Liang Lihai's father made a decision, and Du Heng no longer hesitated.
Taking out his bag and sterilizing his equipment with alcohol cotton, he directly applied acupuncture to GV-26 and the ten diffusing points, using intermittent stimulation. He stimulated the points once every three to four minutes.
Madam Liang showed a reaction, but she still did not wake up.
Du Heng could only apply acupuncture once again to PC-06 and ST-36, finally adding Baihui (GV20). Only then did Madam Liang slowly regain consciousness.
In fact, under normal circumstances, whether a patient was in shock or had fainted, applying acupuncture to GV-26, if possible, would awaken them. If not, pressing Baihui (GV20) was the alternative.
But in reality, after pressing Baihui (GV20), patients often did not wake up; instead, their lips would become blue and bruised.
This usually happened for one of two reasons.
The first was that the patient's condition was too serious, and they were nearing their end, as in Madam Liang's case. Pressing a single acupoint would have no effect.
At such a time, one must not be aggressive. Immediately call for emergency services and follow the physician's instructions over the phone; that's the best choice.
The second reason was somewhat laughable: they simply didn't locate GV-26 correctly. Fiercely pressing, or even pinching, the patient's philtrum would not only turn the lips blue but could even make the gums bleed, all while remaining ineffective. In the end, they would claim that pressing GV-26 was useless.
Of course, it would be peculiar if it *were* useful under such circumstances! GV-26 is located within the philtrum, but specifically in the upper third. However, many people, when trying to locate it, would press or pinch the middle, deepest part of the philtrum. A small error often leads to a great loss; this is exactly that kind of situation. The reputation of traditional Chinese medicine was suffering. Besides those who merely pretended to be skilled, there were also these half-informed individuals. They had a superficial understanding, applied it incorrectly, caused delays, and then blamed traditional Chinese medicine for the failure.
"UUUUGH..."
A low, painful groan snapped Du Heng out of his musings, and he immediately refocused his attention on Madam Liang.
Madam Liang struggled to open her eyes, an expression of agony instantly contorting her face. Du Heng could even see her body trembling slightly.
Thinking of the spreading infection in her wound, Du Heng could scarcely imagine the pain Madam Liang was enduring.
Liang Lihai's father also heard the sound and hurried over, softly calling out, "Mom." He fought back tears, determined not to let them fall.
Madam Liang recognized the man before her. Although still groaning in pain, her gaze gradually cleared.
But just then, the sound of Liang Lihai's wife and aunt sobbing drifted in from outside. Though in pain, Madam Liang's mind was clear, and she immediately guessed what had happened. She instantly became agitated.
Before Du Heng and Liang Lihai's father could react, Madam Liang fainted again.
Du Heng was about to lose his mind, an intense frustration welling up inside him. The patient was already in a critical condition, enduring excruciating pain. Now, agitated like this, the outcome was all too predictable.
At this point, Du Heng, as a doctor, felt a profound sense of helplessness.
Traditional Chinese medicine is a medical art, a skill employed by humans; it's not sorcery capable of resurrecting the dead.
Even with the system's help, Du Heng had exhausted all his efforts. Yet, Madam Liang's body went limp, and eventually, her breathing and pulse ceased.
Listening to the uncontrollable sobbing nearby, Du Heng listlessly packed his things and retreated to the side of the door.
Who could he blame? His own lack of medical skill? Even a deity would likely have been powerless in those two situations. The Old Secretary was already eighty-one; all his bodily functions had deteriorated, including his skeletal system. Given the circumstances, Du Heng was certain that if cardiac resuscitation had been attempted, not a single one of the Old Secretary's ribs would have remained intact after the compressions. As for Madam Liang, given the double blow to her physical and mental state, compounded by her already depleted energy, the fact that he had managed to revive her even once was a testament to his considerable medical skills. Could he blame the two women who had cried out? Du Heng didn't feel he was in any position to judge. It was entirely normal for one to cry out in grief when their father had passed away and their mother was on her deathbed.
His elder brother, Du Ping, who had a clear view from behind, stepped forward and patted Du Heng's shoulder. He wasn't good with words, so this was his way of comforting his younger brother.
Then Du Ping began helping the Liang family prepare the body.
After taking a deep breath and composing himself, Du Heng also joined in tending to the funeral arrangements.
The village was small, with only about twenty households. Whether for weddings or funerals, the entire village acted as one.
For weddings, their own villagers could manage by putting in a little extra effort. But funerals were different; they had to enlist able-bodied workers from other villages to help get everything done.
Especially now, with two elders from one family having passed away suddenly, even more hands were needed.
Amidst the bustle, Du Heng glanced at the time: exactly midnight.
He then rejoined the others in their preparations, laying out straw mats and setting up the mourning hall. By the time they finished, it was already around three or four in the morning.
The helpers, seeing the mourning hall arranged and the descendants kneeling in mourning, understood there was nothing more for them to do for the moment and hurried home to catch some sleep.
Everyone knew the real rush would begin at dawn.
「At dawn」
Du Ping woke Du Heng, who was still sound asleep, to go to the Liang family's home again. Today and tomorrow would be very busy.
Du Heng was the only university graduate in the village and also the doctor at the Health Clinic, so he was considered a respectable figure.
The master of ceremonies had assigned Du Heng a relatively respectable task for the funeral: he would be in charge of the gift registry book the next day.
But for now, Du Heng still had to help with various odd jobs. In such circumstances, being a university graduate, a doctor, or a respected figure didn't really matter.
However, Du Heng had other things to do that day. He needed to observe Wu Buwei perform the second treatment for the patient with facial paralysis. So, when he saw the truck that had come to buy vegetables was about to leave, Du Heng hitched a ride.
As soon as Du Heng arrived at the Health Clinic and changed his clothes, Wu Buwei walked in, humming a tune. Seeing the redness in Du Heng's eyes, Wu Buwei asked with concern, "Senior Brother, why are your eyes so red? Are you alright?"
Du Heng's eyes also felt dry and uncomfortable at that moment. After blinking hard a few times, he gestured for Wu Buwei to head upstairs, saying, "I'm fine. An elder in the village passed away, and I was helping out all night. Let's hurry upstairs for the treatment. After it's done, I can catch a quick nap."
「In the patient's room」
They saw Li Nating feeding the patient his medicine.
Upon seeing them enter, Li Nating asked directly, "Doctor Du, where's the milk tea you promised me?"
"Milk tea?" Wu Buwei gave Du Heng a teasing look, sensing there might be something going on between him and Li Nating.
Du Heng's mind went blank for a moment, then he recalled that he seemed to have promised her yesterday. He said, "Didn't I say I'd buy it for you on Monday when I'm working? I just came down from the mountain, and it's early morning. Where would I get milk tea for you now?"
Ignoring whether Li Nating was displeased, he checked on the patient. "Not bad," he commented. "The muscles on the left side of your face show clear signs of recovery. We won't adjust the medicine; just keep taking it as prescribed."
Glancing at Li Nating, who was pouting, Du Heng chuckled. "Alright, alright, I promised, and I'll definitely get it for you. Besides, by tomorrow, the patient probably won't need you to feed him his medicine anymore."
Hearing this made Li Nating happier than the prospect of getting milk tea. After all, no one really enjoyed such a demanding task.