Tang Mountain was located in the Feng City Suburbs. It wasn’t a tall mountain, but transportation was inconvenient and the area was overgrown with wild grasses. It was the Ding Group’s most recent key developnt project.
A month ago, a survey team discovered a hot spring on Tang Mountain. The water quality was excellent and rich in minerals.
Ding Aiguo imdiately made the call to buy the operating rights, preparing to develop it into a high-end hot spring resort.
But the results of a detailed survey over the past few days were disappointing—the hot spring’s flow rate was too low, the water pressure was insufficient, and it simply couldn’t support large-scale comrcial developnt.
"According to the current data, even if we force developnt, the daily water output would only be enough for two guest rooms. Forget about making a profit; we couldn’t even stay in business," Ding Kaifang said helplessly.
What’s more, they had been pumping water for a few days.
Now, the spring wasn’t producing any water at all.
And any water they managed to force out was cold.
Ding Aiguo frowned. "Are the survey reports accurate? Could there be an error?"
"We’ve already run the tests three tis, and the results were the sa each ti," Ding Kaifang sighed. "We have no choice but to give up now. We basically bought the operating rights for nothing."
Xue i comforted him, "You can’t rush things in business. Since it’s not a good fit, it’s better to cut our losses now."
Ding Aiguo nodded and didn’t say anything more.
’For a large corporation like theirs, failed investnts were normal.’
After dinner, Duoduo was so sleepy she couldn’t stop yawning, so Ding Kaifang took her ho first.
Since Xue i had a good nap in the afternoon, she was still feeling quite energetic and sat in the living room chatting with Ding Aiguo.
"I’m so worried about Duoduo," Xue i sighed.
Ding Aiguo’s brows furrowed tightly.
Anorexia, or anorexia nervosa in full, is a psychological disorder.
Common types include childhood anorexia, adolescent anorexia, and anorexia nervosa. It is particularly common in females, with a prevalence about ten tis higher than in males.
The causes of anorexia are complex, involving social factors, family factors, and more.
Most critically, the disease can be fatal. Its mortality rate can reach 10-20%, mostly due to complications from malnutrition and suicide resulting from depression.
A person who only drinks water and doesn’t eat can survive for a month at most.
Duoduo could still drink a little water for now.
But if her symptoms didn’t improve, she might even stop drinking water.
"I hope the doctors at the Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese dicine have a solution."
Ding Aiguo said.
...
The next morning, the driver took Ding Kaifang and Duoduo to the Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese dicine.
The hospital lobby was bustling with people, and long lines had ford in front of the registration windows.
Ding Kaifang had pulled so strings in advance, so he took Duoduo directly to the specialist consultation area.
He had made inquiries and learned that the most famous doctor at the Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese dicine was Professor Gao Guanghui.
He was best known for treating difficult and complex cases.
"Dad, I don’t want to see the doctor..." Duoduo whispered, shrinking into Ding Kaifang’s arms, her little face pale.
"Be good. After we see the doctor, we’ll go get so ice cream."
Ding Kaifang coaxed her softly, but his heart ached. ’That trick used to work, but now Duoduo isn’t even interested in her favorite ice cream.’
Pushing open the consultation room door, they saw an elderly man with salt-and-pepper hair sitting inside. It was Professor Gao Guanghui.
He was wearing reading glasses and had a kind face. When he saw Duoduo, he smiled slightly. "Co on in, little one."
The room was filled with the faint scent of Chinese dicinal herbs.
Gao Guanghui had Duoduo sit on a small stool. He first observed her complexion and the coating on her tongue, then gently took her pulse.
"How long has she had anorexia?"
"Over half a year. At first, she just didn’t like to eat, then she started eating less and less," Ding Kaifang said, fraught with worry. "Now she eats almost nothing, just drinks a little water."
Gao Guanghui nodded and asked a few more questions, such as what Duoduo usually liked to eat, whether she had ever been frightened, and about their family dynamics.
Ding Kaifang answered each question, but he was a little confused. ’What do these questions have to do with anorexia?’
"Childhood anorexia may seem like a problem with the spleen and stomach, but it’s actually closely related to one’s emotional state," Gao Guanghui explained as he wrote out a prescription. "Children are sensitive. The family environnt, academic pressure, even a parent’s careless remark can cause them to develop resistance, which in turn affects their appetite."
Ding Kaifang was taken aback. "But our family..."
"I’m not saying there’s a problem with your family," Gao Guanghui smiled. "A child’s world is very small. A minor issue can seem like the end of the world to them."
He finished writing the prescription and handed it to Ding Kaifang. "This is a formula to stimulate the appetite and strengthen the spleen, combined with so herbs to calm the spirit. Have her take it for seven days first."
Ding Kaifang took the prescription and saw what was written on it:
Prince Ginseng, Poria Cocos, Fried Atractylodes, Dried Tangerine Peel, Amomum Villosum, Polygala Tenuifolia, Silktree Bark...
"Doctor Gao, is this dicine... bitter?" Ding Kaifang asked hesitantly.
"It’s a little bitter, but I’ve added licorice, so it won’t be too hard to drink," Gao Guanghui said, patting Duoduo’s head. "You’ll be a good girl and take your dicine, okay, little one?"
Duoduo kept her head down and didn’t make a sound.
"This is my phone number. If anything cos up after you get ho, you can contact ."
Gao Guanghui handed him a business card.
Of course, he didn’t give his card to every patient.
Besides, Duoduo’s case was a classic example of childhood anorexia.
He wanted to follow up to determine the dicine’s efficacy.
This would allow him to adjust the dication when encountering patients with similar symptoms in the future.
"Thank you, Doctor."
Ding Kaifang took Duoduo downstairs to have the prescription filled.
When they got ho, he imdiately had the nanny brew the dicine.
After the dicine was brewed, the whole house filled with the bitter sll of herbs.
Ding Kaifang held the bowl and crouched in front of Duoduo. "Duoduo, let’s just drink a tiny bit, just a little, okay?"
Duoduo stared at the dark, murky dicinal liquid, then suddenly covered her mouth and shook her head violently.
"Be good, just one sip. After you drink it, Daddy will take you to the amusent park!"
Duoduo just shook her head, her eyes turning red.
Ding Kaifang’s wife, Lin Yue, tried to bring the bowl to Duoduo’s lips, but as soon as Duoduo slled it, she burst out crying with a "WAAH!" Her small hands desperately pushed the bowl away, spilling the dicine all over the floor.
"What are we going to do?" Lin Yue stomped her foot in frustration.
Ding Kaifang gritted his teeth. "Should we... force her?"
"No!" Lin Yue imdiately objected. "She’s already resistant. Forcing her will only make her more scared!"
Ding Kaifang thought for a mont, then took out his phone and called Gao Guanghui.
"Doctor Gao, Duoduo absolutely refuses to drink the dicine. Can we... force a little of it down?"
There was silence on the other end for a few seconds before Gao Guanghui sighed. "Mr. Ding, forcing a child with anorexia is the worst thing you can do. If you force the dicine down, it could make her develop an even deeper fear of the act of ’eating.’ She might even refuse to drink water after that."
"Then what do we do?" Ding Kaifang’s voice trembled.
"You can only guide her patiently, or..." Gao Guanghui paused. "Try other thods, like dicinal baths, Massage, or making the dicine into sweet pills."
After hanging up, Ding Kaifang and Lin Yue looked at each other, speechless.
Sweet pills? Duoduo wouldn’t even eat candy now.
dicinal baths? She even resisted taking regular baths.
Massage? She wouldn’t let strangers touch her at all.
...
「Li’s Traditional Chinese dicine Clinic.」
Li Xu was engrossed in studying the Comntary on the Art and Literature Record, while Song Sisi was racking her brain writing a paper.
DING-A-LING~
His phone rang.
It was a call from his old classmate, Hu Qiming, who worked at the City Hospital of Traditional Chinese dicine.
"Old friend, what’s up?"
"Haha, it’s good news! The City Health Commission issued a directive to improve primary healthcare. The directive requires the city’s Class A Grade 3 hospitals to send staff to support grassroots clinics and health centers. I just saw the list, and your clinic is on it, so I volunteered to be the one to support you guys."
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