Chapter 798: Picking Someone Up

Chapter 798: Chapter 798: Picking Someone Up

Gao Ruiping was Gao Mingxuan’s only son, whom Li Xu had met back when he worked at the clinic. He had a son and a daughter. His daughter, Miaomiao, was a bright and clever nine-year-old. Li Xu even remembered playing with her in the past.

"I didn’t want to bother you originally," Gao Mingxuan continued, his tone carrying a hint of embarrassment. "I figured you hadn’t been at the City Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine for long and were still finding your footing, so I was afraid of causing you trouble. But I ran into Weihong today, and she told me you’re making quite a name for yourself now. She said you gave a major lecture at Feng City Medical College a few days ago, with thousands of people in attendance..."

Hearing this, Li Xu pretty much understood the situation.

An old-school physician like Gao Mingxuan had a strong sense of pride. As Li Xu’s status rose, the older man had become hesitant, terrified that an "outdated teacher" like him would become a burden to his former student.

"Teacher, what are you saying? Miaomiao’s business is my business. Where are Brother Ruiping and the others right now?" Li Xu hurriedly steered the conversation back on track.

"At the City Third Hospital. I caught a train this afternoon to come over. Ruiping is with them right now." Gao Mingxuan paused, his tone growing heavier. "Li Xu, the illness... it’s the premature awakening of Tiangui."

"What?" Li Xu’s grip on the phone tightened slightly.

The premature awakening of Tiangui was a specialized term in traditional Chinese medicine. In modern medical terms, it meant precocious puberty.

"Miaomiao is only nine this year, right?" Li Xu’s voice dropped significantly.

"Yes, she just had her ninth birthday not too long ago," Gao Mingxuan sighed heavily. "The child... got her period these past two days.

"Ruiping and his wife were terrified. They had all sorts of tests done at the City Third Hospital, including a pituitary MRI. Her hormone levels were frighteningly high.

"The doctors diagnosed it as central precocious puberty and recommended hormone injections for intervention. But Ruiping and his wife were worried about the side effects and insisted on having a traditional Chinese medicine doctor look at her.

"However, the TCM doctors at the City Third Hospital all took a look and prescribed some medicine. After taking it for three or four days, there hasn’t been a single sign of improvement. The child keeps crying about chest pains, and her temper has become incredibly erratic."

"Nine years old..." Li Xu paced around his living room, his mind rapidly pulling up information regarding this type of condition.

In ancient times, it was said that for females, "at twice seven, the Tiangui arrives," meaning a girl’s first menstrual period would occur around the age of fourteen. Menarche at age nine was a full five years early. For a child of this age, this was disastrous, both in terms of physical development and psychological impact. If it wasn’t controlled in time, not only would her epiphyseal plates close early and stunt her growth, but it could also induce even more severe endocrine system tumors.

"Teacher, don’t worry. The treatment approach at the City Third Hospital might be leaning toward simply ’clearing the ministerial fire.’ If they aren’t hitting the bullseye, it will indeed be slow to show results." Li Xu made a prompt decision. "How about this? I’ll drive over right now to pick you up. Have them start the discharge paperwork at the City Third Hospital. The environment there isn’t suitable for the child to find peace of mind."

"Oh my, it’s already so late..." Gao Mingxuan instinctively tried to decline.

"Teacher, if you still consider me your student, you’ll listen to me," Li Xu said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Later that night.

"Teacher!"

The night wind carried a hint of a chill. At the exit of the Feng City train station, Li Xu immediately spotted the slightly frail elderly man in the crowd, carrying an old leather briefcase. It was his beloved mentor, Gao Mingxuan.

Even though Li Xu now possessed a system and his medical skills had long reached a god-like level, in his heart, Gao Mingxuan would always be the guiding light who had taught him to identify herbs hand-by-hand in that rural clinic, the one who constantly reminded him to have "a physician’s benevolent heart." Without Gao Mingxuan back then, there would be no Li Xu who had rooted himself in grassroots medicine.

Gao Mingxuan saw Li Xu as well. The wrinkles on his old face instantly smoothed out as his eyes filled with gratification. He quickened his pace, but before he could speak, Li Xu strode forward and took the bag from his hand.

"I told you there was no need to pick me up. It’s almost midnight, and you have to work tomorrow. This is too much trouble," Gao Mingxuan complained, though he couldn’t suppress the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"You’ve come to Feng City. No matter how busy I am, I have to come pick you up." Li Xu smiled as he looked Gao Mingxuan up and down. He found that his teacher was still quite hale and hearty, though a trace of travel fatigue lingered between his brows. "Teacher, you’ve had a long journey."

Back when Li Xu’s father ran a rural health clinic, their two families had been close friends. At that time, Gao Mingxuan had truly treated him like his own son, unreservedly passing down all his most closely guarded medical knowledge.

"Teacher, are you hungry? Let me find a place to get you something to eat first. There are a few late-night spots in Feng City that are seriously good," Li Xu offered as he guided Gao Mingxuan toward his car parked by the road.

Gao Mingxuan waved his hand, appearing a bit uneasy. "I’ve already eaten. I had a little something on the train. It was late when I set out, so let’s not go through the trouble at this hour. Just help me find a clean little motel near the hospital. I only need to stay for one night." He sighed helplessly and added, "Your Brother Ruiping insisted on coming to pick me up, but I didn’t let him. He and his wife have been staying up at the hospital these past few days because of Miaomiao, and their eyes are completely dark with exhaustion. I’m only sixty; it’s not like I’m in my seventies or eighties and can’t walk anymore."

Li Xu opened the car door and helped Gao Mingxuan into the passenger seat. As he buckled the seatbelt, he said, "Why would you stay in a motel, Teacher? I have an apartment in the city that’s currently empty. The environment is better than any motel, and it’s quiet. You’ll stay at my place tonight, and we’ll go to the hospital together tomorrow morning. It’s right on the way."

"Is... is that convenient? You don’t live in the hospital dorms?" Gao Mingxuan asked in surprise. In his impression, most young doctors trying to find their footing in the city either crammed into dormitories or rented small apartments.

"I have my own place. Just rest easy and stay there," Li Xu replied with a smile as he started the car.

The vehicle navigated through Feng City’s neon lights and soon pulled into an upscale residential complex with tight security and excellent landscaping. This was one of the properties Ding Kaifang had gifted him previously.

When Li Xu led Gao Mingxuan into the luxuriously decorated, spacious single-floor penthouse with its sweeping views, the older man was utterly shocked. He stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows, taking in the bustling cityscape outside, and then looked back at the exquisite furniture and modern appliances filling the home. For a long time, he couldn’t utter a single word.

After a while, he finally patted Li Xu’s shoulder and let out a long sigh. "Li Xu, I always knew you would make something of yourself, but I truly never imagined your success... would be this much greater than I thought."

Amidst his emotional sigh, the slight uneasiness in Gao Mingxuan’s heart—born from the widening gap in their social status—quietly faded away. When a student soared high, a teacher felt nothing but pride and deep gratification.

Early the next morning.

Li Xu woke up and prepared a light breakfast for Gao Mingxuan.

"Teacher, why are you up so early? Did you not sleep well last night?" Li Xu greeted the older man, who was already fully dressed.

"Old people don’t sleep much, and I’m used to tossing and turning in unfamiliar beds," Gao Mingxuan turned around with a smile. "But this place is truly comfortable. Oh, by the way, your Brother Ruiping just texted me. He said they’ve already headed out with Miaomiao toward the Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. But today is Monday, so the morning rush hour traffic is terrible. I reckon they’ll be a bit late."