Siheyuan: Starting from Building a Village

Xu Damao took a sip of water, then took a big bite of an apple. After being satisfied, his eyebrows twitched and his face had an excited and happy expression. When he talked about the Jia family, his two mustaches trembled.

Jia Zhang was a little panicked. Everyone who saw her said that she had lost weight and asked her if Qin Huairu had abused the elderly.

Moreover, Qin Huairu told her more than once to go to the hospital.

The 1960s were not like the 21st century, where every household had an electronic scale and could weigh themselves at any time. If you didn't have one at home, you could go to the nearest pharmacy because most pharmacies had electronic scales.

People are so strange. When one person says you have lost weight, you will not believe it at all. But when a group of people say you have lost weight, then it means you have really lost weight. Jia Zhang was panicked.

She eats a lot every day. In addition to the normal three meals, she also has snacks from time to time. Sometimes she eats more in snacks than in the regular meals.

We also eat stewed meat every few days, and there is always a supply of starch sausage in the house.

Logically speaking, I should get fatter the more I eat, but now many people say that they have lost weight. Is there really something wrong with my body?

Jia Zhang couldn't bear it any longer and finally decided to go to the hospital.

When I arrived at the hospital, I found a doctor named Ma and told him about my condition.

Doctor Ma asked: Do you eat a lot normally?

This is what Jia Zhang was proud of. In her opinion, those who could eat four or five meals a day were all wealthy families. This showed that her Jia family had good living conditions and it was worth publicizing so that others would know about it.

Then Dr. Ma asked, "Do you drink a lot of water?"

Jia Zhang replied, "A lot. I don't know what's wrong with me these days. I'm always thirsty. I can drink two bottles of the thermos at home, but I just can't quench my thirst."

"How about pee?"

"Doctor, are you being a hooligan? I came to see you for treatment, and you asked me how I urinated. Do you believe I will sue you for molestation?"

In the past, whenever Jia Zhang had a headache or fever, she would go to a small clinic at the entrance of the alley and get some antipyretic medicine. The doctors in the small clinic rarely asked questions, let alone problems with defecation and urination.

When Jia Zhang heard Dr. Ma ask her how her urination was, she subconsciously thought that the doctor was trying to tease her.

"Comrade, what are you thinking? I am giving you a diagnosis. Do you understand?"

Doctor Ma almost vomited. Damn, how dare you think that I was blind and molested you? Isn't the nurse next to me prettier than you, Jia Zhang?

"Auntie, don't talk nonsense. This is our doctor Ma's normal diagnostic process. Only in this way can we better diagnose whether you are sick and where the disease is."

After hearing the nurse's explanation, Jia Zhang smiled awkwardly and replied, "I have to urinate a lot. It's okay during the day, but especially at night, I have to get up five or six times a night."

"Have you ever weighed yourself? Do you know how much you've lost?"

"I don't know. I'm not a doctor. I just want to treat the disease. Why do you keep asking nonsense questions? I just want to ask you, am I sick or not?"

Jia Zhang was anxious. She had never seen such a doctor before. He kept drinking water, urinating, and measuring his weight. He seemed a little unreliable.

"Let's draw some blood and test your blood sugar."

Doctor Ma wrote out a work order, and the nurse took the reluctant Jia Zhang to have her blood drawn for a test.

Before the results came out, Jia Zhang went to the bathroom twice in just a few minutes.

(Glucose meters that can measure blood sugar have been available since the 1960s, and it is assumed that they are available in major hospitals)

"Doctor, I've already drawn blood. Please tell me if I'm sick or not. I'm so hungry that I feel anxious."

"Don't worry, let me ask you another question. Do you like sports?"

"Exercise? I'm already thin, so why should I exercise? Besides, every time after eating, I would rather lie down than stand."

"Do you like sweets?"

"You are quite capable as a doctor. You are right. After dinner, I like to drink two bowls of sugar water. It makes me feel so comfortable."

The doctors and nurses shook their heads when they saw Jia Zhang's smug look.

"Doctor, why are you shaking your heads? Tell the truth, are you jealous of my family's good living conditions? Let me tell you, my daughter-in-law is filial. I can eat white sugar or brown sugar as much as I want. There is always ham sausage at home, and we even have braised pork from time to time."

Jia Zhang was so proud. When old Jia and young Jia were alive, they never dared to do this. The life they have now is something they could not even dream of before.

"Auntie, you have to be more careful in the future. Try not to eat these things. Also, make sure to exercise more half an hour after a meal."

"Doctor, I just came here to see if I'm sick, why can't I eat? Are you jealous of me? Are you envious of me because I eat and drink well?"

"Auntie, what does this have to do with that?"

Doctor Ma was so angry. Old lady, you don’t trust doctors, why did you come to the hospital?

"So what disease do you think I have?"

"Auntie, from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, you have typical diabetes mellitus. From the perspective of Western medicine, your blood sugar level is high, which is very likely diabetes."

"Oh, I don't understand what diabetes is. Can you just tell me what medicine can cure it?"

Jia Zhang is now very confident. She eats well, drinks well, and can save five dollars every month.

"Auntie, this is also called a disease of affluence."

Doctor Ma was thinking about how to introduce this case in plain language, but the young nurse just said this.

Indeed, in this era, the family conditions of those who can get diabetes are all very good. Not to mention that they are retired cadres, the children in their families should also be very capable and have no shortage of food and drink, especially meat and fish.

"Diseases of affluence? Does that mean I will be able to enjoy wealth and luxury in the future?"

"what?"

The young nurse was dumbfounded and a little confused. Are you really stupid, or just pretending?

"Auntie, if you don't actively treat your illness, you won't be able to live to be rich and famous. It would be good enough if you can live to be 60."

Doctor Ma also realized that Jia Zhang knew nothing at all, so he decided to just scare her and hope that she would cooperate with the treatment.

"Fuck your grandmother's leg. What's wrong with you as a doctor? Are you cursing me? Do you believe that I will block the entrance of your hospital and curse you every day?"

As she spoke, Jia Zhang reached out and scratched Doctor Ma's face.

"Auntie, calm down, calm down."

Doctor Ma stepped back again and again, and the young nurse used all her strength to barely hold Jia Zhang back.

"Auntie, Doctor Ma is not lying to you. To be honest, your illness is very serious."

"Comrade nurse, you didn't lie to me?"

"Auntie, saving lives is our duty. How could we lie to patients?"

"Are you sure you're not lying to me?"

"Auntie, our Red Star Hospital is so big. If we cheat everyone we see, not only will the people we cheat, but even the country and the government will not forgive us. Besides, we are the people's doctors and nurses, serving the people. You just need to be at peace with yourself."

Even though Mrs. Jia Zhang sat down again, the young nurse didn't dare to let go. She was afraid that if she let go, the old lady would hit Doctor Ma again.

"Doctor, what medicine do you think I should take?"

Jia Zhang stared at Doctor Ma with her triangular eyes, which made Doctor Ma feel uneasy. He had seen all kinds of patients in the past, but had never seen someone like Jia Zhang. She didn't believe what the doctor said and was extremely aggressive. She would start scolding and even resort to violence if she disagreed with someone.

To be honest, Doctor Ma was very confused. Judging from her condition, Jia Zhang was either from a wealthy family or a relative of an official. Judging from her speech and behavior, she was just an illiterate rural woman.

The contrast is quite big!