"City First Hospital?"
"Director Zhang from the gastroenterology department?"
"He is indeed an expert in this area, with high expertise in urology as well. If it was him, it's not surprising. I wonder what method he used. I'll have to ask him about it later."
Xiao Boheng muttered to himself.
In his impression, there were only a few people in Yong City's medical system who had the ability to cure Li Qinxue's urinary retention.
The cause of Li Qinxue's urinary retention was a complication after colorectal cancer surgery. Among those who had experience in both fields and certain expertise, he knew only Old Zhang from the City First Hospital's gastroenterology department.
Recalling that he had heard Li Qinxue mention going to the City First Hospital before, Xiao Boheng became even more certain.
Who else could it be besides Old Zhang?
Knowing who it was, Xiao Boheng almost couldn't hold back from ending the call with Wang Shengyu and phoning Old Zhang to ask how he treated it so he could learn from it. That way, he wouldn't be clueless the next time he encountered such an issue.
Just as he was thinking this, Wang Shengyu's voice rang in his ear: "Director Zhang from gastroenterology?"
Her tone was full of confusion.
Halfway through listening, Xiao Boheng smiled and said, "It really is Old Zhang."
"No, it's not!"
What Wang Shengyu said next shocked Xiao Boheng: "I took my mom to see Director Zhang at the City First Hospital, but after two visits, it was still the same. Director Zhang directly suggested that we go to Beijing for treatment."
"Not Director Zhang from the City First Hospital?"
Now, Xiao Boheng felt a bit strange. Who else could it be besides Old Zhang?
It's not that he was egotistical, but in Yong City's medical system, the people who could possibly cure Li Qinxue's urinary retention could be counted on one hand. Among them, Old Zhang was the most likely.
"No."
"Then was it Director Zhou from the Second Hospital?"
"Also no, we never went to the Second Hospital."
"Not Old Zhou either? That's really strange."
Xiao Boheng furrowed his brows deeply.
"Ms. Wang, if it's convenient, could you tell me which hospital and which doctor it was?" Xiao Boheng thought for a moment and asked.
"There's nothing inconvenient about it. Anyway, Dr. Lu's reputation will spread sooner or later."
Wang Shengyu replied calmly, "It was Dr. Lu Xuan from the Health Center on Qiu City Street."
Hearing this, Xiao Boheng's brows furrowed, somewhat unable to believe what he had heard.
Health Centers are almost considered the lowest level in the medical system, a universally acknowledged fact.
Generally speaking, what Health Centers can treat are mostly minor colds and mainly involve children's physical examinations, handled by the Health Centers.
Other ailments aren't something health centers want to undertake; it's just that no patients would go there for treatment.
Moreover, Health Centers can't compare with large hospitals in terms of medical equipment, and their doctors are often less skilled than those in big hospitals, unable to treat many conditions at all.
Yet now, hearing that Li Qinxue's urinary retention was treated well by a doctor at a Health Center, he found it hard to believe.
If the doctors at a Health Center could treat it, then what were large hospitals for?
What was the point of having a chief physician like him?
Of course, he acknowledged that some Health Centers have particularly skilled doctors in certain areas. But Li Qinxue wasn't just seen by him; she was also seen by Old Zhang at the City First Hospital, who had no way to treat it, proving there was no misdiagnosis, nothing missed.
But to say that a doctor at a Health Center had cured such severe urinary retention—he wouldn't believe it, even under threat of death!
"Ms. Wang, don't joke with me. If it's inconvenient to say, it's okay," Xiao Boheng took a deep breath and said.
"Dr. Xiao, I'm not joking with you."
Wang Shengyu said helplessly, "I have no reason to hide this. It was really treated at a Health Center, but it wasn't by Western medicine. It was traditional Chinese medicine. After one day of medication and warm moxa, my mom's urinary retention improved by that night. Witnessing it myself, I couldn't believe it was true. It's normal for you not to believe it.
But I truly didn't deceive you, nor do I have a reason to."
"Was it treated with traditional Chinese medicine?"
Hearing this, Xiao Boheng's expression turned a bit peculiar. A condition that Western medicine couldn't resolve even with catheterization got better just by taking some herbal medicine and doing moxibustion?
Regarding this, Xiao Boheng wasn't too optimistic.
However, he didn't say anything further but instead thanked Wang Shengyu: "Alright, I understand. Thank you, Ms. Wang."
"If you have time, you should still bring your mom to the hospital for a check-up, just for peace of mind."
"Thank you for your concern, Dr. Xiao, but Dr. Lu said my mom's condition is fine," Wang Shengyu politely declined Xiao Boheng's suggestion.
Xiao Boheng: "..."
After hanging up the phone, Xiao Boheng's mood wasn't great.
The last thing Wang Shengyu said clearly showed she had lost faith in Western medicine and was more willing to trust traditional Chinese medicine.
But can traditional Chinese medicine really work?
It's not like he had a bias against Chinese medicine, but since the advent of Western medicine, Chinese medicine has weakened and Western medicine has taken the lead. Moreover, there are many conditions today that Chinese medicine can't tackle at all.
Especially during wartime, injuries from guns and knives—one can just imagine how many would have died relying solely on Chinese medicine. Bacterial infections alone are something Chinese medicine can't address.
In this regard, Western medicine hasn't just taken the lead; it's completely outpaced Chinese medicine.
"I still need to check with Old Zhang about this matter."
Thinking about it, Xiao Boheng dialed Old Zhang's number at the City First Hospital.
After a short while, the call went through, and soon Old Zhang's hearty laugh came through: "Old Xiao, you must have some free time today to call me."
"I'm not consulting today."
Responding briefly, Xiao Boheng then said, "By the way, Old Zhang, there's something I need to confirm with you."
"Go ahead."
Old Zhang seemed to have anticipated this; he knew Xiao Boheng well enough to know he wouldn't call at such a time without a reason.
"I did a colorectal cancer surgery not long ago. Post-op, the patient developed urinary retention..."
"I know about this case you're talking about."
Before Xiao Boheng could finish, Old Zhang said solemnly, "It's the patient named Li Qinxue, right?"
"Yes."
"She came to the First Hospital to see me twice. To be honest, I couldn't help her. Her situation couldn't wait, so I suggested she seek treatment in Beijing. I don't know if she ever went."
After recalling for a moment, Old Zhang suddenly asked, "By the way, why are you asking about this?"
"Wasn't it you who cured her urinary retention?"
"I don't have that ability. If I had cured it, I would have called you to brag already," Old Zhang replied in a disgruntled tone.
Xiao Boheng: "..."
"Wait, you said her urinary retention was cured. Did she go to Beijing?" Old Zhang wondered, thinking only Beijing could manage it.
"No."
Shaking his head, Xiao Boheng recounted a situation Old Zhang couldn't believe: "I found out from her daughter that it seemed to be treated at a Health Center, and specifically by traditional Chinese medicine."
"Uh~"
Old Zhang was still curious about the situation, but as soon as Xiao Boheng finished what he was saying, the muttering stopped abruptly, and the curiosity on his face completely froze.
"Health Center?"
"Traditional Chinese medicine?"
Did I hear wrong...?