After hearing the pulse diagnoses from her three apprentices, Dr. Guo stroked his slightly graying goatee, nodded with great satisfaction, and then personally examined Chen Lan's pulse. He first took the pulse of her right hand for a long while, frowning. Then he switched to her left hand, again spending a long time, and his frown deepened further. Dr. Guo, while taking her pulse, kept his eyes closed, deep in thought, and remained silent.
Seeing Dr. Guo's demeanor, the mother-in-law and mother couldn't help but feel uneasy. Both of them became tense, and with trembling voices, they simultaneously asked, "Dr. Guo, how is it? Please tell us directly if there's anything! Xiao Lan, she's pregnant, right? Xiao Lan, Xiao Lan, how many children is she carrying? Are they both doing well? Are they both healthy?"
Upon hearing their questions, Dr. Guo slowly opened his eyes, stroked his goatee, and with a smile, announced, "Congratulations! Congratulations! Your family is about to welcome new additions. I've carefully examined her pulse, and it's indeed twins this time. Both babies are doing very well; their heartbeats are strong and vigorous, and they should both be healthy. Xiao Lan has already given birth to twins once, so you should have some experience caring for pregnant women, right? You should know what to pay attention to. I won't elaborate on that here. In short, don't overexert yourselves, get plenty of rest, don't sit still for too long, and walk around the house frequently to facilitate labor. Eat more lean meat and eggs, but don't overeat at any one time; smaller, more frequent meals are better. And remember, no overly rich tonics, understand?"
The mother-in-law, hearing this, finally felt at ease. She quickly nodded in thanks, "Thank you, Dr. Guo. I've noted everything you've said, and I will follow your instructions."
The mother was still a bit worried and asked, "Dr. Guo, Lan'er hasn't had much of an appetite. Will it affect the babies? Do you think she needs to take any medication to prevent miscarriage?"
Dr. Guo shook his head and said, "That's not necessary. As the saying goes, medicine has a three-part toxicity; it's best to avoid it if possible. Xiao Lan's poor appetite recently is due to morning sickness, which will naturally subside over time. Please don't worry too much. In any case, eat smaller, more frequent meals. Eat as much as you can at each sitting, but don't force yourself, to avoid stomach discomfort and vomiting."
After speaking, Dr. Guo got up to leave. His two young apprentices, Wen Kai and Wen Qi, helped him on either side, while Jia Yao, the third apprentice, packed the pulse pillow and medical bag.
The mother-in-law and mother also immediately stood up, nodding repeatedly in agreement and expressing their gratitude, "Thank you so much for coming out on such a cold day. This is a small token of our appreciation, a tin of tea leaves that Lan'er brought back from Suifenhe. It's a humble gift."
The mother-in-law added, "This is some aged Pu-erh tea that Xiao Lan brought back."
Saying this, the mother-in-law and mother, each holding a gift, presented them to Wen Kai and Wen Qi. Dr. Guo did not refuse, waving his hand for his apprentices to accept the gifts while smilingly replying, "You've gone to too much expense. I won't be polite and will accept them."
The mother-in-law and mother repeatedly said, "There's no need to be so formal. Please take care on your way!" Su Dan Novel Network
After seeing the four masters and apprentices off, the mother-in-law, mother, and Chen Lan sat back on the sofa. Chen Lan suggested, "Mother-in-law, Mother, why don't we try the Pu-erh tea I brought back? I hear that drinking Pu-erh tea regularly is good for health, with benefits like lowering lipids, beautifying the skin, strengthening teeth, and delaying aging. Shall we three try it today?"
The mother smiled and replied, "That would be wonderful. I've also heard about Pu-erh tea. People say it can only be made from the leaves of large-leaf tea trees unique to Yunnan, and the tea-making process is quite distinct, which gives it its unique aroma and taste."
Seeing Chen Lan's eager expression, the mother chuckled and continued, "However, it's said that Pu-erh tea can nourish and protect the stomach for those with weak spleens and stomachs. But people with poor sleep and pregnant women shouldn't drink it. Lan'er, you're pregnant now, so you can't drink too much; just a few sips to taste it."
The mother-in-law immediately agreed, "Yes, yes, dear daughter-in-law's mother is right. Xiao Lan, you're pregnant and shouldn't drink too much, only a taste." With that, she got up to fetch the tea set and Pu-erh tea from the storeroom.
If she couldn't drink it, she couldn't drink it. Chen Lan didn't know much about tea and didn't have a strong craving for it, so it didn't matter much to her whether she drank it or not. In her previous life, Chen Lan occasionally drank green tea and floral teas. She had tried Pu-erh a few times at her best friend's place, and her friend had told her it was good for women and older people.
Once, when visiting her best friend, she noticed Chen Lan had gained some weight and suggested, "Lanzi, you should drink more Pu-erh. Pu-erh aids digestion, clears bowels, lowers lipids, aids weight loss, and has anti-inflammatory properties." Only then did Chen Lan learn about these benefits of Pu-erh tea.
While the mother and daughter were discussing Pu-erh tea, Third Sister's aunt, along with her daughters Yulia and Milana, pushed open the door and entered. The mother and daughters had come over for a chat.
Upon seeing Third Sister's aunt and her daughters enter, Chen Lan and her mother quickly rose to greet them warmly. The mother invited Third Sister's aunt and her two daughters to sit on the sofa and then went to the kitchen.
At this moment, the mother-in-law emerged from the storeroom with the tea set—a Zisha teapot and tea bowls, along with the Pu-erh tea. Seeing Third Sister's aunt and her daughters, she happily called out, "Xiao Lan's aunt, Yulia, Milana, you've come at the perfect time. We were just about to try this Yunnan Pu-erh tea. You should try it too and see if it's good."
The mother brought a thermos of hot water and a tray of tea snacks from the kitchen. She opened the packaging of the tea cake and prepared to pour water to brew the tea.
Chen Lan had seen her best friend brew Pu-erh tea at her house, so she reached out and took the tea cake, saying, "Mother, let me brew the tea!"
Chen Lan first rinsed the teapot and tea bowls with hot water from the thermos. Then, using a tea knife, she gently pried off a piece of Pu-erh tea from the cake and placed it in the Zisha teapot. Next, she quickly poured boiling water along the edge of the teapot from the thermos, avoiding pouring directly onto the tea leaves. This is said to be called awakening the tea, or washing the tea. Then came the formal brewing.
The Pu-erh Chen Lan bought was "Da Hong Yin" from China Tea. A tea cake like this would sell for over two thousand in modern times. Chen Lan had specifically bought it this time for her mother-in-law and mother to drink.
After brewing, the tea was poured into cups and handed to Third Sister's aunt, the mother-in-law, the mother, and the Yulia sisters. Chen Lan also picked up a cup, brought it close to her nose, and inhaled. The aroma was rich and elegant. She took a sip, and the taste was full-bodied and sweet.