After getting the Lianhua Granules from the clinic, Aunt Li went home and took them for a day.

But instead of getting better, her cold symptoms grew much worse.

Her throat was terribly sore, making it difficult to swallow. Her cough grew more frequent, and each fit left her chest aching.

Her fever began to spike intermittently, leaving her entire body weak and her muscles sore.

This morning, she dragged her heavy body out and managed to sweep the streets for just half an hour.

As the north wind howled and leaves scattered, she grew intensely dizzy and was hit by waves of nausea.

Finally, she couldn’t bear it any longer. She took the day off work and went home, continuing to take the Lianhua Granules.

However, the Lianhua Granules seemed to have no effect on her condition whatsoever.

By the third day, her cough was so severe she couldn’t sleep. Her high fever persisted, and she was utterly listless.

It was only then she realized the "Divine Medicine" the experts on TV were praising to the heavens wasn’t very effective... No, it was completely ineffective.

She felt a little disappointed in traditional Chinese medicine.

However, Aunt Li had always gone to Li Xu’s clinic before, and his herbal decoctions had always worked like a charm, curing her illness every time.

So, despite her disappointment, her first choice was still to see a traditional Chinese medicine doctor.

Aunt Li arrived at Li’s Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic once again.

The clinic was still packed with patients. Aunt Li registered and sat in the waiting area, her face sallow as she coughed incessantly.

Finally, it was her turn.

She walked weakly into the consultation room, and the moment she saw Li Xu, she couldn’t help but complain.

"Xiao Xu... these Lianhua Granules... they’re completely useless! Those experts on TV are all liars."

Li Xu comforted her, "Aunt Li, please calm down. Let me take your pulse first."

He placed his fingers on Aunt Li’s wrist to read her pulse.

Her pulse was superficial and rapid, her tongue a deep crimson with a thin, yellow, dry coating. These were the classic signs of severe pathogenic heat obstructing the lungs and a depletion of lung yin.

Li Xu sighed internally. ’If only Aunt Li had listened to me earlier,’ he thought, ’her condition wouldn’t have progressed this far.’

He didn’t blame her, though.

After all, the power of television advertising was immense, and the elderly were particularly susceptible to it.

"Aunt Li, don’t you worry. I’ll prescribe a few courses of medicine for you. Go home, get plenty of rest, and you’ll be feeling better soon."

Li Xu soothed the weakened Aunt Li with his gentle words.

Although Ding’s Pharmaceutical Factory had already begun producing Lianhua Suanzaoren Granules,

Aunt Li’s condition was quite severe. Relying solely on a pre-made patent medicine might not be potent or thorough enough for a swift recovery.

Based on her current pulse, tongue coating, and symptoms, Li Xu formulated a custom decoction for her, using the Lianhua Suanzaoren Granules as a base and preparing three packs.

He typed up the prescription on his computer, including detailed instructions for dosage and preparation.

"Sisi, fill this prescription."

Li Xu handed the printout to Song Sisi.

Song Sisi took the prescription and glanced at the names of the herbs. Many of them were the foundational ingredients of Lianhua Suanzaoren Granules.

But he had also added and removed a few herbs to achieve a better therapeutic effect.

She knew what Li Xu was capable of, so she immediately turned and got to work at the medicine cabinet.

"Aunt Li, take these herbs home and brew them. Take one packet per day, split into two doses. After you finish these three packets, you’ll see a significant improvement." Li Xu then gave Aunt Li detailed instructions on how to prepare the decoction.

Aunt Li took the packets of herbs and breathed a sigh of relief. "I know, I know. Sigh... I shouldn’t have gambled on that other medicine last time..."

She mumbled to herself all the way home.

Following Li Xu’s instructions, she began to brew the decoction.

The clay pot gurgled on the stove as the bitter aroma of the herbs gradually filled the kitchen.

The first dose was a deep brown liquid with a potent, bitter taste.

Aunt Li grimaced and drank it down, sip by sip.

As the liquid went down her throat, she initially tasted only bitterness. But soon, she felt a warm, medicinal energy flow slowly down her esophagus and deep into her lungs.

The congestion in her chest seemed to loosen slightly, and her breathing became a little easier.

After finishing the medicine, a wave of drowsiness washed over Aunt Li, and she soon drifted into a deep sleep.

It was the most peaceful sleep she’d had in days.

She wasn’t woken by violent coughing fits, nor did she toss and turn, tormented by a high fever.

When she woke again, dusk had fallen outside her window.

She pushed herself up into a sitting position and noticed her forehead was no longer burning hot. The soreness in her body had also eased considerably.

To her great surprise, the frequency of her coughing had dropped significantly. She still coughed occasionally, but it was nothing like the gut-wrenching fits from before.

The burning sensation in her throat had also subsided, and she even felt a glimmer of an appetite.

"This is miraculous..."

Aunt Li murmured to herself, her eyes filled with wonder.

She even felt a little hungry.

She went to the kitchen and made some congee to eat.

That evening, she took the second dose of medicine.

That night, she slept even more soundly.

When she woke up the next morning, Aunt Li felt much lighter and more at ease.

Her high fever had completely broken, and her head was no longer foggy.

Though she was still a little weak, her spirits had clearly lifted.

Her cough had all but vanished, save for an occasional soft clearing of her throat, and it was now easier to expel any phlegm.

Most importantly, her lungs felt clearer and more open than ever before.

She walked to the mirror and looked at her reflection. Though she still looked a bit gaunt, a hint of rosy color had returned to her cheeks, and she couldn’t help but smile.

’Xiao Xu’s medicine is the one that really works!’ Aunt Li thought.

’As for those experts on TV...’

’Hmph. They aren’t even as good as a doctor from a small clinic. What a joke, calling themselves experts.’

...

With the new patent medicine, Lianhua Suanzaoren Granules, the efficiency of Li’s Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic improved dramatically.

For influenza patients with mild symptoms and a matching disease mechanism, Li Xu could now directly prescribe the ready-made Lianhua Suanzaoren Granules, saving time on both consultation and filling prescriptions.

The patients could simply take the medicine as soon as they received it.

This not only sped up the patient consultations significantly, but also lightened the workload for both Li Xu and Song Sisi.

However, this didn’t mean Li Xu had any time to relax.

He knew that relying on the clinic’s efforts alone was nowhere near enough.

To thwart Jide Pharmaceutical’s scheme, more people had to learn about the efficacy of Lianhua Suanzaoren Granules.

In a lull between patients, he picked up the phone and dialed Professor Gao Guanghui first.

"Teacher Gao, I’ve developed a formula to treat this strain of influenza. Ding’s Pharmaceutical Factory has already produced it as a finished product called ’Lianhua Suanzaoren Granules.’ Our clinic has started using it, and the clinical results have been remarkable. It’s especially effective against the viral pneumonia and lingering cough associated with this flu."

Li Xu quickly explained the situation.

On the other end of the line, Professor Gao Guanghui was stunned for a moment, then asked in delighted surprise, "Oh? You’ve developed a new medicine? And it’s called Lianhua Suanzaoren Granules? Haha, Li Xu, you’re a true genius! That name manages to both ride the coattails of the competition and highlight its own efficacy. Brilliant, just brilliant. But are the clinical results really as good as you claim?"

"It’s the absolute truth. Teacher Gao, I have detailed case reports here that you can review at any time. Right now, the patients at our clinic are all reporting excellent results."

Li Xu said with conviction.