Chapter 5: Diagnosis
"He sounds like a simple child!" Melinda looked at Coulson with a puzzled expression; she knew things couldn't be that simple.
Coulson chuckled softly and continued, "During his three years at California State University, this child not only majored in genetic pharmacology but also took electives in medical surgery and neurology, and his grades were excellent. So, privately, this child became a very famous gang doctor. In three years, he has performed surgeries for dozens of Los Angeles gang members, all of whom had gunshot wounds."
"I see, that's not surprising. After all, both of his parents came from gangs, so it's not easy to completely escape their influence." After a slight pause, Melinda continued, "Is there anything else? Just tell me everything at once!"
"Heh heh!" Coulson chuckled softly, then said to Melinda, "This child, Ling Xiao, only accepts diamonds for his surgeries, never cash, and he never asks about the origin of the diamonds. What's strange is that diamonds flow into his hands, but none seem to flow out. I don't know where he's fencing them."
"These matters are irrelevant to our current mission. Doesn't the Los Angeles branch have any useful information?" Melinda frowned; she hadn't heard any information that truly interested her so far.
"Of course, I saved the most valuable information for last." Coulson looked at the Chinese Pharmacy across the street, took a deep breath, and said in a low voice, "This child, Ling Xiao, is a master of Kung Fu. Fighting ten people at once is no problem for him. Many people have tried to cause him trouble, but in the end, nothing came of it. It's said that he learned a mysterious martial art passed down from his ancestors. Perhaps Hulk's visit here is related to that."
"That should be the case." Melinda picked up the silver tray again and scanned the Pharmacy. Seeing that all three were still there, she whispered, "Chinese martial arts have a Legacy of thousands of years, so they naturally have extraordinary aspects. Moreover, Martial Artists who achieve something in them often cultivate both martial arts and medicine, and their medical skills are excellent. In ancient Chinese legends, there are many Grandmasters of martial arts who lived for hundreds of years, and these are verifiable. Perhaps this Ling Xiao has some talent in Chinese martial arts and has already achieved success at this age, or perhaps he has some talent in medicine, which led to Hulk seeking his consultation."
"I barely understand a word you're saying!" Coulson looked at Melinda with a wry smile. Although he had been Melinda's partner for many years, he didn't know much about that country on the other side of the Pacific Ocean.
Melinda looked at Coulson, not knowing what to say. Chinese martial arts are inherently a system of their own. Unless one is immersed in Chinese culture from a young age, it's impossible to thoroughly understand it. Even she only had a superficial understanding of Chinese culture, so how could she explain it clearly to Coulson?
"How about this: after we send Dr. Banner back to the United States, we'll come back and conduct an assessment of this Ling Xiao. According to what you said, his strength is not weak, so perhaps a file should be created for him." Coulson deliberated in a low voice.
"Mm!" Melinda nodded gently. She knew that this assessment would have to be done by her, as Coulson didn't understand many things. But this was also good; getting to know something from across the Pacific Ocean would be a good way to relax.
At this moment, on the second floor of Ling's Pharmacy, Ling Xiao first invited Banner to sit on the sofa, then asked Gan Jing to prepare tea. Having learned his true identity, Ling Xiao dared not show the slightest slack. Compared to the other party, his current strength was immeasurably different.
"Please take a deep breath, Mr. Banner!" Ling Xiao said softly to Bruce Banner, sitting down beside him.
Hearing Ling Xiao's change in address, Bruce Banner realized that the other party knew his identity, but this was already expected. Otherwise, how else would the other party diagnose his condition? And seeing the other party's cautious attitude, it showed that he was not an ordinary person. Otherwise, the news of the New York incident was so tightly sealed, which was not something an ordinary person should know.
Ling Xiao asked Bruce Banner to extend his left hand, resting it on a rectangular jujube wood block, then extended his right hand and placed it on Bruce Banner's left wrist pulse point.
Instantly, Bruce Banner felt a cool Qi flow from Ling Xiao's fingers into his body, making his momentary impatience disappear. Ling Xiao was, after all, only a young man in his twenties. If he hadn't been specially introduced by an old friend, Bruce Banner would not have come here to let such a young man treat him.
Bruce Banner had encountered traditional Chinese medicine before. Although it had some effect, the effect was not obvious. Moreover, traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes the accumulation of experience, so upon first meeting Ling Xiao, Bruce Banner was curious about how much skill such a young man could possess!
After feeling Bruce Banner's left hand, Ling Xiao asked him to extend his right hand for a comprehensive diagnosis. Ten minutes later, Ling Xiao looked deeply at Bruce Banner. Banner felt that Ling Xiao's gaze had completely seen through all his secrets, making him temporarily feel a little paranoid.
At this moment, Gan Jing happened to bring the tea over. Ling Xiao motioned for Gan Jing to put down the teacups, then turned to her and said, "Gan Jing, go back to your room and rest early. You don't need to help here anymore!"
"Okay!" Gan Jing looked at Ling Xiao with some concern. She knew that when this kind of situation occurred, it was usually because the patient's condition involved personal privacy, which was why Ling Xiao asked her to step aside for a moment.
Seeing Gan Jing return to her room, Ling Xiao then reached for the Yixing teapot nearby and poured Bruce Banner a cup of tea. He then proactively picked up his own teacup and took a small sip. Only then did Bruce Banner feel reassured enough to pick up his teacup.
The green tea entered his throat, and a refreshing aroma instantly diffused. Bruce Banner took a deep breath of the tea's Qi, and the slight restlessness he felt instantly vanished.
Putting down his teacup, Ling Xiao spoke earnestly, "Mr. Banner, I won't ask about your past or your background, nor do I wish to know. Therefore, I can only diagnose your condition based on your current physical reactions. I trust you can understand this."
Bruce Banner nodded gently. He couldn't agree more with what Ling Xiao said. If his identity were exposed, it would inevitably bring a lot of trouble to Ling Xiao. So, under these circumstances, it was best for everyone to have a tacit understanding and not say everything aloud. Taking a gentle breath, Bruce Banner asked in a low voice, "Then, Doctor, what is my current condition?"
Ling Xiao looked at Bruce Banner, his most troublesome patient, and said in a deep voice, "Mr. Banner, as you know, I studied genetic pharmacology at California Institute of Technology and also have some understanding of internal medicine, surgery, and psychiatry. However, my true major is traditional Chinese medicine. I have my own set of theories, so I will try my best to explain it in terms that you can understand, okay?"
"Okay!" Bruce Banner nodded gently. The reason he came to Ling Xiao was precisely because his medical skills were unique. Perhaps such a maverick, an eccentric talent, could help with his condition.
Ling Xiao pondered for a moment before speaking, "Sir, I presume you have some understanding of schizophrenia?"
"Schizophrenia?" Bruce Banner shook his head with some disappointment and said, "Doctor Ling, my condition has nothing to do with schizophrenia."
"No, no, no, please let me finish." Bruce Banner clearly misunderstood his meaning. Ling Xiao waved his hand and continued, "The human body has conscious, preconscious, and subconscious minds. According to Freud's structural theory, these are the id, ego, and superego. Leaving aside the moral aspect of cognition, each 'self' in the theory of traditional Chinese medicine possesses powerful strength, and these three selves, in traditional Chinese medicine, can be separated."
Separated? Bruce Banner subconsciously nodded. What Ling Xiao was saying was starting to get interesting!