"I understand. Such ancestral secret recipes shouldn't be easily divulged," Tony Monet responded.
However, before Tony Monet could finish speaking, Chen Yuqi waved her hands insistently and said, "It's not what you think. I detest those who hoard their knowledge. Effective medicines and treatment methods should belong to all of humanity. By keeping this hidden, how many patients' conditions have been delayed?"
"Why, then, did you ask me to keep it a secret?" Tony Monet inquired, puzzled.
Chen Yuqi hesitated for a moment before replying, "Because the ingredients in my remedy are somewhat unique. I'm afraid Lady Madeleine might be reluctant to consume them once she sees them."
"Given that it's called a remedy, it's naturally intended to be somewhat unconventional. As long as it can cure ailments and, more importantly, enhance beauty, women will ingest just about anything!" (This sentiment holds true across different times and cultures, irrespective of education.)
"Alright, I'll tell you. Do you know about purple clover?" Chen Yuqi asked.
After a brief pause, Tony Monet recalled, "Purple clover? I'm familiar with clover, is that a variation?"
Chen Yuqi nodded and replied, "Exactly, purple clover is a type of clover."
"But isn't that used as fodder?" Tony Monet questioned, still puzzled.
"It is indeed commonly used as animal feed, but that doesn't mean it lacks medicinal value!" Chen Yuqi retorted.
Tony Monet pondered for a moment and then agreed, "That's true. So, have you used this clover, I mean, purple clover, to treat any patients?"
"Well, to be honest, this would be the first instance!" Chen Yuqi admitted, looking somewhat embarrassed.
Hearing this, Tony Monet exclaimed in discontent, "What?! You mean you haven't even tried this on anyone, yet you dare to prescribe such a remedy?"
Chen Yuqi hurriedly explained, "Listen to me. It's true that I haven't used purple clover specifically to treat patients, but I have seen a patient with obstructive jaundice who greatly benefited from consuming it!"
Honestly, at that time, neither Chen Yuqi nor Tony Monet were aware that the active ingredient in purple clover was its natural vitamin K1. It wasn't until 1937 that Danish physiologist Dam discovered this fact, and later, in 1943, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for his discovery.
"Since it's proven effective, let's give it a try. But how should one consume this?" Tony Monet inquired curiously.
After a moment of hesitation, Chen Yuqi replied, "From what I observed, it was ingested directly."
"You mean, like how horses eat grass?" Tony Monet asked incredulously.
Chen Yuqi nodded and confirmed, "Yes, exactly like that!"
"Well, that could be quite a challenge. Unless you can persuade her convincingly, Lady Madeleine might not dare to eat it, let alone want to!" Tony Monet remarked with a concerned expression.
Chen Yuqi shrugged and replied, "It's up to you to persuade her then. At least I know of this one method!"
After a moment of consideration, Tony Monet asked again, "Are you sure consuming this won't have any side effects?"
"It should be safe, or at least not make things worse!" Chen Yuqi assured.
"Alright, could you help disguise this purple clover somehow? At least make it not look like animal feed!" Tony Monet requested.
"That's not difficult. Come to my clinic tonight, and I'll have it ready for you!" Chen Yuqi agreed.
That night, Tony Monet arrived at Chen Yuqi's clinic on time to collect the medicine. The door was opened by Shan Shan, and Tony Monet teasingly quipped, "Long time no see, Shan Shan. How's everything going here under Dr. Chen's care?"
For some reason, Shan Shan blushed slightly and replied, "Things are going well!"
Likely upon hearing Tony Monet's voice, Chen Yuqi called from inside, "Is that you, Tony? Come in, I'll be ready in a moment!"
Tony Monet walked in and saw Chen Yuqi bottling a heap of small pills. He couldn't help but exclaim in disbelief, "Is this the purple clover you were talking about?"
"Yes, exactly. Since you said not to make it look like animal feed, I turned it into pills. I also added a bit of honey to make sure it's easy to swallow!" Chen Yuqi explained.
"What amazes me is your skill in turning grass into pills!" Tony Monet marveled.
Chen Yuqi shrugged off the praise, saying, "It's not that difficult. You could find someone in a traditional Chinese medicine shop who could do the same!"
"But you graduated from Harvard Medical School, right? How do you know how to make traditional Chinese medicine pills?" Tony Monet questioned in puzzlement.
"Why can't someone who graduated from Harvard Medical School learn traditional Chinese medicine? I'm even skilled in acupuncture!" Chen Yuqi retorted.
"Alright, you truly embody the fusion of Eastern and Western knowledge!" Tony Monet sighed, raising his thumb in approval.
Later, with the medicine bottle in hand, Tony Monet drove to Madeleine's residence. Surprised by his visit at this late hour, Madeleine asked, "Mr. Monet, it's quite late. Is there something urgent you need from me?"
Only now did Tony Monet realize that his timing might raise suspicions – a young, attractive man visiting a widow in the evening. But leaving abruptly would make things even more unclear, so he quickly explained, "Well, I've found a bottle of a special remedy specifically for your type of obstructive jaundice. I lost track of time and thought it was important to deliver it to you."
As she took the medicine bottle, Madeleine thanked him, saying, "I'm truly grateful. Could you tell me where you obtained this from, Mr. Monet?"
Because Chen Yuqi had asked him to keep her identity secret, Tony Monet had to improvise, "Oh, I got this from an elderly Chinese gentleman. However, he didn't want his name to be disclosed."
"Mr. Monet, it seems you have a knack for knowing quite a few mysterious elderly gentlemen, like the one who invented the Heimlich maneuver and cola chicken wings, and now this mysterious gentleman!" Madeleine teased.
Tony Monet awkwardly responded, "Well, I suppose I've been fortunate."
Madeleine gave him a scrutinizing look, then smiled and said, "Alright, if you don't want to reveal it, I won't press further. What's the name of this medicine? And how should I take it?"
Tony Monet quickly came up with a name, saying, "This medicine is called... um, Purple Blossom Pill. Take three pills each time, three times a day."
"Purple Blossom Pill? That does sound lovely, and it does look purple. Thank you for bringing this," Madeleine murmured as she examined the pills in her hand. After taking one, she added, "Hmm, it's a bit sweet when eaten."