In the following days, Lin Fan became a loner.
While Xia Xue was helping Song Mengling and the others with cooking, Lin Fan himself felt the most uncomfortable, having to cook for himself.
In the medical clinic, Song Mengling and Lin Fang were chatting about something, their faces beaming with smiles.
Lin Fan felt a bit down, "What's so amusing?"
"Nothing much," Lin Fang replied with a giggle.
Lin Fan, with his sharp eyesight, took a glance at Lin Fang and noticed she had gained weight.
"Have you gotten fatter? And Song Mengling, haven't you gained quite a bit of weight these past few days?"
Song Mengling retorted, "What are you saying? How can you tell a girl she's fat?"
For girls, weight is always a sensitive issue, usually not to be mentioned.
Lin Fan, however, had no such qualms, as long as they weren't excessively obese.
"Gaining weight isn't a bad thing. You were too thin before. It's good to be a bit plump. A wider backside is better for childbirth. Otherwise, if you have a difficult natural birth with your small frame, it'll be tough," Lin Fan said.
The two women blushed furiously.
"You, you pervert!"
"I'm just stating facts, why am I a pervert?"
Lin Fan was a bit bewildered, not understanding what these city folks were thinking, to accuse him of something so readily.
"I'm definitely not fat!"
Lin Fang ran to the scale and stepped on it without hesitation.
After seeing the number, she couldn't help but cry out.
"Boohoo! I've gained five pounds! Why? Why have I gained so much flesh?"
Seeing Lin Fang's reaction, Song Mengling also stepped onto the scale. After seeing the result, her face turned extremely grim.
She then looked at Lin Fan, "This is your conspiracy, isn't it?"
"???"
Lin Fan was utterly confused, not even knowing how to retort.
"You deliberately let your sister-in-law cook for us, and then fattened us up. You're too wicked!"
"You eat too much yourselves, what does it have to do with me!"
Lin Fan immediately retorted.
Song Mengling knew she wasn't in the right and was speechless.
"You don't know how to cook yourselves, so when you ate the food my sister-in-law made, you realized how delicious it was, right?"
City folks cook with electricity or gas. Ingredients and water are processed commodities, emphasizing industrialization.
It's different in Luofeng Village. Cooking uses pure natural groundwater, and ingredients are locally grown organic produce, which is naturally more delicious.
It seemed Song Mengling and Lin Fang weren't fools; they recognized the difference in ingredients and consequently ate more.
Having been called out by Lin Fan, both women blushed.
Besides the good ingredients, Xia Xue's cooking was even better. Since she started helping with meals, the two women's appetites had doubled.
"Is Dr. Lin Fan here? I'm here for a consultation."
At this moment, a patient entered and said.
"I am Lin Fan. Please have a seat here."
Lin Fan immediately entered his divine doctor mode and took the patient's pulse.
The patient was a man in his fifties, leaning on a cane. Although his hair was black, it was evident it was dyed.
In reality, his hair was originally white.
His physique looked robust, but after Lin Fan took his pulse, he found that the man was actually quite weak.
The patient exuded an aura of authority. Several young men followed him, presumably his bodyguards, all appearing respectful.
"Sir, may I ask your name?" Lin Fan inquired.
"My surname is Zheng, Zheng Tong," the patient replied truthfully.
Lin Fan nodded slightly, "Mr. Zheng, please tell me where you feel unwell so I can diagnose your condition."
Zheng Tong smiled mysteriously, "I heard you are a divine doctor, which is why I've come to you. Surely you should know my ailment without me saying anything?"
Song Mengling retorted, "We're here to treat you for your own good. Don't you understand cooperation with a doctor? What if you're misdiagnosed?"
Lin Fan waved his hand, "Miss Song, please don't say that."
Although Lin Fan had only known Zheng Tong for a few minutes, he had already gained some insight into his personality.
Dyeing his hair suggested he refused to age. Bringing so many bodyguards to a consultation implied either vanity or concern for his safety.
This man was also very clever, using the title "divine doctor" to flatter him and put him on a pedestal.
If Lin Fan could diagnose his illness solely by taking his pulse, it would indeed prove his exceptional medical skills.
This Zheng Tong, with his hidden calculations, was likely a businessman.
Lin Fan pondered, "Deficiency of Qi and blood, floating Yang energy, scattered Yin energy."
"Mr. Zheng, you suffer from chronic hepatitis with gastrointestinal complications, am I correct?"
Zheng Tong's lips curved upwards, "As expected of a divine doctor. The diagnosis is the same as at the large hospitals."
"However, at the big hospitals, it took me three days and various examinations to find this out. I didn't expect you to diagnose it in just a few minutes by simply taking my pulse."
Hearing Zheng Tong's words, Song Mengling was utterly shocked.
During these past days, Song Mengling had learned a bit about Lin Fan and knew he possessed extraordinary medical skills, but she never imagined he was this capable.
The ability of a traditional Chinese medicine doctor can be assessed in three ways.
First, the ability of diagnosis through observation, listening, asking, and pulse-taking.
Second, the prescription itself. A divine doctor's prescription possesses a spiritual quality; anyone who takes it will be fine.
Those who are ill will be cured, and those who are healthy can use it for wellness.
Third is the speed of acupuncture, a skill Song Mengling had witnessed before.
Song Mengling's grandfather highly advocated for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), while she herself disdained it, viewing it as mere trickery, with successful treatments being mere coincidences.
Although Song Shitu promoted Western medicine, he secretly believed TCM was superior. However, he was well aware that without the corresponding skill, it was an act of overestimation.
Witnessing Lin Fan execute TCM with such mastery left Song Mengling deeply perplexed.
If Lin Fan had been well-read or had a master guiding him, Song Mengling might have understood, but he had nothing!
As Song Mengling's mind raced, she wondered, could TCM truly be this powerful?
At this moment, Lin Fan began writing a prescription.
As he wrote, he said, "Mr. Zheng, you should know how your condition came about, shouldn't you?"
Zheng Tong nodded, "The experts told me it was due to excessive alcohol consumption and taking too many hepatotoxic drugs."
"At the time, I had stomach problems and had to take those medications. As a result, this was cured, but then my liver developed issues. While treating my liver, my spleen and stomach problems resurfaced."
"My personal physician told me that in my situation, I have at most five years to live, and there's no solution. I've consulted many experts and professors, and they all have the same prognosis."
"And you, Divine Doctor Lin, can you cure me?"
Zheng Tong looked at Lin Fan with a face full of anticipation.
Lin Fan said calmly, "What they said is not entirely unreasonable. Standard treatments are no longer effective for you."
"You have no solution either?"
Zheng Tong lowered his head in disappointment.
Lin Fan smiled, "I only said that ordinary treatment methods won't work. Special methods are required."
"What methods?!"
Zheng Tong became extremely excited, jumping up from his chair.