"It must be senile dementia," Huang Shanshan quickly concluded. She then took out a set of silver needles. As Huang Lao's granddaughter, her medical skills were quite impressive, otherwise, she wouldn't be the attending physician here. However, after inserting a few needles, the elder showed no change, his face still blank and dazed.
"Doctor, why isn't it working?" the young man asked anxiously.
Huang Shanshan was puzzled. Although it seemed like dementia, her needles should have at least brought some improvement. Yet, the elder showed no reaction, remaining dazed.
"How many days has your father been like this?" Li Se walked forward and inquired.
"Several days," the young man replied.
Li Se carefully observed the elder's condition and said, "This is not senile dementia."
"Then what do you think it is?" Huang Shanshan frowned slightly.
"His soul is lost," Li Se said seriously.
"What's your basis for that?" Huang Shanshan found it somewhat amusing. How could this fellow, who was so highly regarded by her grandfather, spout such absurd claims?
Li Se looked at the young man and asked, "When the old man sleeps, does he put his shoes randomly?"
The young man nodded. "What does that have to do with anything?"
Li Se explained, "When sleeping, shoes should not be placed randomly. They must be placed one on the left and one on the right, with the tips facing inwards, not the other way around. The tips facing inwards are to anchor the soul. The shoe tips represent a person's yang energy. Facing inward is like gathering a person's yang energy and soul. In the dead of night, all living things must rest, and when people go to bed, their souls naturally need to be gathered."
"What if they face outwards?" the young man, though finding it incredible, couldn't help but ask.
Li Se replied, "If they face outwards, the soul loses its anchor and will leave the body."
"Utter nonsense!" Huang Shanshan could no longer listen. "There is no scientific basis for this at all. As a TCM practitioner, how can you say such ridiculous things? Besides, how many of us put our shoes in a jumbled mess?"
"Everyone's situation is different, and whether it's true or not, you'll know with a test," Li Se said confidently. He immediately told the young man, "Go buy three incense sticks and two candles."
The young man hesitated, but after thinking about it, he decided to try anything as a last resort. He ran out and returned with candles and incense.
Li Se lit the three incense sticks and two candles and inserted them directly into the ground.
Many people were astonished when they saw this. The ground was paved with cement, yet the incense and candles were inserted so easily?
Even Huang Shanshan was somewhat shocked.
Li Se had the elder sit in front of the candles and then called out, "Come back!"
He looked a bit deranged, but after Li Se called out a few more times, the elder's gaze suddenly became less dazed.
"Dad, are you alright?" the young man exclaimed with joy.
The elder looked around confusedly. "Why am I here?"
"You're really okay." The young man was ecstatic and thanked Li Se profusely, even offering to pay the medical fees, which Li Se declined.
After thanking him repeatedly, the man helped the elder leave.
Huang Shanshan was astonished. "How is this possible?"
Li Se didn't explain anything to Huang Shanshan and prepared to leave with the items he bought at the pharmacy.
"Wait!"
Huang Shanshan chased after him.
"Is there something else?" Li Se asked, looking at her.
"Can you explain what happened?" Huang Shanshan was utterly perplexed. This was too unscientific.
Li Se smiled and said, "Many things cannot be explained. If you believe, it exists; if you don't, it doesn't. Actually, what you called senile dementia is not entirely wrong. If one's medical skills are sufficiently advanced, it can be treated. But my method is the simplest."
According to Western medicine, the elder's condition was indeed senile dementia. However, from a metaphysical perspective, it was a departure of the soul, and since the soul had departed, it needed to be resolved with metaphysical methods.
But acupuncture could also treat it, though it would be more troublesome and exhausting. Therefore, Li Se chose the simplest method.
Huang Shanshan felt a bit ashamed because she couldn't cure the elder with her acupuncture. According to Li Se, her skills were insufficient. She now largely believed that it was her grandfather who had sent this person to examine her. She asked, "Are you truly your grandfather's disciple?"
"Do you believe me if I say your grandfather is my disciple?" Li Se retorted.
"I don't believe you!" Huang Shanshan's answer was blunt. Her grandfather was a renowned TCM master; how could he be a disciple to some young upstart?
Li Se didn't argue. "Then do you believe now that your grandfather sent me to see you?"
Huang Shanshan fell silent, implicitly admitting it.
"I have other things to attend to. How about this, let's exchange contact information, and after I'm done, I'll come back to check on you, okay?" Li Se asked in a negotiating tone.
Huang Shanshan remained silent, but after a moment, she nodded and gave Li Se her contact information.
After Li Se left, the elder stroked his beard and chuckled, "Shanshan, you aren't perhaps taken with this young man, are you?"
"No," Huang Shanshan replied curtly.
However, the elder quickly took out his phone and called Huang Lao...
Li Se took half an hour to arrive at the entrance of Jiang Ranran's residential complex.
"Over here!" Jiang Ranran was waiting at the complex entrance. Today, she was wearing a skirt, her slender legs looking incredibly smooth, and her small feet adorned with white stockings, making her look exceptionally cute.
Li Se was momentarily dazed by the sight.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Jiang Ranran blushed slightly.
Li Se smiled. "Ranran, you are truly beautiful."
"Then why didn't you confess to me before?" Jiang Ranran huffed lightly.
Li Se scratched his head in confusion. Back then, he wouldn't have dared to confess to Jiang Ranran. He thought such a beautiful girl would never be interested in him. Who knew she had liked him all along?
He didn't stand on ceremony and, taking Jiang Ranran's hand, walked into the complex.
Jiang Ranran's home was only about sixty square meters. The interior was simple, with no new furniture; most of it was old and had been used for many years.
Soon, Li Se saw Jiang Dashan lying on the bed. He was Jiang Ranran's father.
"Ranran, who is this?" Jiang Dashan asked, looking puzzled.
"Dad, this is my boyfriend, Li Se," Jiang Ranran introduced him frankly. "He's a TCM practitioner now and is here to see your legs."
"Li Se?" Jiang Dashan found the name somewhat familiar.
"Uncle Jiang, we've met before. I was Ranran's classmate," Li Se said with a smile.
Jiang Dashan seemed to recall. "So it's you. Ranran used to mention you; I didn't expect you to be together now. It's good that you're together, very good."
"Uncle, let me take a look at your leg," Li Se said, squatting down to examine Jiang Dashan. After the examination, he realized it would be quite difficult to cure.