Healing Doctor

Chapter 653 solved a problem that even the system NPCs couldn't solve.

The system NPC nodded. "You saw the lab results for the patient who later suffered a brain hemorrhage. What do you think?"

"The patient's blood potassium level is critically low. In the emergency room, the patient's blood pressure is 230 mmHg, which is extremely high."

"I'm asking you what you think," the system NPC said.

Ji Xiang shook his head, indicating that he didn't know.

"There are continuous reports of adverse reactions after consuming foods or medications containing licorice-like substances, the main component of which is glycyrrhizic acid."

For example, water and sodium retention, hypokalemia, and hypertension can occur; in severe cases, rhabdomyolysis, periodic paralysis, hypertensive encephalopathy, and cardiac arrest may even result.

"!!!" Ji Xiang was taken aback, then retorted, "The licorice content in compound licorice tablets shouldn't be that high!"

"You're right, but many licorice-flavored foods have a high licorice content, and what happens if you consume large amounts?"

"..." Ji Xiang remained silent.

"Xiao Zhou and I didn't think much of it at the time. Later, we saw a case report about a patient who had been eating large amounts of licorice-flavored jelly beans for a long time, which eventually led to hypokalemia and required emergency treatment at the hospital."

"Teacher, a while ago there was a patient who had rectal bleeding caused by eating licorice-flavored jelly beans. You taught me how to do that," Ji Xiang said.

"The same triggers, but different results."

Ji Xiang nodded.

"So, based on the above, I later concluded that this was something the doctor did intentionally."

The system NPC sighed as he spoke.

"deliberately!"

Ji Xiang was stunned.

If what the system NPC said is true, then it already involves intentional homicide.

But upon careful reflection, there is no evidence to be found for anything Dr. Li did. Whether it was the abuse of her ex-husband or leaving him with a sister in a vegetative state, it all seems reasonable.

If I hadn't been an outsider and empathized with her situation, I would have assumed that Dr. Li had suffered greatly at the hands of her in-laws and ultimately chose to divorce out of desperation.

Colleagues who shared the same sentiment also felt the same way.

Ji Xiang got goosebumps.

However, when he combined the system NPC's explanation with the strange details he had encountered when he felt the same way, Ji Xiang felt a chill run down his spine.

Dr. Li is so cunning!

"Just a guess, nothing more," the system NPC said. "There are quite a few similar drugs, both Chinese and Western medicine. You'll need to know a little about them when you work in clinical settings."

Recalling Meng Qingfei's strange expression, Ji Xiang cautiously asked, "Teacher, how should we handle this kind of situation?"

"How would I know?" The system NPC shook its head. "First of all, such things are extremely rare, and the possibility of it being done intentionally is even smaller, even rarer than rare clinical cases."

Even if it were done intentionally, the human body is so complex, with so many complications, that the likelihood of developing hypokalemia, hypertension, or even life-threatening conditions is not high.

"Secondly, this is a dead end. Based on how doctor-patient relationships are handled in China, I really don't have any good solutions. As for whether there will be a solution in the future, I don't know," the system NPC said.

Ji Xiang was helpless.

"Alright, that's about it," the system NPC said. "Be more careful with licorice, pinellia, and a whole bunch of other Western medicines in the future."

"Then, Teacher Meng..."

"Perhaps he has his own way of doing things," the system NPC smiled slightly.

Ji Xiang looked at the system NPC's smile thoughtfully before leaving the system's operating room.

……

The emergency resuscitation was still ongoing. Ji Xiang turned to look at the patient's family, and Dr. Li, who seemed to feel a mix of empathy and sympathy, was somewhat... somewhat...

Ji Xiang didn't know if it was his own subjective feeling or the truth, but he felt that the patient's family member and Dr. Li were somewhat similar.

After leaving the emergency room, Ji Xiang returned to Meng Qingfei's side.

"Teacher Meng, what are you thinking about?" Ji Xiang asked.

After going back and forth, Ji Xiang has matured. At least in this kind of matter, his experience is no less than Meng Qingfei's.

Meng Qingfei subconsciously reached out and wiped his hands on his white coat.

The two black marks on his buttocks after wearing the white shirt were so conspicuous.

"Teacher Meng?"

"Huh?" Meng Qingfei was taken aback, then smiled wryly, "Xiao Ji, what are you considering?"

"I noticed that the patient had weakness in his limbs and intermittent convulsions. Combined with the waveform on the electrocardiogram, it seemed like he had hypokalemia. It's really strange that his family members only brought him to the hospital after he had fallen into a coma with such low potassium levels."

Ji Xiang said.

He was working backwards, but his words convinced Meng Qingfei to make a decision.

Meng Qingfei rubbed his buttocks vigorously with both hands. "Xiao Ji, keep an eye on the clinic for me."

After saying that, he strode into the emergency room.

Ji Xiang prayed silently that no emergency room patients would come; he wanted to see how Meng Qingfei would handle this situation.

When Meng Qingfei arrived at the emergency room, he didn't help. Instead, he leaned close to the patient and took a deep sniff. Then, he tiptoed over to the patient's family and whispered words of comfort.

Ji Xiang saw Meng Qingfei trying to persuade him while secretly opening the patient's bag like a thief, as if he were looking for something.

This task should be done by Lin Jiuze. He's practically invisible to others, so it's hard for them to find him, Ji Xiang thought.

Soon, Meng Qingfei seemed to have found something. He said a few words to the patient's family and then led them to the fire escape.

Ji Xiang wanted to follow, but Meng Qingfei gave him an extremely stern look and chased him away.

He had countless doubts in his mind, but Ji Xiang knew the rules.

Teacher Meng didn't let me follow her, there must be something private she wanted to discuss with the patient's family.

The secrets of the law must not be passed on to six ears.

Going there yourself will not only be useless, but may also have side effects.

Ji Xiang felt uneasy, but pretended to be nonchalant as he sat on a chair next to the fire escape, looking down the corridor and listening to Meng Qingfei's voice.

They were speaking softly, and Ji Xiang couldn't hear them clearly.

A few minutes later, a heated argument broke out in the fire escape, and Ji Xiang held back from rushing in.

He knew that Teacher Meng Qingfei was solving a problem that even the system NPCs found difficult, and if he acted impulsively, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Fortunately, Ji Xiang was lucky. There were no patients in the emergency surgery department, so he waited quietly outside, listening intently to the sounds of arguing inside.

After the argument, the sound of crying came from the fire escape. Nearly ten minutes later, Meng Qingfei came out with messy hair, as if he had been grabbed, and a bruise near his eye.

The bruises weren't severe, suggesting that the person had just been hit and the swelling and bruising hadn't reached their peak yet.

"Teacher Meng, are you alright?" Ji Xiang sprang up as if he had a spring in his buttocks and asked with concern.

"It's alright, are there any patients?" Meng Qingfei asked casually, even giving Ji Xiang a smile.

"no."

"That's good." Meng Qingfei came to the treatment room, washed his face, and wiped his hands behind his back.

Seeing Ji Xiang's eager expression, Meng Qingfei remained silent and did not say anything to Ji Xiang.

(End of this chapter)