Sun Hua's pulse flashed before him again.

This time, unlike the fleshy red ball he had seen while taking Sun Hua's pulse, a long, slender, V-shaped object flashed before Su Ziyang's eyes, followed by another mist of black light.

Su Ziyang began to wonder. If what he had seen while taking Sun Hua's pulse was the fleshy tumor in her throat, then what was this U-shaped object? And what was the black light?

Su Ziyang thought as he continued taking her pulse.

Suddenly, an idea struck him. Could the thing he had seen be an IUD?

Su Ziyang remembered seeing one during his hospital internship. That was just what it looked like. Common types came in circular, T-shaped and V-shaped forms.

Then what was that black shadow? As the tiny knot beneath his fingers in her chi pulse became more pronounced, Su Ziyang ventured another bold guess-a uterine fibroid!

That should be the end of this pulse reading. Wang Jiahui must have come to him for a gynecological problem!

Everyone in the room had kept quiet while Su Ziyang took her pulse.

"This should be a gynecological problem!"

Su Ziyang spoke softly after finishing his notes on her pulse and medical case.

At his words, Wang Jiahui looked back at Li Hui in surprise.

"Well? I told you Doctor Su was amazing at taking pulses, didn't I? Do you believe me now?" Li Hui looked as proud as if she herself had acquired the skill.

Wang Jiahui, however, was fairly composed. "Yes, Doctor Su. I mainly want to regulate my periods. My menstrual cramps are particularly severe, and my periods last a long time too!"

Su Ziyang nodded, then said something else that made Wang Jiahui shift in her seat. "Let me ask you this. Do you have an IUD?"

As soon as he said that, the three women in the room all stared at him with wide eyes. Only Mr. Mengfei did not.

Wang Jiahui frowned at Su Ziyang. "You can tell that from my pulse too?"

Su Ziyang nodded in confirmation. Then he continued, "Here's what I suggest: go to the hospital for an ultrasound. I suspect you might have a uterine fibroid!"

Wang Jiahui shook her head. "I do have an IUD, but I don't think I have a uterine fibroid. I had an ultrasound just two weeks ago, and there was nothing wrong with my uterus!"

Her words left Su Ziyang somewhat disappointed...

It seemed he had made the wrong call.

"In that case, since your periods are irregular, I'll prescribe some herbal medicine to regulate them," Su Ziyang said softly.

Just then, Wang Jiahui received a phone call.

As soon as she finished the call, she stood up. "There's no need for now. Thank you, Doctor Su. I'm terribly busy, and I don't have time to prepare and take herbal medicine!"

With that, she turned to leave.

Li Hui tugged at Wang Jiahui and said softly, "Jiahui, since you're already here, why not let Doctor Su prescribe you some herbal medicine? Then you won't have to suffer those agonizing pains every month! Didn't I tell you how skilled this young doctor is? I had stomach trouble before, and I got better after taking just three doses of his medicine!"

"Ha ha, Sister Hui, I know. Of course I believe you, Sister Hui, but there really is something I have to deal with at the company right now. You know how busy I am every day-sometimes I can't even find time to eat. How could I have time to take herbal medicine?" With that, Wang Jiahui rushed out of the consultation room without even looking back at Su Ziyang.

Li Hui gave Su Ziyang an awkward smile. "Don't mind her, Doctor Su. My friend really is terribly busy! Please, get back to work!"

With that, Li Hui pulled Liu Li along as the two of them hurried out of the consultation room.

The two caught up with the bustling Wang Jiahui in the parking lot. "Jiahui, Jiahui! Why are you leaving? Are you really going to give your sister the cold shoulder like that?"

Seeing Wang Jiahui's attitude, Li Hui felt a flare of anger. She was the one who had brought Wang Jiahui to Su Ziyang, and now Wang Jiahui had simply brushed him aside, making things awkward for everyone.

"Sister, I'm not giving you the cold shoulder. I'm giving that little swindler the cold shoulder." When Wang Jiahui saw that Li Hui had caught up with her, she stopped and explained.

"Who's a swindler?!" Li Hui frowned.

"That Su-doctor, of course. Sister Hui, let me ask you! Did you tell him beforehand that I was coming to see him for a gynecological problem?! And tell him I had an IUD too?!" Wang Jiahui stared at Li Hui.

Hearing that, Li Hui felt a surge of pent-up anger. "Are you saying I colluded with Doctor Su to swindle you?!"

Wang Jiahui said nothing, but the look she gave Li Hui clearly said, If that's not what happened, what else could it be?

Liu Li, who had been standing behind them the whole time, spoke up. "Jiahui, aren't you being unreasonable? We know you just got divorced and you're in a bad mood! But don't you have a conscience, saying that about Sister Hui? Didn't Sister Hui bring you here for your own good?"

Wang Jiahui looked at Liu Li, lost in thought, but still said nothing.

"The three of us have known each other for ten years, haven't we? Back when we worked together, Sister Hui looked after both of us. Later, you quit when you got married, and we won't even get into how much Sister Hui helped you with your clothing company! Just take today: you say Sister Hui teamed up with Doctor Su to swindle you, but what could she possibly get out of you? Your money? Sure, you're making money now! But do you think Sister Hui would care about your money? I think doing business has made you a fool!!!"

Liu Li did not seem to be as close to Wang Jiahui as Li Hui was, and she did not mince her words.

Liu Li's blistering barrage left Wang Jiahui utterly speechless.

"Sister Hui? I..." Wang Jiahui was at a loss. "Sister Hui, I'm sorry. I've been too sensitive lately!"

Li Hui shook her head. "It's all right. I didn't collude with Doctor Su. He really is excellent at taking pulses. Sister Li and I both took her medicine. I brought you here for your own good. Since Young Doctor Su said you might have a uterine fibroid, you'd better go to the hospital and have it checked out!"

With that, Li Hui took Liu Li by the hand and turned to leave the parking lot.

Back in the consultation room, the three women's hasty departure had left Su Ziyang somewhat speechless =_=.

"Master!" Su Ziyang looked helplessly at his master.

"Ha ha." Mr. Mengfei laughed. "Didn't I tell you? You have to learn to take people's feelings lightly and remain unmoved by favor or disgrace. Do you understand?"

Su Ziyang nodded and sank into thought.

Mr. Mengfei asked again, "Xiao Su, I noticed your Qi move when you were taking her pulse just now. Did you see something?"

The little incident had nearly made Su Ziyang forget all about it.

So Su Ziyang gave Mr. Mengfei a full account of what he had experienced while taking Sun Hua's and Wang Jiahui's pulses.

Mr. Mengfei nodded. "I see. It seems you really do have excellent comprehension! The images that flash through your mind when you take a pulse are actually the diseased areas in the patient's body. And what you saw on that girl Xuan Yu when I asked you to look at her the other day was Illness Qi. But not every patient has Illness Qi. It only appears with certain extremely unusual or serious illnesses, so most of the time, you'll sense the diseased area when taking a pulse!"

"But don't get complacent. There are plenty of people more skilled than you. You're only at the beginner's stage of pulse diagnosis, and you still have a long, long road ahead of you!"

Su Ziyang nodded firmly.

"Jiahui went a little too far just now!"

"Sigh, let it go. She just got divorced, and she's feeling a bit sensitive!"

As master and disciple talked, they heard voices outside the door.

Then two people came into view. They were Li Hui and Liu Li, who had just left.

"Doctor Su, I'm terribly sorry. That friend of mine just got divorced, and she's been a bit short-tempered. Please be understanding!" Li Hui apologized to Su Ziyang, looking a little embarrassed.

Su Ziyang waved a hand. "It's all right. She's a patient. If she were in a good mood and healthy, what would she be doing here? Don't you agree? Please remind her to have that checked regularly!"

His words made Liu Li and Li Hui both give him an enthusiastic thumbs-up in their hearts.

"Doctor Su, we'll remind her! We'll be going now. Thank you!" Li Hui and Liu Li did not linger. This was a consultation room, after all, so the two took their leave.

After they left, Su Ziyang turned to ask his master, "Master, do you think Wang Jiahui has a uterine fibroid? I'm not quite sure about that!"

Mr. Mengfei pondered for a moment. "Probably. I didn't take her pulse. I judged from her complexion. Look at her philtrum-the philtrum and zichu represent gynecological health in women. I saw some bluish-black Qi around her philtrum, probably blood stasis or something of the sort. A uterine fibroid is quite likely!"

Hearing his master's confirmation, Su Ziyang finally felt reassured.

The clinic was especially busy for Su Ziyang that day. Master and disciple had barely exchanged a few words before someone else came in.

These visitors were not patients, however, but Daoist Master Xiao Yang and Fairy Li.

"Busy, Doctor Su...?" As soon as Fairy Li entered, she teased Su Ziyang in a sweet, childish voice, rolling up her sleeve to expose her wrist and holding it out as if asking him to take her pulse.

Su Ziyang played along, placing his hand on Fairy Li's fair wrist and pondering for a moment. "Ah, this seems to be a hungry pulse. I'd guess Fairy Li must be hungry. Let's go get something delicious after work!"

Fairy Li pursed her little lips and nodded with great solemnity. "Quite right! This fairy agrees! Your treat!"

Seeing the two enjoying their act, Daoist Master Xiao Yang covered her mouth and snickered. "All right, stop fooling around, you two. I came to tell Doctor Su something. Xuan Yu, whom we treated before-her father has invested in us. My master and several martial uncles have decided to expand the Daoist Medicine Clinic and renovate the interior. So the clinic will probably close for a while. Everyone will still receive their base pay during that time, and you can all take a break!"

Su Ziyang was dumbfounded. He had not even worked two and a half days, and he was already getting time off?!!!