Chapter 114: You Even Know That?

As people age, they inevitably develop one ailment or another, and Zhou Yimin’s grandparents were no exception. Both of them were prescribed some medicine—traditional Chinese medicine.

Zhou Yimin listened carefully and committed everything to memory.

“Ma’am, your condition seems rather serious. I can’t give a full diagnosis here—it’s best if you go to a hospital for a proper check-up,” Chen Baishu said to an elderly lady.

He had only done a brief examination, taken her pulse, and used a stethoscope for about twenty seconds, but it was enough to make him realize the issue was quite severe.

The old lady smiled nonchalantly and said, “No need to go. Just give me some medicine.”

In truth, she was very aware of her own condition—it was far from optimistic. Every time her illness flared up, she felt like she had walked through the gates of hell and back.

Her family wasn’t well-off to begin with. How could she afford to go to a big hospital for testing?

Some illnesses, if left undiagnosed, don’t seem so frightening. Just take a bit of medicine and push through—if she couldn’t, then it was fate, and she would accept it.

But if it were diagnosed, and they found out there was a treatment, but the cost was sky-high, wouldn’t that put her family in a difficult position? Not treating it would be hard to live with; treating it would bankrupt them.

In fact, bankruptcy wasn’t even the worst part. The real fear was losing both the person and the money—if she didn’t make it and they had spent everything, it would all be for nothing.

Zhou Yimin couldn’t help but ask, “Eldest Uncle, what illness does my sister-in-law have?”

That’s right! This was yet another sister-in-law.

Eldest Uncle: “……”

Sister-in-law? Are you serious with this title?

The old lady turned to Zhou Yimin and said, “Sixteenth Brother, my illness? Just taking a bit of medicine will do, I know my own body.”

“Know your own body?” You know nothing!

Zhou Yimin could tell right away—this sister-in-law didn’t want to burden her family. She just wanted the doctor to prescribe something to ease the pain and leave the rest to fate.

Alright then! Since the old lady also called Zhou Yimin “Sixteenth Brother,” Chen Baishu was now convinced that she was indeed his sister-in-law.

He said, “If I’m not mistaken, this looks like a heart condition. As you know, those can be tricky. But it’s not for certain yet—you really need to go to a hospital for confirmation.”

The heart is one of the most vital organs in the human body. Once something goes wrong with it, no matter how minor, it can be very serious—even fatal.

Of course, there are many kinds of heart disease: rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart disease, hypertensive heart disease, coronary heart disease, myocarditis, and so on.

The symptoms of heart disease are usually quite obvious: chest pain, shortness of breath, swelling in the lower limbs, palpitations.

Zhou Yimin frowned slightly.

If it really was heart disease, then it would indeed be difficult to treat. Even decades in the future, heart disease would remain one of the most troublesome and headache-inducing major human illnesses.

“And it’s likely to be coronary artery disease. I don’t know if you’ve heard of it, Yimin.”

Zhou Yimin nodded. “I’ve heard of it. It’s when layers of cholesterol accumulate on the inner walls of the coronary arteries, narrowing the arteries and reducing blood flow to the heart, causing angina during physical activity.”

How could he not have heard of it? Coronary artery disease was terrifying even in the future.

He’d read that, globally, it was one of the most serious threats to human health, and the leading cause of death in the U.S. and several other industrialized nations.

Patients with coronary artery disease often experience compressive chest pain after vigorous exercise. The pain can radiate to the arms, shoulders, neck, and jaw, but subsides with rest.

Chen Baishu was stunned.

No way. You even know that?

What on earth did you study in school?

Seeing the shocked look on Eldest Uncle’s face, Zhou Yimin explained, “I happened to come across it somewhere and got a bit of basic understanding about the causes and symptoms.

Also, I’ve heard there’s a kind of medicine that can help.

To be clear, not a cure, but it has a very noticeable effect.”

Zhou Yimin thought of Fast-Acting Heart Pills.

It was a miraculous medicine developed by Professor Zhang in 1982, the first traditional Chinese medicine pill formulation in China for treating coronary artery disease, and had been classified as a long-term state secret.

She had also developed two other very famous products: Banlangen and Wu Ji Bai Feng Pills.

Chen Baishu was stunned again, then firmly shook his head. “There’s no such medicine.”

“There isn’t? I think I saw it in an ancient medical text. It was called something like ‘Heart-Saving Pills.’ The main ingredients were Chuanxiong and Borneol. Eldest Uncle, you’re the expert. Why don’t you evaluate whether that’s plausible?”

Zhou Yimin hoped this miracle drug could be brought to light earlier and benefit the common people sooner.

“Chuanxiong and Borneol?

Chuanxiong is a commonly used herb for activating blood and removing stasis. Its functions include promoting blood circulation, regulating Qi, dispelling wind, and relieving pain. Borneol opens the orifices, revives the spirit, clears heat, and relieves pain…” As he spoke, even Eldest Uncle started to believe Zhou Yimin’s words a little.

These two ingredients were indeed helpful for treating coronary artery disease.

“Where’s that ancient text you mentioned?” Suddenly, Chen Baishu was eager to take a look at it.

In ancient times, they obviously wouldn’t have called it coronary artery disease. It would’ve been described as something like “water Qi attacking the heart.”

“Water Qi attacking the heart” referred to internal dampness and phlegm.

Due to spleen deficiency and internal stagnation, the dampness would rise and affect the heart and lungs, leading to a lack of heart Yang. That caused symptoms such as chest tightness, shortness of breath, palpitations with light activity, a heavy feeling in the chest, and even angina.

Zhou Yimin spread his hands. “I don’t remember. I’ve read too many old books.”

Alright then! Chen Baishu didn’t doubt him—he’d heard that the manual water pump Zhou Yimin made was also inspired by something he read in an ancient text.

“There should be other secondary herbs too, and they’re probably quite important. I’ll have to do some research,” Eldest Uncle said, suddenly energized.

The more he thought about it, the more possible it seemed. He planned to look into it once he got back, and perhaps try experimenting with Chuanxiong and Borneol as the main ingredients.

If he could develop it, maybe he would be remembered in history.

Of course, all thanks to Zhou Yimin’s discovery.

Zhou Yimin looked at the old lady. “Sister-in-law, just go get checked out without worry. Don’t stress about the cost. Tests don’t cost much. As for the medication afterward…”

Before he could finish, Chen Baishu cut in, “If you don’t mind trying the medicine, I’ll take care of it. You won’t need to spend a single cent. How about that?”

“I don’t mind. I’ll try it,” the old lady agreed without hesitation.

Why would she be afraid of trying medicine? The real fear was not being able to afford it!

Now that someone was offering free medicine, of course it was the best outcome.

Zhou Yimin knew the medicine was a purely herbal formula. It was unlikely to cause serious problems and definitely wouldn’t be fatal, so he didn’t object. Someone had to test new medicine, and if someone was willing, wasn’t that perfect?

More importantly, with this agreement in place, his sister-in-law essentially gained a personal doctor who would be very attentive to her condition.

That was excellent.

“Alright then. I’ll check on you twice a week from now on,” Chen Baishu promised.

At that moment, he already had a rough draft of a prescription in mind.

(End of Chapter)