"You don't have to do it so early, but if you don't listen, I can't treat you."
Lu Jiu wasn't trying to make things difficult for Wu Zengshuang. If he couldn't even control his sleep, the more complicated tasks of boiling and taking medicine would surely be even less appealing.
Of course, changing ingrained habits is indeed painful, but which is more tormenting, the pain of change or the pain of illness? That depends on Wu Zengshuang's own choice.
Lu Jiu wouldn't choose for him!
"Well..." Wu Zengshuang glanced at Lu Mountain, thinking maybe Lu Jiu's skills weren't up to par and he should let the old man try.
Noticing his expression, Lu Jiu chuckled, "The clinic is under my supervision now. My grandpa doesn't see patients. If you really can't change your ways, I suggest you go to the hospital for some tests, and maybe they can prescribe some medication."
"Will it help?" Wu Zengshuang asked.
Lu Jiu replied with a laugh, "You'll have to ask the hospital doctors that. I can't answer."
What to do?
Wu Zengshuang hesitated, unsure!
This was the first time he'd encountered a doctor determined to make him change his lifestyle!
Other doctors, including Lu Mountain, had advised him before, but no one had insisted he must change his lifestyle to receive treatment.
Wu Zengshuang knew that changing his habits might make him healthier, but, let's face it, once someone gets accustomed to laziness, it isn't easy to become diligent again.
It's like quitting smoking. Wu Zengshuang had been putting it off for three years, always saying tomorrow he'd quit, but three years had passed, and he was still smoking.
He could pretend to agree, but he feared that during a follow-up, Lu Jiu would discover everything as soon as he checked his pulse, leading to the same outcome.
Simply put, if he decided now, it meant he truly had to follow through.
Enough!
It's just a month or two!
After much internal struggle, Wu Zengshuang decided to go for it!
"Fine, I'll cut the talk. Early sleep is early sleep. If I lie in bed playing with my phone tonight, then I'm a dog!" Wu Zengshuang said, gritting his teeth.
Lu Jiu's face lit up with joy, "That's the spirit! Now, about your diet, remember not to overeat. It's okay to be a bit hungry. As for exercise, do not sit for long periods. When you broadcast, try to stand up and move around a bit every hour, even if it's just for a few seconds. It's better than sitting still the whole time."
"In Chinese medicine, there's a saying: long-term viewing injures the blood, prolonged lying injures the qi, prolonged sitting injures the muscles, prolonged standing injures the bones, prolonged walking injures the tendons, prolonged listening injures the spirit, prolonged smelling injures the heart, prolonged thinking injures sleep. Your situation involves several of these: constantly being on the computer and phone harms the blood, irregular sleep schedule where you sleep for more than ten hours during the day harms the qi, and sitting still during broadcasts injures the muscles."
"Your Spleen and Stomach problems aren't just dietary; they are also related to prolonged sitting. The spleen governs the muscles, and when long sitting injures the muscles, it also affects the Spleen and Stomach. Look at your belly; although your limbs are not fleshy, your belly is bulging, a sign of Spleen and Stomach problems. Plus, poor Spleen and Stomach means inadequate qi and blood production; you're draining your blood and qi every day, which worsens the condition substantially."
"That's why I say if you don't change your lifestyle habits, it's impossible for me to achieve significant therapeutic results. Whether you recover or not truly depends on you, understand?"
Seeing Lu Jiu's earnest expression, Wu Zengshuang genuinely felt his concern.
This made Wu Zengshuang feel a bit embarrassed!
The doctor was trying so hard to help him, yet he was considering switching to the old man.
That wouldn't be very decent!
"Understood, understood. Doctor, rest assured, I'll keep my word and won't be two-faced with you!" Wu Zengshuang said.
Lu Jiu smiled, "Alright, first, I'll prescribe you a formula, then perform some Acupuncture. Hang tight."
Although Wu Zengshuang's issue was Spleen and Stomach deficiency with coldness, there was a real issue in the large intestine that couldn't be overlooked.
Scratch, scratch, scratch!
After jotting down the prescription, Lu Jiu handed it to Wu Zengshuang and headed to the medicine cabinet to fetch the ingredients.
The formula he prescribed was Astragalus Vitality Decoction, similar to what Qiao Ling was taking, but with different dosages.
The Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor states: "The northwest wind disperses cold, the southeast wind gathers warmth, hence the same disease treated differently."
Many people have the same illness, but different symptoms, like viral infections where one has a sore throat, another loses taste, and yet another has body aches. These require different treatments.
Sometimes different illnesses share the same symptoms, like Qiao Ling's qi and blood deficiency and Wu Zengshuang's Spleen and Stomach deficiency with coldness. Different illnesses can exhibit similar symptoms, allowing for similar treatments.
Of course, with different illnesses under one formula, dosages must differ.
Qiao Ling is a woman, Wu Zengshuang a man, with different genders and weights affecting dosage adjustments.
After preparing the medicine, Lu Jiu wrapped it up for Wu Zengshuang, then prepared for Acupuncture.
Coincidentally, Lu Jiu was also going to treat Wu Zengshuang at the Guan Yuan Acupoint.
This was because both Wu Zengshuang and Qiao Ling had cold symptoms.
For Wu Zengshuang, the cold symptoms caused insufficient fire in the small intestine, disrupting the large intestine's peristalsis, hampering waste elimination.
Lu Jiu's Acupuncture at Guan Yuan was to boost the fire in the small intestine, activating its peristalsis and restoring the large intestine's normal function.
This would help clear away the undigested food!
"Lie on the small bed over there and expose your belly." said Lu Jiu, holding a needle.
Trying Acupuncture for the first time, Wu Zengshuang felt a mix of curiosity and slight nervousness.
The sight of Lu Jiu pulling out a long, thin silver needle from the packaging increased his anxiety.
The initial needles were amid belly pain, leaving no concern over their whereabouts, but now, with his focus sharpened, he felt discomfort.
Since childhood, Wu Zengshuang feared injections. Pointy, slender objects filled him with dread, so every time he went for a shot at the clinic during a cold, he couldn't bear to watch the needle pierce his veins. He was terrified!
"Doctor, where is this going?" Wu Zengshuang asked.
"Guan Yuan Acupoint, just below the navel," replied Lu Jiu.
"It shouldn't hurt like the previous one, right?" Wu Zengshuang asked.
"Of course not; it's actually quite soothing," Lu Jiu replied with a laugh.
"Really?" Wu Zengshuang exclaimed.
"Between us, stimulating Guan Yuan Acupoint can enhance performance in that area," Lu Jiu said jokingly.
Suddenly, Wu Zengshuang's eyes widened, "Is it the area I think it is?"
"No doubt about it," Lu Jiu chuckled.
Wu Zengshuang laid straight, free of any doubts, "Doctor, let's proceed. I don't have issues with that, but focus on my Spleen and Stomach. I can take a break from streaming today; no rush. Take your time."
Lu Jiu suppressed a smile, "Sure thing."
In no time, through deft finger manipulation, Lu Jiu inserted the silver needle into Wu Zengshuang's Guan Yuan Acupoint.
The initial penetration was shallow; this was clearly the Mountain Burning Fire Needle Technique in action.
Though Wu Zengshuang's condition could also benefit from Moxibustion, which is quite effective, having learned the Mountain Burning Fire, it was best applied clinically. Who knew if unused skills from the Great Doctor System would regress over time, with no manual to guide them?
Once the needle insertion caused a pinkish change, Lu Jiu started executing the Mountain Burning Fire Needle Technique.
"Focus on your breathing, keep it steady, and take cues from me..."