This Doctor Is Too Wealthy

Xu Pinglin looked at Bao Mi’s expression and asked, puzzled, ”Little Bao, what’s the matter?”

Bao Mi looked at the receipt in her hand again. ”Ten courses of medicine only cost 600 yuan? That’s too cheap, isn’t it?”

This low price, on the contrary, made her heart pound with unease. The little trust that had just risen began to waver again.

Xu Pinglin smiled. ”Chinese herbal medicine itself isn’t very expensive, especially when obtained from the hospital. Compared to outside clinics or Pharmacies, it’s actually much cheaper.”

Du Heng also explained with a smile, ”Many medicines in the Health Clinic are included in the medical insurance system and can be processed for you directly at the window. It’s not like big hospitals where, if you’re getting outpatient treatment and medicine, you have to specifically apply for chronic disease outpatient reimbursement; otherwise, you have to pay the full price for the medicine.”

This was the first time Bao Mi had heard about the Chronic Disease Outpatient Reimbursement System. Over the past six months, she had visited many places for her father’s illness and had, in her distress, overlooked some policy-related matters.

”In the hospital, Chinese herbal medicine decoctions, if they don’t use precious Medicine Ingredients, are also not expensive—just a few tens to over a hundred yuan per course. What’s more expensive are the hospital’s self-made topical ointments. Those require a certain amount of labor and a dedicated space, so the charges are higher.”

After Du Heng finished speaking, Xu Pinglin continued, ”Actually, if you look closely, some of our hospital Halls display the ’Non-profit Hospital’ sign. In such hospitals, medical treatment in all aspects is much cheaper. The medicine prescribed here is what we commonly call affordable medicine. Even if it’s considered expensive, it’s only slightly more so.”

Bao Mi nodded in sudden understanding. ”No wonder. I saw that sign when I first came in and was wondering what kind of non-profit this place was.”

”If there’s no such sign, it means the hospital imposes revenue targets on doctors and Departments, so various charges will be slightly higher. Of course, they can’t be too high either. Large hospitals have many doctors, nurses, and other staff members who aren’t covered by public funds, so the hospital and its Departments need to raise these funds themselves. For instance, the two affiliated hospitals of Jinzhou University have higher charges than our Provincial First Hospital because they are entirely financially autonomous.”

Bao Mi was still secretly astounded; this wasn’t just a little expensive, it was far too expensive.

The medicine she got for her father from the clinic yesterday, also ten courses, cost more than 3,000 yuan. Now, it was just over six hundred yuan—a fivefold difference.

No wonder everyone says the pharmaceutical industry is a high-profit one; compared this way, it’s more lucrative than robbing a bank.

At least robbing a bank is a crime, carrying a prison sentence and risking one’s life. But this industry is practically risk-free.

Xu Pinglin didn’t say more. Seeing that Bao Mi’s doubts were dispelled, he smiled and said, ”Little Bao, why don’t you take your father outside and wait for me for a moment? I have something to discuss with Doctor Du.”

Bao Mi expressed her thanks and gathered her things, being especially careful to re-wrap the opened pack of medicine on Du Heng’s table.

Du Heng and Xu Pinglin watched Bao Mi’s actions and immediately knew what she intended to do.

However, they didn’t stop her; in fact, they even supported Bao Mi in going to confront that doctor at the clinic.

There are many types of Chinese medicine haters. For example, some people, or their family members, weren’t cured by traditional Chinese medicine. It’s understandable that they badmouth it; it’s an emotional outlet, and their reasons are excusable.

Another type is the mindless hater, who hates purely for the sake of hating. There aren’t many such people; you can just assume they have something wrong with their heads.

The third type is quite detestable: Western medicine research and manufacturing enterprises, both domestic and foreign. Their reason for hating is singular: the traditional Chinese medicine industry is too large and infringes upon their profits. (Interested readers can look up Academician Zhang Boli’s interview; it’s very shocking and unexpected.)

The fourth type consists of those who operate under the banner of traditional Chinese medicine, engaging in all sorts of bizarre treatments and resorting to unscrupulous means to make money. These people are actually the biggest detractors of traditional Chinese medicine—a typical case of profiting from traditional Chinese medicine only to undermine it.

So, Du Heng and Xu Pinglin wouldn’t stop Bao Mi from going to make trouble for such a person.

Once Bao Mi had left, Xu Pinglin became a bit embarrassed, hemming and hawing for a long time without managing to utter a word.

Du Heng naturally understood Xu Pinglin’s situation, and he wasn’t a narrow-minded person. He had already regained his dignity after the last incident. Moreover, Xu Pinglin had just admitted to accepting Du Heng’s treatment, so there was no need to force him to bow his head and apologize again.

”Director Xu, you look much better. Give me your hand, and I’ll take another look for you.”

Xu Pinglin smiled and extended his hand, a hint of excitement in his gesture.

After pulse diagnosis and inquiring about his current reactions and sensations, Du Heng had a solid grasp of his condition. ”Director Xu, you’re recovering well. The medicine doesn’t need to be changed. Continue taking it for another month, and you should be basically cured.”

Xu Pinglin quietly let out a long breath and, while rolling down his sleeve, asked, ”Doctor Du, since I’m recovering well, does this mean I can try for a child now?”

Hearing Xu Pinglin’s words, one could see how deep his obsession with having a child was.

But it was understandable. He was already 38, approaching 40. People his age had children who were, at the oldest, probably starting high school, or at the youngest, already in elementary school. He, on the other hand, didn’t even have a prospect of one. How could he not be anxious?

”Director Xu, please wait a little longer. Consider this issue only after you’ve completely stopped the medication.”

Xu Pinglin’s expression dimmed for a moment. ”That would mean...”

”Didn’t I just say? You need to take the medicine for another month. Your condition can be considered a chronic, long-standing illness, so it’s a bit more troublesome to eradicate completely. To be honest, your current level of recovery has actually exceeded my expectations. I originally estimated it would take more than three months of medication, but based on your current progress, two months will be sufficient.”

Du Heng chuckled. ”You’ve endured for so long already; can’t you wait another month now?”

Xu Pinglin also smiled. ”I couldn’t see any hope before. I went to the Nephrology Department and the Department of Andrology. I’ve tried both Chinese herbal medicine and Western medicine. All they said was that I had a low sperm count and that the sperm motility was too low—no hope. Now that I suddenly see a glimmer of hope, I’m finding it hard to keep my composure.”

Xu Pinglin had opened up completely, telling Du Heng everything without any condescension or aversion to discussing his illness.

”The loss of blood and depletion of essence over such a long period of illness, these are normal phenomena. However, seeing that the roots of your hair have started to turn black is a good sign.”

”I won’t hide it from you, Doctor Du. The day before yesterday, I went for a sperm activity check-up. My classmate told me that the activity was higher than before and that my recovery was excellent. He even asked me what medicine I was taking. It was only the day before yesterday that I finally decided to come and see you again, Doctor Du.”

”Increased activity is a good thing, but don’t be hasty now. It’s best to refrain from sexual activity this month. After you stop the medication, consolidate your progress a bit more. That will be the best time to try for a child.”

”Thank you, Doctor Du.”

”Director Xu, you’re being too polite. Actually, I also have a question I’d like to ask you.”

Xu Pinglin looked at Du Heng sincerely. ”Please, go ahead.”

”Director Xu, you’ve recovered so quickly. Did you happen to use something particularly effective?” Du Heng voiced his suspicion.

Xu Pinglin chuckled. ”Speaking of which, I really should thank you, Doctor Du. Last time, you mentioned I should try to find some good porkloin, didn’t you? I remembered that Director Zhang from our hospital’s Traditional Chinese Medicine Internal Medicine Department has an ancestral craftsmanship, and his family also used to run a pharmacy, so I asked him. I never expected him to actually have a piece of tiger bone, about the size of my palm. I practically had to beg and plead with him for it, and even then, it cost me more than 30,000 yuan.”