Uncle Jack turned to Sophia and asked, “Young lady, tell me, how would you treat this illness?”
Dr. John snorted dismissively. “Jack, you’re actually listening to her? Does this girl even have a license? I doubt she’s certified at all.”
Sophia remained silent. She wasn’t sure if the original Sophia had obtained a license in this world, or if the regulations here even matched those of her own time. Where she came from, one could take the licensing exam while still in university, and she herself had obtained her certification as early as her sophomore year.
“Whether she has a license or not, we two certified doctors still can’t cure the patient,” Uncle Jack retorted.
Dr. John’s face flushed as he muttered, “I see you’re determined to back her up! But if anything goes wrong, you’ll be responsible!”
Sophia didn’t hold back and quickly outlined her treatment plan. “The patient’s vitality is currently weak, her life signs are fading. I suggest administering a rapid-response heart-revitalizing decoction.”
“A rapid-response heart-revitalizing decoction?” Uncle Jack repeated, intrigued.
“Yes, it’s a modification I developed based on the traditional heart-revitalizing formula,” Sophia explained.
The original formula came from a rare medical text, *Secrets of the Stone Room*. In her previous life, Sophia had created this rapid-response version to address emergency cases, especially effective for severe hemorrhaging.
To her surprise, Uncle Jack’s expression grew even more complex upon hearing her suggestion. This young woman’s diagnosis of Mrs. James’s condition was identical to his own, despite his decades of experience as a traditional physician. He had spent his entire life honing this skill, yet here was this young woman in her twenties with the same insight. Moreover, she had managed to adapt ancient formulas—something his own disciples, most in their fifties, had yet to master. How could this girl be so bold as to call her formula “rapid-response”? Could it really be that effective?
“Let’s hear the ingredients,” he said.
“Processed licorice, charred human hair ash, ginger ash…” Sophia listed each ingredient in the decoction, and at first, Uncle Jack’s face remained neutral. But as she continued, his expression changed to one of astonishment. Each ingredient seemed unconventional, yet on closer thought, they harmonized perfectly, as if they were meant to be combined in just this way.
The more Uncle Jack examined the new formula, the more excited he grew. He turned to Mr. James and said, “Since both Dr. John and I have been unsuccessful in treating your wife, why don’t we let this young lady try?”
Mr. James knew this was a risk, but his wife was struggling to stay alive. And if even Uncle Jack, a national physician, acknowledged this young woman’s formula, it was worth a shot.
Mr. James said, Steeling himself, “We have all the necessary equipment to prepare the decoction and the herbs. The cooks here are skilled in preparing medicinal formulas. Just say the word, young lady, and I’ll have them get to work!”
“Great!” Sophia nodded. “Follow my instructions to prepare the herbs and have Mrs. James take it as the decoction is being prepared.”
Soon, the entire house was filled with the rich aroma of traditional medicine. Once the decoction was ready, Sophia carefully fed it to Mrs. James. At first, there was no response, but after about half an hour, Mrs. James suddenly opened her eyes.
Mr. James was overjoyed. “Darling, are you alright? I was so worried about you!”
Uncle Jack and Dr. John exchanged a look, both equally stunned. They had both used the heart-revitalizing decoction in their careers, especially Uncle Jack, who often relied on it for emergency cases. But in a situation this critical, they would have usually rushed the patient to the ER for modern medical intervention. Who would have thought a traditional medicine formula could work such wonders?
Mrs. James, still weak and pale, looked fearful. Sensing her anxiety, Sophia gently reassured her, “Don’t worry, I’ll see to it that you fully recover.”
Mrs. James blinked, indicating she understood.
Her response restored the doctors’ confidence, and they continued with the treatment plan.
By the early hours of the morning, Mrs. James weakly opened her mouth and murmured, “Hungry…”
Everyone shared a relieved smile. Uncle Jack laughed, “Feeling hunger is a good sign! Mr. James, have some cakes and soft foods prepared for your wife. She’s showing signs of recovery!”
Tears of joy streamed down Mr. James’s face. After eating a few bites of cake, Mrs. James lay back down, looking much better.
Sophia then began writing out a follow-up prescription. Uncle Jack leaned over and asked, “So, what’s your next step, young lady?”
Sophia replied, “Dr. Jack, I believe we shouldn’t attempt to stop the bleeding directly. Instead, we should focus on nourishing her blood supply. As her energy and blood circulate, the hemorrhaging will naturally cease.”
Uncle Jack paused, considering her words carefully before responding, “Since you’ve revived Mrs. James, we’ll proceed as you suggest.”
“But we can’t!” Dr. John objected, shaking his head. “She’s already hemorrhaging! If you give her blood-nourishing treatments, won’t that make her bleed even more? The result could be disastrous!”
But Uncle Jack was firm. “Dr. John, since neither of us could treat her effectively, why not let her proceed?”
Dr. John could only sigh in resignation.
Sophia nodded, then prescribed a nourishing decoction that included Four Flavor Kidney Tonic, longan, and red ginseng.
After Mrs. James began taking the decoction, her bleeding gradually subsided. By dawn, the bleeding had reduced by half.
Sophia continued to adjust the formula according to her pulse, and by the following morning, Mrs. James’s complexion had improved significantly. The most surprising development was that her hemorrhaging had completely stopped!
Everyone was overjoyed, especially Mr. James, who, with tears in his eyes, expressed his gratitude: “Thank you, everyone, for all you’ve done!”
Uncle Jack couldn’t hide his own joy as he added, “I’ve spent my life practicing traditional medicine, but to think I was outdone by a young woman—it’s humbling! The real thanks belong to her!”
Dr. John stood off to the side, still huffing, refusing to even look at Sophia.
Mr. James turned to her, his voice choked with emotion. “Young lady, I am truly grateful. You saved my wife’s life, and you’ve ensured that my children still have their mother. You are a benefactor to our family!”
Sophia waved her hand modestly. “It’s a doctor’s duty to heal. There’s no need for thanks.”
Mr. James escorted everyone to the door, just as a black car pulled up outside and Scott Livinus stepped out.
Seeing that both Uncle Jack and Dr. John looked exhausted, with Sophia stifling yawns, and that Mr. James was smiling, Scott surmised that Mrs. James’s condition had stabilized. He said, “With Uncle Jack and Dr. John here, Mrs. James is sure to recover quickly.”
Uncle Jack and Dr. John both coughed awkwardly. Dr. John grumbled, “Are you genuinely clueless, or just pretending? You brought in such a skilled young doctor, making us old timers look foolish!”
With that, he didn’t hold back and went straight to Scott Livinus’s car.
Uncle Jack chuckled. “Scott, I wouldn’t dare take credit here. The one who saved Mrs. James was Sophia!”
Even Scott, typically so calm, was visibly surprised as he looked at Sophia with newfound respect.
Sophia yawned. “I’m exhausted! Let’s go home so I can finally get some sleep!”
Livinus frowned slightly, ready to leave, but Mr. James suddenly called after him, “Mr. Scott, are you free tomorrow afternoon?”
Livinus understood immediately, extending his hand with a smile. “I’d be honored to meet with you anytime, Mr. James.”
