CHAPTER 345: 321 HOST AND GUEST POSITIONS INTERCHANGED

Du Heng was slightly annoyed by the lawyer’s attitude, but he still said patiently, "I consulted her when I administered the medication, and she didn’t object at the time."

"So you mean, she didn’t agree to let you use it either?"

"When I asked her, she didn’t say anything, so I took her silence as consent. Moreover, after administering the medicine, we kept her under observation for half an hour. Only when we confirmed that she had no adverse reactions did we let her go. And she cooperated with us throughout the process, not objecting when taking the medicine or during the observation."

Du Heng paused for a moment and continued, "Besides, only the three of us were present at that time. I don’t intend to admit that she mentioned she was allergic to rhizoma ligustici, and I have already come to an understanding with the other party involved."

The elegant lady listened intently to Du Heng’s account. When she heard the last part, she chuckled, "Naive. If you really do that, you’re bound to lose this lawsuit."

Du Heng was puzzled. If he denied she had ever mentioned being allergic to rhizoma ligustici, then the basis of her lawsuit would be invalid. Wasn’t that the best way to resolve this? Why would the lawyer say otherwise?

The elegant lady said calmly, "If you deny that she mentioned she was allergic to rhizoma ligustici, then how do you explain the half-hour observation?"

Du Heng was stunned. He hadn’t thought of that. "This... I... I was afraid she might have an adverse drug reaction, so I kept her under observation. Is there a problem with that?"

"Do you keep every patient who comes to you for treatment under such observation?"

Du Heng was dumbfounded again and then slowly shook his head.

"You see, if you deny one point, flaws will inevitably appear in your other logic. So, just tell the truth. Isn’t that the very reason you sought me out?"

The elegant lady gently swirled the teacup by her side. "One last question. Do you guarantee that everything you just said is true and contains no false or fabricated content? For example, that when you proposed the treatment plan, she neither agreed nor refused, and she also didn’t raise any objections when taking the medicine."

Du Heng said with absolute certainty, "I can guarantee that was exactly the situation at the time. I haven’t added or altered a single word."

"That’s good. Leave the rest to me; I will definitely ensure your satisfaction."

Du Heng looked at the hand extended towards him and stood up to shake it.

"How much is your representation fee?"

"Since you were introduced by a friend, I’ll give you a friend’s rate: 50,000 yuan."

Du Heng’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Although he didn’t know the industry’s standard fees, or what the typical rates were in Jinzhou, judging by the woman’s expression, it seemed he was getting a fantastic deal.

"Are you sure you can win?"

The woman smiled confidently. "Since I started practicing law independently, I have never lost a case."

Du Heng liked the woman’s confidence; it was infectious.

He couldn’t help but laugh himself. "How much compensation can I get?"

"That depends on your reputation and income. The higher your reputation and income, the greater the damages the case will be considered to have caused you, and thus the higher the compensation," the woman smiled charmingly.

Du Heng also laughed.

Reputation? It depends on how it’s calculated.

"I am currently the Dean of the Health Clinic."

"That counts."

"Deputy Chief Chinese Medicine Doctor."

"That doesn’t count."

Du Heng said, "Oh," then continued, "External Deputy Director of the Chinese Medicine Department at the Provincial First Hospital."

The woman’s eyes brightened. "Acceptable."

"If possible, I could also be the external Deputy Director of Digestion Department 1 at the Provincial First Hospital."

The woman laughed. "Very good. Anything else?"

"I have been featured in Jinzhou Evening News. Does that count?"

The woman was even happier. "Of course, it counts."

Du Heng thought for a moment. "That’s it for reputation."

"Then let’s talk about income."

"All of it?"

"Of course."

After some consideration, Du Heng decided to reveal everything.

He wanted the person who sued him to feel the sting.

"My monthly salary from the Health Clinic, including various allowances, is six thousand."

The woman was slightly disappointed. "Anything else?"

"I am a specially appointed researcher at Southern XX Pharmaceutical Research Institute, with a monthly allowance of 100,000 yuan."

This time, the woman laughed heartily. "Very good. Anything else?"

Du Heng shook his head. He couldn’t reveal more; doing so could lead to trouble.

Then, Du Heng asked his final question, "What if she doesn’t have the ability to pay, or is unwilling to pay?"

The corner of the woman’s mouth tilted up noticeably. "Are you questioning my professional ability? Rest assured, if she doesn’t pay you, you don’t need to pay my representation fee either."

Du Heng gave a slight smile, stood up, and extended his hand. "Then, I’ll have to trouble you, Ms. Zhou."

The woman also stood up, reaching out and shaking hands with Du Heng.

This was their second handshake. Compared to the brief, courteous one when they first met, this one felt much more sincere.

Feeling the damp heat in the woman’s palm, Du Heng suddenly said, "Ms. Zhou doesn’t have children yet, does she?"

Ms. Zhou, who had maintained a smile, suddenly looked stunned upon hearing Du Heng’s words, and the hand he was shaking stiffened slightly.

This reaction made Du Heng instantly realize his misstep, and he quickly said, "I’m sorry, Ms. Zhou. That was rude of me. I apologize."

Ms. Zhou immediately recovered. Although her smile remained, her expression became much colder. "Doctor Du, did you investigate me?"

Du Heng knew his previous question was rather impolite. Now, hearing her misunderstanding, he explained again, "No, absolutely not. Bao Mi arranged today’s appointment with Ms. Zhou for me. What I just said was merely out of professional habit."

Ms. Zhou didn’t quite believe Du Heng.

If Du Heng hadn’t investigated her, how could he bring up such a private topic when they met for the first time? Whether she had children or not wasn’t exactly written on her forehead.

"I need an explanation."

Du Heng apologized for his slip of the tongue again. "Let me ask you a few questions, Ms. Zhou. After I finish, I will explain, and it will be easier for you to understand."

Ms. Zhou stared at Du Heng deeply, fell silent for a moment, and then said, "Alright, go ahead."

The two sat down again. Du Heng began by sincerely apologizing to Bao Mi and his companion. They had acted as intermediaries to arrange this meeting, and Du Heng felt terribly guilty for his sudden gaffe, fearing he had put them in an awkward position.

Fortunately, Bao Mi and his companion knew Du Heng’s character. They praised Du Heng’s medical skills in front of Ms. Zhou, trying to convince her that Du Heng hadn’t meant any offense.

Unexpectedly, this explanation seemed to make Ms. Zhou’s expression darken slightly.

She even suspected that Bao Mi and his companion might have leaked her private information to Du Heng.

Seeing the situation worsening, Du Heng quickly interjected, "Ms. Zhou, I am a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine. You should be aware that in traditional Chinese medicine, diagnosis involves syndrome differentiation through the four methods: inspection, auscultation, inquiry, and palpation. I won’t delve into the specifics. Let me just ask a few simple questions. Please listen and tell me if I’m on the right track, alright?"

Ms. Zhou stared fixedly at Du Heng and nodded again. "Go ahead."

"Ms. Zhou, do you often lose your temper?"

"Yes."

"Do you urinate infrequently, and is your urine dark with a strong odor?"

This question made Ms. Zhou slightly embarrassed, but she still nodded.

However, after this question, she started to believe Du Heng a bit more. Such private information couldn’t be uncovered through a simple investigation. And no one conducting an investigation would look into someone’s urination habits. This, however, piqued her interest in Du Heng’s medical skills. She wanted to see what he could truly make of her situation.

"Ms. Zhou, you have a slender physique. This isn’t the result of deliberate dieting or exercise, is it?"

"That’s right. I’m quite strange; I’ve been like this since childhood. No matter how much high-calorie, high-fat food I eat, I never have to worry about gaining weight." Ms. Zhou’s interest in Du Heng grew. "How did you know that?"

Du Heng smiled but didn’t answer directly. "Don’t be anxious; I have a few more questions. However, the next ones are quite private. Would it be better if we discussed them privately?"

Ms. Zhou thought for a moment. Bao Mi and his companion were likely aware of her situation, so there seemed to be nothing to hide. She said, "It’s fine, go ahead."

Du Heng shook his head. "It would be better if we discussed them alone; the questions are extremely private."

As he finished speaking, Bao Mi’s suitor stood up. "Doctor Du, Ms. Zhou, please continue your conversation. Bao Mi and I will step out to hurry the kitchen along."

With that, he and Bao Mi rose and left the private room.

After the two left, Ms. Zhou suddenly took a slim lady’s cigarette from her bag, then produced a very delicate Zippo lighter. With a CLICK, she lit the cigarette and, with an extremely elegant yet proud posture, exhaled a thin stream of smoke.

"Now that no one is here, Doctor Du, you can ask."

However, when she heard Du Heng’s question, she froze, all her previous elegance and pride vanishing.

"Ms. Zhou, is it true that after intercourse, you become ill for several days?"

How did he know? Where did he find this out?

Ms. Zhou was in a state of utter panic. This was far more shocking to her than the dark urine.

Lowering her hand that held the cigarette, she stared intently at Du Heng. "How do you know?"

Du Heng smiled warmly. "As I mentioned, it’s through inspection, auscultation, inquiry, and palpation. I deduced it from your body’s external signs and reactions. Now, please answer my question: is what I just asked correct or not?"

Within just four or five questions, the dynamic between them had shifted. Du Heng had seized the initiative, while Ms. Zhou, who had been somewhat assertive at the beginning, had unknowingly lowered her stance.

After hesitating for a moment, Ms. Zhou answered with difficulty, "Yes, you are right. It’s precisely because of this that my husband and I have been living separately for five years. If not for his job, we might have divorced already."

As she spoke, her gaze flickered. She paused slightly before continuing, "Before I was married, I had the same problem. I thought it was my boyfriend’s problem. After marrying my current husband, I realized the problem was mine.

I went to the hospital for a check-up and various tests; they all said I was physically fine. Later, a doctor told me I might be allergic to semen, and I underwent related treatment, but the problem persisted.

I also saw a traditional Chinese medicine doctor, who said I had a kidney deficiency and prescribed kidney-tonifying herbal medicine for me. It still didn’t work. During the period I was taking the herbal medicine, my body became swollen, so the traditional Chinese medicine treatment was discontinued."

Finishing, she stared at Du Heng and asked, "Doctor Du, do you know what my condition is?"

"Since I’ve described the symptoms, I certainly know what the condition is." Du Heng also stared at Ms. Zhou. "You need to trust my professional ability."