The Young Urban Doctor

Chapter 654: Chapter 654: Grandpa, You’ve Been Poisoned
 

Having lost one corner and unable to occupy the two corners held by Luo Ziling, Ling Mingrui had no choice but to concede in the middle of the game.

After conceding defeat, Ling Mingrui looked at Luo Ziling with complex eyes and reminded him once more, “Too rigid and you’ll break. Having read ancient texts thoroughly, don’t you understand this principle? Life is not like playing chess, losing doesn’t always give you another chance.”

“Men, they always grow through continuous setbacks and tribulations. I hope to grow up quickly. As long as I don’t die, I think, one day I will defeat them.”

Ling Mingrui looked at Luo Ziling and chuckled, “What you said is contradictory.”

“Maybe I’m destined to live long, or perhaps I’m just lucky and will have the last laugh,” Luo Ziling also laughed, not intending to continue this conversation with Ling Mingrui, “Grandfather, let me check your health. If you need treatment, I can do it for you today.”

Ling Mingrui didn’t say much more and was the first to leave the study.

Seeing the old and young men exit the study so quickly, Xie Enhua and Ling Ruonan, who were talking softly in the living room, stood up and looked at them with confusion.

“Your son is quite good at chess. I conceded mid-game,” Ling Mingrui said expressionlessly to Ling Ruonan, then instructed Xie Enhua, “Get ready, let Ziling check our health.”

Hearing Ling Mingrui’s command, Xie Enhua’s heart relaxed, and she immediately went to prepare.

Ling Ruonan also breathed a sigh of relief.

Luo Ziling first checked Xie Enhua’s health. After the examination, Luo Ziling smiled at her and said, “Grandma, your health is quite good, you don’t need any treatment. How about, I prescribe a health-preserving medicine for you, just take one dose each month, and I guarantee your skin will become smoother, your hair blacker, and your sleep quality will improve compared to before. I’ll also give you a maintenance regimen, if you arrange your daily life according to what’s in the regimen, that would suffice.”

“Really?” Xie Enhua was naturally overjoyed, “Ling’er, Grandma believes in you and will definitely follow your instructions for care.”

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“Grandma, I assure you that in two years, you’ll definitely look younger than you do now.” Luo Ziling’s smile was wide, “By then, you certainly won’t believe how much younger you’ve become.”

“Good child, no matter what, Grandma thanks you first,” Xie Enhua immediately instructed Ling Ruonan to prepare ink and paper for Luo Ziling to write the prescription.

Watching the very neat handwriting Luo Ziling produced, Xie Enhua was even more delighted and immediately requested, “Ling’er, your great grandfather wanted your calligraphy, why don’t you also leave us with a piece of your writing? I’ll get it mounted and hang it in the living room.”

Seeing that Ling Mingrui had no objections, Luo Ziling readily agreed.

When Ling Ruonan happily prepared the ink and paper for him, Luo Ziling had already decided what to write.

Under the attentive gaze of Ling Mingrui, Xie Enhua, and Ling Ruonan, Luo Ziling wrote in swift and bold semi-cursive script a deeply metaphorical masterpiece:

New bamboos are taller than the old,

Supported entirely by the old stems.

Next year when new shoots emerge,

Ten-zhang-long offspring surround the phoenix pond

This is a famous piece by Qing Dynasty painter and poet Zheng Xie, also known as Zheng Banqiao. The artistic conception is very simple and understandable. The deep meaning behind the first two lines is: no matter how outstanding the younger generation is, they all depend on the support and help of their elders to achieve success. The next two lines suggest that the new waves in the Yangtze River push forward the old ones, meaning the younger generation will certainly surpass their predecessors.

This poem, based on respect for the elders, also expresses the high aspirations of the younger generation. Giving it to the two elders is indeed very fitting.

Ling Ruonan was deeply moved upon reading the content of this poem.

Seeing Luo Ziling’s free and easy calligraphy, Ling Ruonan couldn’t help feeling very happy, and a proud expression naturally appeared on her face.

“Ling’er’s calligraphy is really good,” Xie Enhua held the rice paper lovingly and admired it from all angles, full of praise: “It’s rare to find someone so young with such good handwriting. Although I often forced Nannan to practice calligraphy, compared to you, her handwriting is far behind.”

Even though Xie Enhua depreciated her in front of so many people, Ling Ruonan didn’t mind at all and said with a happy smile, “Mom, my handwriting is far inferior to Ling’er’s.”

“Old man, why don’t you give an assessment?” Xie Enhua asked Ling Mingrui with a smile: “You, who also practice calligraphy often, won’t you say a few words?”

“The handwriting is good, the character is as the handwriting,” Ling Mingrui assessed briskly, and then instructed Xie Enhua: “Have someone frame it and hang it in the house.”

“Sure,” Xie Enhua readily agreed, “Tomorrow I’ll have someone find the best calligraphy and painting shop to frame the handwriting and hang it in the house.”

Seeing Ling Mingrui’s appreciation, especially his comment “the character is as the handwriting,” Ling Ruonan was even more delighted.

Good handwriting reflects a good person; which mother wouldn’t be happy to hear her son praised?

Seeing Ling Ruonan’s smiling face, Ling Mingrui didn’t say much more and instructed Luo Ziling to come inside and check his health.

Luo Ziling respectfully complied.

While Luo Ziling checked Ling Mingrui’s body, Xie Enhua and Ling Ruonan stood by.

Luo Ziling checked thoroughly, and no one spoke to interrupt. After checking, he let go of the wrist he’d been holding and let out a breath, saying, “Great Grandfather, did you suffer a serious illness a few years ago?”

“Yes, I did,” Ling Mingrui hadn’t answered yet when Xie Enhua interjected: “Three years ago, your Great Grandfather fell ill due to overwork, but the specific cause wasn’t diagnosed. After he recovered, we just let it be. Ling’er, are there any lingering effects?”

“Great Grandfather must have been poisoned at the time, with a slow-acting poison that hasn’t entirely been cleared,” Luo Ziling said solemnly, and then asked Ling Mingrui, whose complexion had changed slightly: “Great Grandfather, do you occasionally suffer from headaches, abdominal bloating, and diarrhea?”

“Indeed, I do,” Ling Mingrui appeared very surprised and couldn’t help but ask Luo Ziling: “You said I was poisoned, what poison did I contract?”

Luo Ziling answered seriously: “It is a type of poison that decomposes upon entering the body, making its components difficult to detect. It’s likely extracted from some plants grown in the cold regions of the Tibetan area and doesn’t have a systematic name yet. Not many people know about this poison, and even fewer utilize it. My grandfather and I encountered two cases of such poisoning before, one of them, due to a large dose, sought treatment at a hospital. With no appropriate treatment, they ultimately died. The other case was saved because my grandfather and I acted in time. At the beginning of symptom relief, they experienced the symptoms I just mentioned. The poison in Great Grandfather is not deep, perhaps due to a small dosage or because it was induced to vomit out early, but the residual poison has not been completely cleared.”

Luo Ziling’s words turned the faces of everyone else in the room pale.