Benjamin’s mother, Sarah Cole, was a bit surprised. “That’s all it takes?”
“Yes, just observe him at home. If all goes well, his cough should improve tonight. If it doesn’t, apply it again tomorrow.”
She was doubtful. modern medicine hadn’t identified the cause after months of treatment, and now just a bit of herbal powder applied externally would cure it in one go? It didn’t seem possible.
But miraculously, the child’s fever had completely subsided. Now, he was running around the room, playing happily.
“Doctor, how much do I owe you?”
Sophia thought for a moment. “Thirty dollars.”
“…That’s so cheap! A bit of pediatric massage and some herbal application cured his fever and cough. An IV at the hospital would cost a couple hundred dollars at least. Why is it so inexpensive here?” Watching her son run around with renewed energy, Sarah realized how serious it had been earlier. She felt a wave of relief, realizing that if something had gone wrong, she would’ve been devastated. Looking at Sophia with gratitude, she said, “Dr. Smith, I’ll definitely bring you more clients!”
Sophia smiled. Why did every patient say the same thing before they left? Did her clinic really seem that quiet?
“Thank you.”
—
Sarah, Benjamin’s mother, lived in a neighborhood at the base of the mountain.
She had chosen this area not only for the pleasant surroundings but also because, while it was somewhat remote, it had convenient subway access. Additionally, it was in a school district, with a kindergarten and elementary school within the complex, and middle and high schools nearby. It would be convenient for her child’s future education.
Everyone in the neighborhood was familiar.
When Sarah entered the parent-child class with Benjamin, another mother, Elena, approached her.
“Benjamin’s mom, you suddenly took Benjamin away yesterday. How is he? Did his fever come down?”
Another mother, Mrs. Harper, joined in. “My child also had a cold and fever, but it wasn’t as bad as Benjamin’s. He looks much better now. Did you take him for an IV?”
At this, Sarah shook her head. “No, we didn’t do an IV!”
“No IV? But I saw how serious Benjamin was yesterday.” Mrs. Harper looked curious.
“Yes,” Sarah said, recalling the incident with some lingering fear. “It was serious; he started convulsing in my arms outside. I was terrified, but we were fortunate to meet a very skilled traditional medicine doctor at the bus stop. She was amazing! She just massaged Benjamin’s stomach, and within two minutes, he passed a lot of stool. After that, the fever was gone!”
“What? That’s incredible!” Elena seemed skeptical.
“It was a simple pediatric massage in traditional medicine. I’m not exaggerating; he didn’t take any medicine, just a few massages, and his fever disappeared. The doctor even said that his cough could be treated with massage too, but since Benjamin’s cough had been lingering for months, she applied a bit of herbal powder on his neck. You can still see some of it on him—it hasn’t been fully washed off. Since the application, he hasn’t coughed at all.” Sarah added, “She cured both his fever and cough and only charged me thirty dollars. I felt bad and plan to take her some fruit as a thank-you gift today.”
Everyone in the group was a young mother living in a big city, and most were well-educated. Elena, for example, held a master’s degree. She was a stay-at-home mom by choice to focus on her child’s education and was a strong skeptic of pseudoscience. She was especially dismissive of traditional medicine, as she believed it was unscientific. In the past, she had openly disapproved of other parents using traditional medicine treatment on their children.
A patch on the belly button to treat stomach pain? There was no way the belly button could connect to internal organs—she found the idea laughable.
So, naturally, she didn’t believe in it.
“Benjamin’s mom, that doesn’t sound possible. A simple massage cured him?”
Sarah knew Elena was very particular, so she replied calmly, “The doctor isn’t my relative, and I have no reason to advertise for her. I’m simply stating the facts. Didn’t your son, have persistent diarrhea? Why not let Dr. Smith take a look? It might just work, and it’s not expensive.”
Her recommendation sparked interest among the other parents.
It was autumn, and children were once again catching colds. The parent-child class had become a hotspot for spreading illnesses, with one child quickly infecting the entire class.
“I’ll take my child to see her later!”
“I’ll bring mine tonight! Elena, are you coming too?”
Elena hesitated for a moment but finally nodded.
—
The next day, just as Sophia was about to close up, she saw five or six parents arriving at the clinic with their children.
She was momentarily surprised, then realized it was thanks to Benjamin’s mom.
“Dr. Smith, these are my child’s classmates from the parent-child class. They’re all sick and would like to see you.” Sarah said as she placed a basket of fruit on the table. “This is a small token of my appreciation. Please accept it!”
Sophia smiled. “You’re very kind.”
“Dr. Smith, if it weren’t for you, who knows what could have happened to my child.” Sarah said emotionally.
Sophia felt gratified. For a doctor, there was no greater satisfaction.
Seeing her patients and their families smile was her happiest reward.
“Let me check on Benjamin again!”
“Alright!” Sarah, thrilled, brought Benjamin over for Sophia to examine.
Sophia observed him for a while, listening to his breathing, then nodded. “No need for a second application. Given his constitution, make sure he stays warm during the seasonal changes. And don’t follow the usual ‘one less layer than an adult’ rule. If he’s underdressed, he’s more likely to catch colds and get sick.”
“Yes!” Sarah agreed readily.
Elena, standing nearby, still seemed skeptical but mustered the courage to bring his son over to Sophia. After a quick examination and checking his bowel movements, Sophia went out to the garden, picked some herbs, crushed them, and applied them directly to his abdomen. To prevent staining his clothes, she added a patch over it.
“Alright, just keep an eye on him. He shouldn’t have any more diarrhea.”
Elena froze, hardly believing it. “That’s it? He’s cured?”
“Yes, he’s cured.”
Elena frowned, standing there in silence. She didn’t feel like the doctor was trying to save her money; rather, she felt like she was being brushed off.
