Chapter 64

Chapter 64

Returning home, Yu He opened the door and saw Shen Han sitting on the living room sofa.

Yu He: "???"

He froze at the doorway for half a second, then instinctively shut the door.

There must have been a problem with the way he opened the door; thinking that Shen Han would make a special trip for a home visit just because he skipped half a class seemed a bit too exaggerated.

Professor Shen, this is not worth it!

Maybe he had seen wrong.

Yu He thought to himself, perhaps because he felt guilty for playing truant from Professor Shen's class, everything seemed to remind him of Professor Shen.

With a stroke of wishful thinking, Yu He opened the door once again, peeping in.

“Come in,” Shen Han said loudly from inside.

No miracle had occurred.

Head lowered, Yu He walked in: "Professor Shen, what brings you here?"

Shen Han said, “I came to check on Yunzheng’s recovery from his lumbar spine injury.”

At the mention of Fu Yunzheng’s injury, Yu He could no longer afford to feel guilty and quickly asked, “How is he?”

Shen Han responded, "He's improving. I've applied acupuncture, and he's resting in the room. Since you get dizzy at the sight of needles, it's better not to go in and watch. He should be ready to have the needles removed in about ten minutes."

Yu He replied, "As long as the needles aren't in someone else's hands, I'm fine just watching."

Shen Han gestured for Yu He to sit down and asked, "This very specific fainting condition at the sight of needles doesn't seem to be universal. Have you been hurt by a needle before?"

Yu He pondered for a moment, "I don't remember, maybe I was scared by a TV drama when I was a child."

Shen Han smiled, "Well, children's imaginations are indeed rich, and empathetic people can easily project others' injuries onto themselves. To overcome this fear, desensitization therapy seems to be the only good method."

Yu He responded, "Professor Shen, I will try my best to overcome it."

Shen Han said, "There's no need to force yourself. The way of traditional Chinese medicine is profound and vast. Aside from acupuncture, there are Chinese herbal medicine, prescriptions, Internal Classic, and Treatise on Febrile Diseases, each of which has its own immense scope. Even if you only learn massage and grasp its essence, it would be quite remarkable. I heard from Zheng that you have a talent in Chinese herbal medicine and prescriptions?"

Yu He answered, "I wouldn't say it's talent; it's just that my sense of smell is quite sensitive, and I can distinguish herbs by their scent."

Hearing this, a hint of surprise appeared on Shen Han's face, "Very good, very good. I've taught hundreds, if not thousands of students, and this is the first time I've heard of someone with such a sensitive sense of smell. The five senses are interconnected, seeking balance, and one strengthens as another weakens. Since your sense of smell is sensitive, among taste, sight, and hearing, is there any area where you feel a bit lacking?"

Yu He was surprised. His sensitive sense of smell wasn't a secret; many people knew about it. But this was the first time someone had inferred that another of his senses might be less sharp upon hearing about his keen sense of smell.

Yu He honestly answered, "So this is what the books refer to as mutual growth and restraint, mutual rooting and inhibition. I have a bit of night blindness; I can't see clearly at night, and I thought it was because I don't eat carrots."

"The eyes are the windows to the soul, and causality often falls upon them," Shen Han pressed his own right eye and said, "The I Ching states, ‘If something is gained, something else will be lost.’ I didn't realize that mutual growth and restraint were predetermined by nature when I was young. Only after losing sight in one eye did I discover that it is indeed so."

Yu He looked into Shen Han’s eyes.

At first glance, Shen Han’s right eye seemed no different from a normal eye; it didn’t appear dull or whitish, as is common with many blind eyes, nor did it exhibit strabismus or any other visible issues. However, upon closer inspection, there were subtle differences compared to his intact left eye.

Yu He recalled the story told by Master Meng, saying that Shen Han’s blindness in his right eye was due to treating too many hysteria cases in his early years, offending ghosts, spirits, and fox fairies. With the character from the story right in front of him, Yu He hesitated for a long time but couldn’t resist asking.

Shen Han laughed heartily, "What ghosts and fox spirits? There's no relation between my blindness and treating hysteria. It's just a fanciful tale concocted by some imaginative people to bamboozle the laymen. Traditional Chinese Medicine has a long heritage, and its classical texts are as vast as an ocean. The 'Huangdi Neijing' is said to have been compiled during the Western Han Dynasty,

Western Han Dynasty,

and its language and allusions are rather obscure, inevitably lending it a mysterious and profound aura. When combined with stories of ghosts and the supernatural, it appears even more enigmatic."

Yu He nodded in agreement, "You're right. It's like when you inferred that one of my other senses might be less acute based on my sharp sense of smell. People who don't know the details might really think that you can read faces."

"The art of Zhou Yi (I Ching) is another matter altogether, and I won't presume to speak carelessly about it," Shen Han glanced at his watch. "Time's up, I need to go remove the acupuncture needles. It's normal to feel soreness, numbness, or even pain in the area. You might also experience leg pain, which can be relieved with moxibustion or a warm compress."

Yu He took careful note and asked Shen Han for a prescription for moxibustion.

Shen Han stood up, lowering his voice, "After acupuncture, the meridians are open, which aids in sleep and urination. Remember to remind him to go to the bathroom before bed. He already has mobility issues, and if he waits until he feels the urge, it might be too late. Yun Zheng is a very proud young man..."

Observing Yu He's expression, Shen Han saw not a trace of impatience, only a hint of concern, which made him appreciate Yu He even more.

Yu He possessed the qualities of a good doctor, which greatly endeared him to Shen Han.

Personally, having someone like Yu He by Fu Yunzheng's side was ideal—someone to take care of him physically and offer companionship, which would uplift Fu Yunzheng's spirits and significantly aid his recovery. Professionally, Yu He was immensely talented, diligent, humble, and open-minded. Despite his extraordinary abilities, he was free from arrogance, which boded well for the inheritance and development of Traditional Chinese Medicine, no matter which direction he chose to pursue in the future.

Shen Han was old now, and these young people reminded him of the bright morning sun. He thought back to sixty years ago when he was much more arrogant than Yu He, excessively self-confident, and unconsciously assumed a superior attitude towards his patients. Though he harbored a kind heart for healing and saving lives, he couldn't suppress a hint of condescension.

People praised Shen Han for his philanthropy and compassion towards the common folk, but only Shen Han himself knew that his compassion was not innate.

It was cultivated through a lifetime of encountering numerous people and bidding farewell to many, refining his temperament along the way.

After countless moments of helplessness and despair, Shen Han came to a stark realization. No matter how talented one is or how skilled one becomes, it's impossible to defy fate. Even if he could achieve a near-perfect success rate, he couldn't save every patient.

It was through these numerous encounters with life and death that Shen Han truly learned the harshness of life and finally attained this compassion.

Yu He, on the other hand, entered the field already possessing this compassionate heart.

Yu He displayed ample empathy towards Fu Yunzheng.

As a doctor, nobody understood better than Shen Han how challenging it could be to live with a paraplegic patient day in and day out.

There's a saying, "a long illness tests the patience of a saint," illustrating how even the most devoted children can grow weary of caring for a sick parent.

But what about Yu He? Rather than finding the meticulous care required for a patient bothersome, he felt heartache.

This ability to empathize so deeply is an exceptionally rare trait for a medical practitioner. If Yu He could truly persevere, Shen Han would indeed consider taking him on as his personal disciple.

Shen Han couldn’t help but offer more advice to Yu He: "Spring brings life, and summer fosters growth. The transition between spring and summer is the optimal time for recovery. Yunzheng’s condition is quite unique and would make for an excellent case study. If it weren’t for his reluctance to see strangers, I would have brought my team to conduct research. If you can thoroughly understand this case, it will pave the way for your future understanding of numerous other conditions, which will be immensely beneficial for your own growth."

After all, this was a young man he had watched grow up. There was so much life ahead of him, and it was truly regrettable to see him confined to a wheelchair. Shen Han was deeply concerned about Fu Yunzheng’s condition. Previously, due to Fu Yunzheng’s refusal to have someone take care of him, Shen Han could only have a limited understanding of his condition. Now, with Yu He around, Shen Han felt much more at ease.

Catching Shen Han’s implied meaning, Yu He smiled and said, "Of course, Professor Shen. If there are any changes in Mr. Fu’s condition, I will consult you at once. I hope you won’t find me bothersome."

“Keep your voice down,” Shen Han waved his hand and pointed towards the bedroom, “He cares about his pride and tends to hide his illnesses. Let’s communicate secretly.”

Yu He nodded with a smile.

Shen Han went to the bedroom to remove the acupuncture needles and politely declined the invitation to stay for a meal. After giving a few instructions, he left. Yu He personally escorted Shen Han downstairs, assuring him repeatedly that he wouldn’t miss the next class. Only then did Shen Han get into his car.

By the time Yu He got back home, Fu Yunzheng had already moved from the bed to his wheelchair.

Yu He asked, “Why did you get out of bed? It’s better to lie flat after acupuncture.”

Fu Yunzheng replied, “I haven’t eaten yet.”

On the dining table, several dishes were covered with cloches, long since cooled.

Yu He reached out to touch the cold plate, turned around, and hugged Fu Yunzhen, nuzzling him, "It's all my fault for coming back late."

Fu Yunzhen leaned back, "I wouldn't dare to blame Young Master Yu."

Yu He said, "Hey, I took Yu Qingyan to the hospital. He actually has mild heart failure due to anemia, and he still refuses to eat spinach."

Fu Yunzhen: "You were night-blind to the point that you didn’t even clearly see what I looked like the first time we met, yet you still didn’t eat carrots. Have you opened the Vitamin B I bought for you?"

Yu He: "......"

He was indeed at a loss for words because he really hadn’t opened it.

Yu He took the plate back to the kitchen, reheated it in the microwave, and then brought it back out, while Fu Yunzhen served some porridge from the rice cooker.

The dishes on the dining table were mostly light, stir-fried vegetables made by the aunt. Only the plate of fried chicken wings stood out awkwardly among the green vegetables.

The chicken wings were not as crispy after being reheated in the microwave, but that didn’t stop Yu He from picking up a fried chicken wing with his chopsticks first, "Were these fried at home? Is the kitchen smoky?"

In the Fu residence, even though the villa occupies thousands of square meters, the food is all prepared in the external kitchen and brought in, especially fried food, which is definitely not cooked in the villa’s dining hall. In such a small two-bedroom space, even having hotpot would fill the whole place with smell.

Yu He had originally thought that it was quite a sacrifice for Fu Yunzhen to give up living in his luxurious mansion to squeeze in here with him, and he was even more concerned about the kitchen smoke affecting Fu Yunzhen.

Fu Yunzhen answered, “It’s fine.”

Yu He asked again, "How did you think of asking Auntie to make fried chicken?"

Fu Yunzhen said, "You always buy that from the canteen; it’s not clean, and who knows how long the oil has been used. From now on, if you want to eat it, just ask Auntie to make it. I have a light diet because I’m adjusting my body, but you should eat whatever you want to eat, especially those pork pies made with lard. Don’t always eat them in the morning; it gives you a stomachache."

Yu He looked up, "How did you know that eating pies in the morning gives me a stomachache?"

Fu Yunzhen paused with his chopsticks, "I heard it from your classmate. After you skipped class, Professor Shen Han called me. When the person I sent to pick you up arrived at the internet café, you and Yu Qingyan had just left, but your two classmates were still there. The bodyguard chatted with them a bit and learned about your performance at school."

Yu He had a great deal of trust in both Liang Ran and Wang Guangbin, never expecting them to expose his weaknesses so easily!

This is too much!

After dinner, Fu Yunzhen got back to work, and Yu He focused on the Si Miao Cup competition questions.

Yu He had already gone through most of the questions. Although he felt like he was forgetting a page as soon as he finished it, he could still answer them when Fu Yunzhen occasionally quizzed him on one or two.

Fu Yunzhen was quite pleased and put down the question set, "You're actually quite intelligent. You remember so much after just one look; that's impressive."

Yu He leaned back and flopped onto the bed, "I had a good memory when I was a child too; I only became dumb as I grew up."

Fu Yunzhen looked down at Yu He, his eyes full of undisguised affection, "Long-term insomnia can damage the brain, leading to a faster decline in brain cells, which inevitably results in memory loss and lack of concentration."

"I know." Yu He lay on Fu Yunzhen's lap, "I've seen this question in the question bank before."

Fu Yunzhen chuckled, "I just happened to see this question too."

Yu He turned over, looking up at Fu Yunzhen, "Tell me... did I have bipolar disorder before?"

Fu Yunzhen stroked Yu He’s hair, comforting him, “How could that be? When have you ever been manic?”

Yu He said, “That’s because you’ve never seen me fight.”

Fu Yunzhen was completely biased, making excuses for Yu He in a roundabout way, "Who isn’t manic when they fight? Besides, if you're not manic, you won’t be able to fight; you'd just be beaten up."

Yu He laughed and reached out to touch Fu Yunzhen's face, "Don’t try to sweet-talk me. Based on the cases I’ve looked up, many symptoms of bipolar disorder match my state back then: Bipolar disorder commonly occurs between the ages of 15 and 25. During depressive episodes, one feels negative, down, self-blaming, and anxious, like a salted fish that has fallen into a mire and given up struggling. During manic episodes, on the other hand, one becomes impulsive, irritable, overexcited, requires significantly less sleep, and is prone to alcohol dependence."

Fu Yunzhen held Yu He’s hand, addressing Yu He’s mental issues seriously for the first time, “Do you still feel like this now?”

In Yu He's sparkling eyes, Fu Yunzhen's reflection shone brightly: "I rarely get irritable nowadays. I didn’t even get very angry when Liu Ruitong spoke ill of me. I just occasionally fall into sudden spells of self-blame and feel utterly useless."

Fu Yunzhen gently combed through Yu He's hair with his fingers: "Would you like to talk to a psychologist?"

Yu He nuzzled Fu Yunzhen’s hand with his face: "Talking to you is enough; you are my psychologist."

Unable to resist, Fu Yunzhen lowered his head and gently kissed Yu He's forehead: "Xiao He, I am more than willing to talk to you, but I can't be your psychologist."

Yu He asked: "How so?"

Fu Yunzhen smiled wryly: "Getting involved with a patient seriously violates the professional ethics of psychologists."

Yu He feigned seriousness: "Then, Mr. Fu, you are indeed caught in a dilemma. Because you definitely can’t bear not to treat me, and you can't refuse to get involved with me."

Fu Yunzhen sighed: "What can I do when I know? It’s because I love you."

Love is the retreat of rationality. When emotions surge, engulfing reason in a tide of affection, the bottom line in people's hearts teeters dangerously, and can only be lowered again and again.

Through the revolving heavens and earth, mountains and rivers, stars and galaxies, Fu Yunzhen's world is upside down, all because of Yu He.

He bows down before the power of love.