Six months passed by quickly, but Susu could not be discharged from the hospital yet. According to Qian Ling's diagnosis, Susu's body was inconsistent with absorbing the herbs. Many times, after drinking herb tea and taking the baths, Susu would end up vomiting the content out. There were times where the toxins from her body wouldn't seep out through her pores.
To ensure a successful recovery, Qian Ling decided to extend her treatment for another few months. If anything, the treatment may go beyond a year's mark. It's already been half a year since they've begun the herb treatment.
Being an experienced healer, it was rare for her calculations to be wrong. In some extent, Qian Ling started feeling unease at Susu's condition. There is a chance that her body was starting to reject this type of treatment. Therefore, she must observe her improvements for the following month. If no changes or slowed improvements are noticed, then she will have to change the methods.
Qian Ling walked back into the room after speaking to Grandpa Xia and Zi Yan about Susu's recovery progress. She also contacted them to ask them for additional supplies of herbs. When she entered the room, she saw Susu sitting on a chair facing the window.
Her voice sounded weak in contrast to the vibrant nature outside the hospital. The sky was clear and blue; perfect for a picnic at the park. Birds chased after each other and flew between trees to look for nest destinations.
From where she was standing, Qian Ling could see Susu's straight hair reaching waist length. It's been a while since she had a haircut, yet no complaints came out of her mouth about the bothersome split ends. Sitting next to her was Chen Mu, who held a pair of scissors in one hand and strands of hair in the other. He was looking for split ends to trim away.
Perhaps they've been sitting by the window for too long, he reached out to touch her hands. "Your hands are cold."
"I don't feel cold." Like an awakening kitten's soft yawn, her low volume voice didn't sound convincing. He stood up and removed his cardigan before wrapping it around her.
"I'm feeling a bit warm, but don't want the cardigan to lose its warmth. Help me keep it warm." His excuse was obviously another way of coaxing her to wear an extra layer. She didn't respond, but let the cardigan sit on her shoulders as he continued sitting by her side.
"The flowers are pretty." Her body leaned into his embrace as he adjusted his sitting position.
"Mm. When you get better, I'll bring you to all the gardens you want."
Qian Ling silently stood by the wall as she watched the couple's interactions. She too hopes for Susu to get better quicker. 'I need to figure out another method to release the toxins or else the delay will affect her body badly.'
Snapping out of her thoughts, Qian Ling broke the silence in the room. "It's time for me to take your pulse." She said as she strolled across the room and bent down to observe Susu's complexion. Although her face showed barely any shades of color besides the pastel pink on her lips, she looked better compared to other days.
Folding up Susu's sleeve, she began taking her pulse. After taking her pulse three times, she fixed Susu's sleeve and said, "Your condition is the same as before. Susu, we might need to make some changes to your treatment. The treatment process will also need to extend."
"How much longer?" She asked as her eyelids became heavier; slowly closing.
"I'll say another half a year for now. We'll have to see how your body reacts to the rest of the treatment." Seeing the girl's worn out expression, Qian Ling's tone became gentler. As if her voice would disturb her rest, Qian Ling looked at Chen Mu and nodded. Susu had fallen asleep.
She reached out to help balance Susu's body while Chen Mu got up to carry her in his arms. After moving the blanket and lowering the bed's height, he carefully tucked her in bed. Feeling a tap on his shoulder, he gave Susu a quick peck on the forehead before leaving with Qian Ling.
Outside the room, Qian Ling straightforwardly stated, "The treatment's effectiveness is slowing down. I'm continuing the same routine for the rest of the week to see the results. If her body doesn't show signs of improvement, I will have to take further measures to cure her."
"Will she receive more pain than she already does if you change the treatment method?" From the past months, he has seen how much she suffered from the treatment's side effects.
"The pain won't increase, but won't reduce either. I need to get rid of the toxins in her body quickly. In an hour, we need to give her another herb bath. I'll get the water ready. You can help me watch her for the time being." Qian Ling patted his shoulder as comfort.
Even though she was the patient and also the one suffering; it takes a lot of courage to stay by the patient's side during these moments. Many family members would stress out and breakdown in many cases like this one. Chen Mu turned out having the most patience when caring for her.
He didn't rush her when she ate and used his body to make her feel more comfortable when taking medicine. When she threw tantrums or cried, he would coax and calm her down. During her bad days, he would stay until she had fallen asleep to accompany her. Never had he ever spoke a single complaint or rant.
Instead, he apologized on her behalf when nurses get pissed off or offended. He would tell others she didn't mean any of the words she had said. It was all from the pain she was dealing with. No matter what she said to him, he wouldn't leave her alone. This was something everyone saw using their eyes and heard with their ears.
Qian Ling whispered, "You love her a lot."
He replied with a smile, "She's my life."
"I'll definitely save her." She said before walking down the hallway.