Ding Aiguo was a man of considerable wealth.
Over the years, he had extensively studied Rosewood.
He had seen many authentic pieces.
But he had never seen material this fine, and it was even heartwood.
"Doctor Li, can I buy some more rosewood? Don't worry, you can name your price."
Ding Aiguo said excitedly.
"I only treat illnesses here. If you want to buy rosewood by itself, you can go to a traditional pharmacy or an antique market."
Li Xu politely refused.
If he were just trying to make money, he wouldn't have taken the material from a Rosewood carving.
He would have sold it directly as a piece of art, which would have fetched a much higher price.
Unwilling to give up, Ding Aiguo said, "Then prescribe me more medicine. I'll buy twenty doses to start."
Li Xu was speechless. "Mr. Ding, all medicine has its side effects. Your wife's body is weak. If she really drinks twenty doses, her insomnia might not be cured, but her liver could be damaged."
He knew Ding Aiguo's goal was the rosewood in the medicine and that he wouldn't give up easily, so he changed his tune. "Don't worry. I'll prescribe five doses for now. If it's not effective, I'll sell you the rosewood separately."
"Alright."
Ding Aiguo decided to wait and see.
'This doctor in front of me looks very young, but anyone who can produce such high-quality rosewood must have a few tricks up his sleeve.'
Li Xu took out a few pieces of Five-Floral Dragon Bone and added them to the medicinal herbs he had just gathered.
Rosewood and Five-Floral Dragon Bone are two medicinal ingredients with different properties.
Normally, they should not be taken together.
But Xue Mei's symptoms were very severe.
A slow and steady approach wouldn't work.
He had to use a strong prescription.
He had to get it right in one go.
Fortunately, the Rosewood was gentle and the Five-Floral Dragon Bone was pure.
And he had Polygala Tenuifolia to harmonize them.
Otherwise, Xue Mei's body wouldn't be able to handle it.
If it were any other ingredients, Li Xu would never have made the prescription so potent.
"Huh? Dragon Bone?"
Ding Aiguo was knowledgeable and worldly. He recognized the Dragon Bone and quickly identified it as Five-Floral Dragon Bone.
After all, Five-Floral Dragon Bone was also a key ingredient used to treat insomnia.
His wife had taken medicine with it when she sought treatment elsewhere.
Ding Aiguo's respect for Li Xu grew even more.
'He can produce rosewood and also has Five-Floral Dragon Bone.'
'This inconspicuous traditional medicine clinic has some serious hidden depth!'
"When you burn the incense, make sure the room is ventilated. When you brew the medicine, first soak the ingredients in warm water for half an hour, then decoct and drink it..."
Li Xu instructed.
"Thank you. How much is it?"
Ding Aiguo asked.
"It's 11,000 per dose, so 55,000 in total for five doses."
The most expensive component was the rosewood.
The amount of rosewood used in one dose was about one-thousandth of the carving.
Li Xu calculated it based on the carving being worth 10 million; one-thousandth of that is 10,000.
The remaining 1,000 was for the Five-Floral Dragon Bone and Polygala Tenuifolia.
Not only did Ding Aiguo not find it expensive, he actually thought it was quite cheap, and his admiration for Li Xu grew even more.
After paying without hesitation, he left with his wife.
Meanwhile, Aunt Li, who had been watching the spectacle from the side, was dumbfounded.
'What in the world?'
'Over 10,000 for a single dose of traditional medicine?'
'My God!'
'Is there gold in it?'
Song Sisi was also stunned.
She only knew that rosewood was expensive.
She never imagined it was *that* expensive.
'A single dose of medicine casually costs over ten thousand.'
'Then the stick of Sandalwood Fragrance Li Xu burned for me yesterday must have cost several thousand, too...'
In her eyes, Li Xu suddenly became a bit of a mystery.
"Xiao Xu, why did you prescribe such expensive medicine?"
Aunt Li hurried over to ask as soon as the patient left.
Li Xu already had an excuse ready. "It contains some rosewood my father left behind. It's really good stuff, more expensive than gold."
"Oh, is that so..."
Aunt Li seemed to only half-understand.
But seeing how the patient had acted, what Li Xu said was probably true.
She secretly made a decision.
'After I finish my current medicine, if I'm still not better, I'll come have Li Xu take a look.'
'As long as it can cure my illness...'
'It's fine if it costs a bit more money.'
'It's better than spending money and not even getting cured.'
...
Ding Aiguo helped Xue Mei into the car and returned home with the packets of medicine.
He told Xue Mei to go rest in the bedroom while he personally went to the kitchen to brew the medicine.
"Old Ding, let the housekeeper do it." Xue Mei leaned weakly against the doorframe, her heart aching as she watched her husband bustling about.
"No, this medicine is too precious. I have to watch over it myself." Ding Aiguo shook his head and took a clay pot from the cabinet.
Xue Mei had been sick for many years.
He had long since become skilled at brewing medicine.
Following Li Xu's instructions, he poured the medicinal ingredients into warm water to soak.
The fragrance of the rosewood soon filled the air, making even the kitchen atmosphere feel serene and warm.
Ding Aiguo took a deep breath. He felt his mind calm, and even his breathing became long and steady.
"This rosewood... it really is wonderful stuff," he murmured in admiration.
Half an hour later, the ingredients had soaked and swelled. Ding Aiguo placed the clay pot on a low flame to simmer slowly.
The medicinal soup gradually came to a boil, BUBBLING with small pockets of air as the rich fragrance grew more distinct.
This was another one of rosewood's magical qualities.
If it were other traditional medicinal herbs, they would emit a bitter smell halfway through brewing.
And the more ingredients, the stronger the bitterness.
Xue Mei had been sitting on the living room sofa in a daze, but when she smelled the aroma, she found herself involuntarily walking to the kitchen doorway.
"This medicine... it smells comforting," she said softly.
Ding Aiguo smiled. "Rosewood is different from other medicinal herbs. It has a unique fragrance, and it won't be too bitter to drink either."
Once the medicine was brewed, Ding Aiguo carefully strained the liquid, poured it into a celadon bowl, and brought it to Xue Mei.
"Let it cool for a bit. Drink it when it's warm."
「About half an hour later.」
The medicinal soup had cooled to a warm temperature.
Xue Mei took the bowl. The soup was a light amber color and gave off a crisp, sandalwood fragrance.
She took a small sip, her brow furrowing slightly—it was bitter, but the aftertaste carried a hint of sweetness.
"How is it?" Ding Aiguo asked nervously.
"Bitter... but there's a bit of sweetness in my throat after drinking," Xue Mei said, then finished the medicine in one go.
Ding Aiguo breathed a sigh of relief. He then took out the Sandalwood Fragrance Li Xu had given them and placed it in the incense burner by Xue Mei's pillow.
He turned on the ventilation system.
Air circulation had to be maintained.
Then he lit it.
Wisps of fragrant smoke slowly curled upwards.
Soon, the bedroom was filled with the clean scent of rosewood.
It was a scent that made one relax upon smelling it.
Ding Aiguo sat by the bed, gently holding her hand.
"Get some rest. I'll stay here with you."
"Mm."
Xue Mei closed her eyes. The fragrance of rosewood lingered at the tip of her nose, gradually relaxing her tense nerves.
Ding Aiguo looked at her pale face, a sour feeling welling up in his heart.
For the past three years, he had taken his wife to every major hospital and tried countless methods, but none could cure her insomnia.
"Old Ding..." Xue Mei suddenly spoke, her voice as soft as if she were talking in her sleep.
"Hm?"
"This fragrance... it smells so nice." She curved her lips into a slight smile. "It's like the wooden house at my grandmother's place in the countryside when I was a child..."
Ding Aiguo's heart stirred. He gently patted the back of her hand. "Go to sleep. Get a good night's rest."
Xue Mei's breathing gradually evened out, her chest rising and falling slowly.
Ding Aiguo sat quietly, not daring to make a sound, for fear of disturbing her sleep.
Time passed, second by second. Outside the window, the sun rose high in the sky and then began to set.
Ding Aiguo glanced at his watch—two hours had already passed, and Xue Mei still hadn't woken up!
He knew that for the past three years, she could only ever sleep for about ten minutes at a time before waking up with a start.
But now, she was sleeping so peacefully, without even a frown on her brow.
Ding Aiguo's heart began to race, a mixture of joyful surprise and apprehension.
"This doctor... he really is something else."