Nyoi-Bo Studio

  Nyoi-Bo Studio

  “This is the decoction. The way he takes it stays the same. Do you still have the formula I gave you last time?” Wang Yao asked.

  “Yes, I’ve been using it since,” Wu Tongrong said.

  Wang Yao prescribed a formula with herbs of a warm nature to improve the patient’s fundamental health. Wu Tongxing’s father had been taking it.

  “Have him take the decoction first,” Wang Yao said.

  After the old man had taken the decoction, Wang Yao treated him with acupuncture. He inserted needles slowly into the old man’s body. He kept the needles away from the old man’s heart and lungs. The family doctor sat to the side observing Wang Yao provide the treatment. As a family doctor with high social status, he was very good at what he was doing. He had knowledge in both Western and Chinese medicine.

  The purpose of acupuncture treatment was to improve the flow of Qi and blood and facilitate the absorption of the decoction. It could also stimulate the old man’s body. However, the old man’s body was like burning firewood, and there was not much firewood left.

  A dying tree could have new branches. What about burnt firewood? No one knew what would happen.

  “Let him rest for a while,” said Wang Yao, who didn’t immediately leave the room.

  “Is my dad better?” Wu Tongrong asked. Actually, he had asked Dr. Chen and Dr. Li to see his father before Wang Yao came. They told him that his father was pretty much the same. He was slightly better. That was all.

  “He was slightly better than the last time I saw him,” Wang Yao said.

  His words were merely a comfort.

  Wang Yao checked the old man again 30 minutes later.

  “He is stable at the moment. Make sure he takes the decoction per instruction,” Wang Yao said.

  He then left Wu’s family house. Chen Ying had been waiting for him outside. She drove him straight to his aunt’s apartment.

  “Hello, Auntie,” Wang Yao said after he arrived.

  “Hi, Yao, how come you never mentioned you were coming to Beijing?” Zhang Xiufang was very happy to see her nephew.

  She insisted that he stayed at her place for lunch.

  “Sorry, Auntie, I have to meet with friends for lunch,” Wang Yao said.

  “I see. How about evening dinner?” Zhang Xiufang asked.

  “Don’t worry about me. By the way, my cousin is going to take the university entrance exam this year, right? How has she been preparing for the exam?” Wang Yao asked.

  “She’s still the same. She’s not really academic,” Zhang Xiufang said.

  Zhang Xiufang’s husband had initially moved to Beijing because he served in the army. After he retired, he found a job in Beijing. It took great effort to bring his wife and daughter to Beijing to settle. He bought an apartment in a good area in order for his daughter to go to a good school. However, Wang Yao’s cousin didn’t seem to be keen to study. Her academic performance had always been poor. She would be lucky to get any university degree.

  “I would be really happy if your cousin was half good as you,” Zhang Xiufang said.

  Given Wang Yao’s academic performance in high school, if he studied in Beijing, he would end up getting a degree from Tsing Hua or Beijing University.

  “Don’t worry too much.” Wang Yao tried to comfort his aunt.

  “Aye!” Zhang Xiufang sighed.

  Wang Yao didn’t stay at his aunt’s place for long. He had a lot of other things to do. He planned to see Chen Zhou in the afternoon.

  His cousin is taking the university entry exam this year. Chen Ying remembered this information.

  “Shall we have lunch? My treat,” Wang Yao said.

  “OK,” Chen Ying said.

  Beijing had a population. Tall buildings were everywhere. There were also restaurants of all kinds. People could find different types of cuisines, Western or Chinese, traditional or modern.

  Since Chen Ying knew Wang Yao’s diet habits, she took him to a traditional Chinese restaurant that specialized in Anhui cuisine.

  Wang Yao had never had Anhui cuisine before.

  They ordered stone steamed chicken, mountain bamboo, stir-fried chicken and duck breast, and Chinese mushrooms with chestnut.

  The restaurant had hired a very good cook. The dishes tasted delicious.

  “I think Beijing has the best restaurants in China,” Wang Yao said.

  “You like the dishes here? There are many restaurants like this here,” Chen Ying said with a smile.

  Wang Yao smiled back. He didn’t mind occasionally eating in such a restaurant, but he definitely didn’t want to come there often.

  They went to the mental institution after lunch.

  Chen Zhou was sober. He had been sober for some time. In fact, according to the institution’s guideline, he could be discharged. However, Chen Zhou wanted to stay inside for a big longer just in case he had another episode. He didn’t want to burden his sister.

  “Hi, Sis,” Chen Zhou said.

  “Hi, Zhou,” Chen Ying said.

  “Hi, Mr. Wang.” Both Chen Zhou and Chen Ying called Wang Yao Mr. Wang out of respect.

  “Hi, how have you been lately?” Wang Yao asked.

  “I’ve been fine,” Chen Zhou said.

  “Good. Have you had any discomfort in your head? Have you had a headache lately? Any hallucinations?” Wang Yao asked.

  “No.” Chen Zhou shook his head. He had returned to the institution after Chinese New Year. He had been quite healthy since.

  “How about at night? Do you have dreams?” Wang Yao asked.

  “Yes, I actually have had regular dreams lately,” Chen Zhou said.

  “What kind of dreams?” Wang Yao asked.

  “Well, my dreams are messy. Sometimes I dream about playing with my sister when I was a little boy. Sometimes in my dreams I am a knight in a Kung Fu world,” Chen Zhou said.

  Wang Yao kept silent for a moment. He still couldn’t find the cause of Chen Zhou’s mental illness.

  “I brought a decoction with me. Can you take him out?” Wang Yao asked Chen Ying.

  “I’ll arrange it immediately,” Chen Ying said.

  She completed the necessary paperwork before taking her brother back to the cottage.

  Wang Yao gave the decoction to Chen Zhou. He then observed any changes, mainly in the meridians in Chen Zhou’s head. He wanted to see if the meridians would become disorganized like last time.

  As I expected, Wang Yao thought.

  Nothing happened in a short period of time. Chen Zhou stayed sober.

  “You are fine,” Wang Yao said.

  He was sure Chen Zhou wouldn’t have a psychotic episode in a month after taking the decoction.

  “In a month?” Chen Ying was thrilled to hear it.

  “Yes. The decoction should keep him sober for a month. Bring him to my clinic in 20 days and I will give him another dose. You don’t need to take him back to the institution anymore,” Wang Yao said.

  “Great! Thank you,” Chen Ying happily said. “By the way, I’ve told Ms. Song you are here.”


  “That’s fine. I’ll visit her in the afternoon,” Wang Yao said.

  Su Xiaoxue was very happy to see Wang Yao. She gave him a huge smile.

  “Good afternoon, Mr. Wang,” she said.

  “Good afternoon, Xiaoxue,” Wang Yao said. He felt warmth and youth in Su Xiaoxue, along with something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. It brought Su Xiaoxue closer to him.

  “When did you arrive?” Su Xiaoxue asked.

  “Yesterday,” Wang Yao replied.

  “How long are you going to stay?” Su Xiaoxue asked.

  “About four days,” Wang Yao said.

  Song Ruiping didn’t interrupt. She just sat the side and watched her daughter and Wang Yao with a smile.

  “Mr. Wang, I feel my internal power has been growing lately,” Su Xiaoxue said.

  “I can actually feel it,” Wang Yao said. He guessed that was why he felt particularly close to Su Xiaoxue.

  The Qi inside her body was initially given to her by him. It continued to grow by accident.