Chapter 81: Blood Does Not Nourish the Tendons (Thank you, Sea Turtle Chief)

Bai Mushan suggested they could talk while eating.

Xu Chunliang was not in a hurry to eat. He got up and went to the rubbing, asking, "Is this rubbing related to the batch of oracle bones our family donated?" Since you, Bai Mushan, deliberately hung it here to attract my attention, I might as well play along.

Bai Mushan looked at Xu Chunliang's back. This young man was indeed here for the batch of oracle bones from back then. He got up and slowly walked behind Xu Chunliang, also looking at the rubbing. "Yes, this is the rubbing of that batch of oracle bones. Unfortunately, only this one remains. The others were not in time to be rubbed before an accident occurred, and even the photographs taken were destroyed in the fire."

"What a pity!" Xu Chunliang suddenly turned around, so quickly that Bai Mushan was taken aback.

Xu Chunliang stared into his eyes and said, "Professor Bai, are you sick?"

Bai Mushan was stunned. This question was even more sudden than the turn. Was it the young man's lack of tact or did he have a hidden motive?

Bai Mushan was puzzled, trying to figure out the young man's intentions.

Xu Chunliang continued, "At first glance, your complexion is rosy, but upon closer inspection, your forehead is bluish, indicating blocked meridians and poor blood circulation. Coldness in the blood leads to stagnation and stasis, causing a bluish complexion. The bluish color on your forehead suggests that the stagnation is localized. Where there is blockage, there is pain. Have you been experiencing frequent headaches recently?"

Bai Mushan frowned. He hadn't noticed the bluish color on his forehead until Xu Chunliang mentioned it. As for the headaches, he had experienced them a couple of times, but wasn't that common for someone who often worked late? He shook his head, indicating that he did not have the condition Xu Chunliang described.

Xu Chunliang continued to stare at his face. "The skin around your eyes is also noticeably bluish. Poor blood circulation is the root cause, and the problem likely lies in your liver."

Bai Mushan was taken aback. He was a hepatitis B patient with a family history of the disease. His father and elder brother had both died of liver cancer. Xu Changshan knew about this, and Bai Mushan had first met Xu Changshan for medical treatment. Xu Chunliang must have learned about his condition from him.

Thinking of this, Bai Mushan smiled. "I often stay up late, so having dark circles is normal. My liver function is good, and I have no other diseases. I just had a physical last week, and everything is fine."

Although he said this, Bai Mushan was still influenced by Xu Chunliang's words. He picked up his phone and opened the front camera to check his complexion. This young man was talking nonsense; his complexion was clearly rosy, not bluish. How could he not have noticed?

Xu Chunliang took out his phone and took a picture of Bai Mushan's face. Even though he was a guest, it was extremely impolite to do so without the host's permission.

Bai Mushan frowned again. This young man was too rash, almost shoving the camera in his face.

Xu Chunliang zoomed in on the picture, magnifying it enough to clearly see the pores on Bai Mushan's forehead. "Look closely. Is the skin color here different from the surrounding area?"

This time, Bai Mushan saw the bluish color. Xu Chunliang then magnified the skin on his cheeks, which, when extremely magnified, resembled strawberries, with large areas of pinkish skin and blackish pores. Even a young girl's skin couldn't withstand such magnification.

"The redness on your cheeks is not healthy but rather a flushed red. When I first met you this morning, the redness was not obvious, but now, after noon, it has become more pronounced. This is a typical sign of yin deficiency and yang exuberance, indicating a false heat condition."

Bai Mushan was skeptical but also somewhat convinced, partly due to his trust in the reputation of Huichuntang. He began to feel uneasy. Could there really be so many problems with his body?

Xu Chunliang offered to take his pulse. With the groundwork laid, Bai Mushan did not refuse and handed over his left hand.

Xu Chunliang asked Bai Mushan to focus inward, calm his mind, and adjust his breathing. Only when the breath becomes slow and steady can the mind become calm, and the pulse diagnosis can be effective.

The technique and position for pulse diagnosis are not fixed. Many famous doctors have their own preferences. Xu Chunliang positioned his fingers at the cun, guan, and chi points, aligning them on the radial artery behind the styloid process of the radius. His pulse-taking was precise and immediate.

The pulse is divided into three layers. Xu Chunliang pressed down with his three fingers. The first pulse he felt was the upper pulse. He continued pressing until he reached a point where no pulse could be felt, then slowly released the pressure. The first pulse felt as he released was the lower pulse, and the pulse felt at half the pressure was the middle pulse.

Typically, the upper pulse is used to diagnose the heart, lungs, and kidneys. The index and middle fingers are used to detect the heart, the middle and ring fingers for the lungs, and the index and ring fingers for the kidneys.

The middle pulse is used to diagnose the liver, gallbladder, and spleen, while the lower pulse is used to diagnose the stomach, intestines, and bladder.

Bai Mushan's problem was in the middle pulse. The pulse felt by the index and middle fingers was straight and long, like a taut string. This is a sign of internal constriction, and the root cause is yang deficiency and coldness. The string pulse is closely related to the liver, so Xu Chunliang concluded that his problem was in the liver.

The real reason Xu Chunliang offered to take Bai Mushan's pulse was not to diagnose his illness but to understand his background.

Although Bai Mushan had a hidden illness, his appearance was younger than his actual age. Xu Chunliang always felt that the destruction of the oracle bones his grandfather donated was suspicious. By offering to take Bai Mushan's pulse, he wanted to determine if Bai Mushan had practiced any cultivation.

The "Tianyang" chapter can alter the body's meridians, restoring them to the state they were in during fetal development. If Bai Mushan had discovered the secret of the oracle bones and deciphered the "Tianyang" chapter, his pulse would have changed.

To Xu Chunliang's disappointment, Bai Mushan's pulse only showed signs of a string pulse, confirming that he had not practiced any cultivation.

No one can resist the allure of youth, and Bai Mushan was no exception.

Xu Chunliang removed his fingers from Bai Mushan's pulse.

Bai Mushan asked, "How is it?"

"Professor Bai, your pulse is complex and varied. I am not well-versed enough to diagnose it. I suggest you visit Dongzhou and have my grandfather take your pulse personally." In fact, he had already diagnosed Bai Mushan's condition from his pulse, but he didn't want to say it, knowing Bai Mushan wouldn't believe him.

Xu Chunliang's gaze returned to the oracle bone rubbing. He curiously asked Bai Mushan if he had any other rubbings.

Bai Mushan told Xu Chunliang that only this one remained. Hanging it here was both a memorial and a reminder to himself to be more careful in the future.

Xu Chunliang said with a double meaning, "Professor Bai, you have indeed benefited greatly from it."

Bai Mushan heard the underlying meaning and smiled. "I am just a scholar, and all the research here is funded by others. By the way, if you like this rubbing, I can give it to you."

Xu Chunliang shook his head. "A gentleman does not take what others value. I came here to verify a fact that has already happened. Professor Bai, I should be going!"

Bai Mushan was taken aback. They had agreed to stay for dinner, so why was he leaving so suddenly? This young man was indeed hard to understand, but he didn't like to force anyone. He asked Xu Chunliang to wait while he prepared some gifts: two boxes of high-quality white tea and two boxes of sandalwood for Xu Laozi, and a newly published book on oracle bones for Xu Chunliang.

Xu Chunliang refused to stay for dinner because he didn't like Bai Mushan. He felt that Bai Mushan wasn't being entirely honest with him. This person was very cautious, and staying longer wouldn't yield any useful information. However, Xu Chunliang had a plan to deal with Bai Mushan.

He ate a bowl of beef noodles near the cultural park and rode a shared bicycle back to the party school. The training course at the party school would end the next day, followed by a day of industry visits, where the participants would visit Gulou Hospital. The organizer mentioned that the next day's visit was optional, and those who didn't participate could freely move around. They could choose to stay at the party school or leave.

Xu Chunliang carried the gifts from Bai Mushan to the guesthouse. He noticed a black G-Class car in the parking lot. Having ridden in one before, he took a closer look, thinking that the provincial capital had many wealthy people, and G-Class cars were common.

To his surprise, Mo Han got out of the car, still dressed in black and wearing sunglasses.

Xu Chunliang asked, "Why are you here?"

"Can't I be?" Mo Han stood in front of the car with her hands in her pockets, looking at him.

"Did you come to get your umbrella?"

Mo Han knew he was being sarcastic and played along. "Isn't it right to return borrowed items?"

Xu Chunliang told her to wait downstairs while he went to get it.

"Can't I come up for a visit?"

"Too much trouble, and I'd have to register. If a police officer checks, it might be awkward." Xu Chunliang joked.

Mo Han thought, "What are you thinking?" She said meaningfully, "Are you hiding a beauty in there?"

"Watch your words, this is the party school."

Xu Chunliang went upstairs, put down the gifts, and brought Mo Han's umbrella down. He knew she must have a reason to visit him, not just for the umbrella.

Mo Han took the umbrella. "Do you have time? I can treat you to tea." She opened the car door and gestured invitingly.

Xu Chunliang said, "How about you take me to Longji to buy some things?"

Mo Han nodded readily.

Mo Han accompanied Xu Chunliang to the mall for two hours. During this time, he spent the 50,000 yuan shopping card given by Luan Yuchuan. It was already autumn, and he needed new clothes. Mo Han, who was knowledgeable about fashion, gave him many useful suggestions.

Additional chapter added, please support with votes!

Second additional chapter added. I have already updated 12,000 words today and still owe one chapter for the chief supporter. I will try to write it by noon.