Nancy was stunned by this explanation. She had always known that rhinitis affected her life tremendously—constant sneezing made it feel like she had a severe cold every day. Her head ached, her sinuses were inflamed, her throat was itchy; it was unbearable. At its worst, even her urinary system would be affected. But hearing that her rhinitis could also impact her facial development? That was a first. Not to mention—what was that about decreased libido?
“Dr. Smith, don’t scare me! We’re practically family here—if you terrify me, you’ll lose an adorable little friend!”
Sophia laughed. “I’m not trying to scare you. With your family’s resources, I’m sure you’ve sought treatment from many places, right?”
Nancy nodded quickly. “I’ve seen all the top doctors in the country and quite a few overseas too. Honestly, rhinitis isn’t that common abroad, so foreign doctors weren’t very helpful. Most of them just told me to exercise to strengthen my immune system. It’s helped, but I still haven’t been able to fully cure it.”
Sophia nodded. “That’s exactly the issue. Rhinitis is ultimately an immune system problem, and poor immunity makes it easy to trigger. But focusing only on boosting immunity or strengthening vital energy won’t root it out completely. The true solution lies in addressing the kidneys.”
“The kidneys?” Nancy looked baffled. “Are you saying I have weak kidneys?”
Sophia kept her smile and nodded seriously. “Yes, weak kidneys. So make sure to take good care of them from now on, or your rhinitis will never be fully cured!”
Nancy looked like she was on the verge of tears.
Her despair only deepened when she saw Sophia pulling out a set of acupuncture needles and eyeing her with a mischievous gleam.
“Wait, are you going to stick all those needles in my face?”
Sophia sighed. “We may not need to use all of them, and they’ll only be on your nose, where the acupuncture points are.”
“Can you use fewer, maybe?” Nancy was visibly nervous.
Sophia flashed a devilish smile and shook her head firmly.
Resigned, Nancy closed her eyes, only to peek a moment later—and was horrified to see her nose already covered in needles. In the blink of an eye, Sophia had managed to stick in so many needles? She looked like some kind of multi-armed creature!
Afterward, Sophia ground some medicinal herbs into powder. “When the acupuncture is done, inhale these into your nasal cavity.”
“What is this?” Nancy asked, peeking at the powder.
“It’s a mixture of herbs, and a few others.”
“What kind of weird herb name is that?
Sophia chuckled at her curiosity.
It’s not popular among people either, but it’s an excellent herb because it can reach the lungs and brain.”
Nancy was fascinated, watching Sophia with newfound respect. Sophia had the demeanor of a seasoned practitioner, even though she looked so young. Despite her casual and fashionable style, Sophia’s quiet competence in her traditional craft set her apart—she could’ve been a model, influencer, or actress if she wanted, but here she was, deeply immersed in herbal medicine.
Soon, Sophia removed the needles, and Nancy’s nose began to run uncontrollably. She felt like she could fill several bowls with the amount of mucus pouring out.
After it finally stopped, Nancy sniffed and wrinkled her nose. “What’s that strong smell?”
Sophia gave her a sly smile. “Congratulations, your nose is unblocked! In fact, this herb was here the whole time, but you’re only noticing it now. Clearly, the treatment is working.”
Nancy stared in shock. Her nose was actually clear! She had been suffering from rhinitis for years, always congested, leading to constant headaches and dizziness. Now, she could finally breathe through her nose again—it was a revelation.
Sophia put on gloves and began to prepare some herbs from her medicine cabinet, carefully selecting ones labeled “Ephedra, Red Ginseng, Licorice, Musk…” among others.
Sophia bundled the herbs together, wrote down the instructions, and handed them to Nancy. “Add one and a half liters of water, boil down to 500 milliliters, and drink it in three doses.”
“Got it!” Nancy was awestruck by Sophia’s skill.
Before coming here, she had her doubts and came mostly to give face to Sophia and Scott Livinus. But after just one treatment, she could breathe again! Watching Sophia work, calm and composed, Nancy felt like she was in the presence of a true healer with wisdom well beyond her years.
Sophia quickly ground up more herbs into powder. “Inhale this twice a day. It will help with your nasal issues, and with the kidney-tonifying herbs you’ll be taking, the combination should have you feeling better soon.”
“When will I be fully cured?” Nancy asked eagerly.
Sophia thought for a moment and answered honestly, “A full cure is unlikely, but my approach can keep the rhinitis from recurring.”
Nancy paused. If it never recurred, wasn’t that effectively a cure? Sophia’s straightforward response made Nancy trust her even more.
“I’ll pay you,” Nancy insisted.
Sophia chuckled. “No need. It’s not worth much.”
“No way! You’re running a business here. You have to take payment! Here, take it!” Nancy pulled out several thousand dollars.
Sophia laughed, taking only three bills. “This is more than enough.”
Nancy felt like she was getting an incredible deal. She’d spent tens of thousands trying to cure her rhinitis in the past, and Sophia was charging just 300? With prices this low, how was Sophia supposed to support herself after the divorce?
Nancy was more worried than ever.
—
After closing up her clinic, Sophia went online to search for an automatic decoction machine. The manufacturer quoted a price and mentioned that she could order it directly from their online store.
Sophia purchased one for 6000 dollars.
This machine wasn’t as advanced as the ones she’d used in her past life, and Sophia had some doubts about its efficacy. In the past, her decoction machines produced effects on par with traditional clay pots. However, this was only a basic model, so there was no telling if it would affect the potency of her formulas. After all, herbal medicine decoction requires precision; the same ingredients can yield different results depending on the preparation method.
She’d have to test it and see.
That evening, just after her shower, Sophia heard a knock at the door.
“Madam?”
Aunty Lizzy?”
“The Boss and Madam have asked you to come downstairs.”
Sophia paused, then asked, “Who else is here? Is Scott Henry here with Olivia?”
“Yes,” Aunty Lizzy confirmed.
Sophia’s expression hardened. With everyone present and with it being dinnertime, she could easily connect the dots to the divorce agreement Olivia had brought over before. That had been a test, and since Sophia had rejected it, tonight they were undoubtedly prepared to push the issue.
However, Sophia was not afraid. Being in a position with “nothing to lose” could be an advantage. After all, as the saying goes, those with nothing have nothing to fear. Having lived in the Scott household for so long, she couldn’t have missed learning a few of their secrets. If things did escalate, the Scott family wasn’t entirely without weaknesses.
Taking her time, Sophia casually applied lotion and tidied her room. After about half an hour, Aunt Lizzy urged her again. Finally, she strolled downstairs, calm and composed.
The moment she descended the stairs, everyone’s gaze turned toward her.
Freshly showered, her hair was still damp, cascading over her shoulders, highlighting her fair skin. She wore a black nightgown, giving her an alluring, gothic look.
Scott Henry stared at her, feeling a strange, inexplicable sensation.
Just days ago, he’d been dead set on divorcing her. In the past, Sophia had always revolved around him, constantly calling and checking in. He had only ever felt irritation, especially since Olivia was in the picture, and he spent most of his time with her. Sophia had become practically invisible to him, and if it hadn’t been for her family reputation, he would have cast her out long ago.
But now, something had changed. Sophia was suddenly radiant, exuding a self-assured energy that was hard to ignore. And the fact that she barely acknowledged his existence made her strangely intriguing.
