My Lady Always Lacks Ambition-Chapter 1038 - 1009: Manic-Depressive Disorder

Mrs. Cheng spoke bluntly about Mrs. Bai’s grandson, as if forcibly tearing off a layer of her guilty conscience, making Mrs. Bai’s face full of resentment.

"It’s all fabricated, yet Mrs. Cheng talks as if she witnessed it herself; it’s simply absurd. With such a rash demeanor, it’s clear the girls in your family aren’t much better. Even without today’s matter, we wouldn’t dare to associate," Mrs. Bai replied, trying to maintain her composure, then headed towards the door, ignoring Mrs. Cheng’s attempts to stop her.

Mrs. Cheng wanted to intervene, but Tong Miao’er said, "Aunt, it’s better to check on Fifth Sister first."

Mrs. Bai’s entourage hurried out the door.

Though Mrs. Cheng felt indignant and wished to argue further with Mrs. Bai, she understood the importance of prioritizing matters, so she swallowed her frustration.

Qin Liuxi said, "Madam, you can send someone to the West City. In a courtyard with a century-old hibiscus tree, you will find evidence. As the saying goes, ’to catch a thief, one must have the stolen goods.’ Without catching them, even if you talk your mouth dry, it’s indeed an unfounded story. To prevent them from retaliating by ruining the girl’s reputation, you should invite everyone to watch the show early on."

Mrs. Cheng’s expression became stern, and she nodded at her trusted servant beside her.

Qin Liuxi retracted the needles and inserted them into several more points, sang a Zhu You Song, and Cheng Yumi’s expression slowly became clear again.

"What happened to me?"

Mrs. Cheng held her dearly, her heart aching, gently pounded her a few times, and said angrily, "How dare you ask? You suddenly went mad, scaring me to death. What did you say to that Mr. Bai? You were fine when you left, but why did you throw such a big tantrum when you returned?"

Cheng Yumi’s expression changed, she lowered her head, squeezing the hem of her clothes, hunched over, her somewhat plump body trembling slightly.

Tong Miao’er said, "Dear Fifth Sister, don’t be afraid, we are here. Look, this is Master Buqiu, she saved me, if you feel uncomfortable, she will help you."

Cheng Yumi suddenly looked up at Qin Liuxi and said dryly, "Master, can you make me thinner, make me beautiful?"

Qin Liuxi raised her eyebrows and said, "Did that Bai fellow criticize your figure and appearance?"

Cheng Yumi looked sad and said, "I am this plump, which man would truly love me? He said a woman’s beauty lies in a slender and slim figure. He also said with my body shape, I shouldn’t wear clothes of this color, as it makes me look bulkier. He also said..."

"That bastard, everything he says is nonsense. So what if you’re plump? You didn’t grow up eating the Bai family’s rice, who is he to criticize you? The Bai family really has great family education. I thought he was a good one, but he turns out to be a shallow fake scholar, puff!" Mrs. Cheng said heartbrokenly.

Cheng Yumi cried, her face full of tears, "But, Mother, he’s not the only one who said so, Cousin Min’er also said I was too fat. No matter how beautiful the clothes, they look like a cloak on me, making my chest look big and seem frivolous. Round jewelry makes my face look round."

Mrs. Cheng was so angry that her body trembled, she said angrily, "She’s talking nonsense. A dirty heart sees dirt in everything. Why didn’t you tell me? No wonder your new clothes and jewelry seem to be with her. She must have conned you into giving them to her for alterations?"

Cheng Yumi smiled bitterly, "Anyway, I don’t look good in them. They say I’m fat and want me to make the chairs in my room larger, otherwise they won’t hold me. It’s hard to not eat, and if I lose some weight, after eating for only two days, I gain it back and have to start fasting again. Mother, I can’t stand it anymore."

Mrs. Cheng held her and cried too, "Good child, it’s not your fault. Eating is a blessing, they’re jealous of you enjoying your food. The more you agree with them, the more they’ll take advantage."

Tong Miao’er felt a bit of a headache, wondering how could someone be comforted like this?

Sure enough, with these words, Cheng Yumi became even more sad.

She would rather not have this enjoyment if it meant being this plump, especially when men looked at her, she instinctively hunched and shrank back, fearing they’d notice her chest.

"Your menstrual irregularity is also caused by fasting for weight loss?" Qin Liuxi spoke, "I’ve checked your pulse; it’s weakened and cold-damaged, with dampness rising to the neck. Do you experience blockage during your menstrual flow, with not much bleeding?"

Cheng Yumi blushed with embarrassment.

"It’s indeed like that, Miss’s menstruation hasn’t been good for the past six months, not frequent like before," noted Yun Ju, Cheng Yumi’s personal maid, interjecting.

Mrs. Cheng was enraged, "Why wasn’t this reported?"

Yun Ju knelt down.

"I forbade her to say anything. It’s not that serious, just not as much as before, which makes things easier," Cheng Yumi tugged at Mrs. Cheng’s sleeve.

Qin Liuxi shook her head, "You just reached your coming of age and already experiencing menstrual irregularity isn’t a good thing. This irregularity can greatly impact you. Firstly, your body may suffer from an impoverished Palace, causing deficiency in vital energy, uneven skin tone, spots, and acne. Menstrual cycles would bring abdominal pain, even affecting the spine. I’m sure you’ve already noticed."

Cheng Yumi turned a little pale.

"Secondly, there are mental symptoms. As they say, menstrual irregularity indicates a yin-yang imbalance, which can lead to irritability and liver fire ascending, and increased dampness. Coupled with your loss of self-confidence due to others’ comments, increased stress, any external stimulation can lead to dizziness and spells of faintness, appearing as if possessed by an Evil Ghost to outsiders."

Everyone turned pale; wasn’t Cheng Yumi just like that earlier?

Qin Liuxi continued, "This can be called manic depression. If it continues, your condition will worsen, and the fake episodes might become real."

Mrs. Cheng cried out in distress, almost collapsing.

Cheng Yumi also recoiled into Tong Miao’er’s embrace, trembling slightly, her face filled with fear.

Tong Miao’er gently patted her back to soothe her, "Sister Taoist Temple Master, can it be cured?"

"Since there’s an illness, it can naturally be treated. However, the root cause of your illness is your lack of confidence in your body. Relying on dieting to lose weight is not advisable and might even be harmful. I see the signs of cold dampness, and your spleen and stomach are already imbalanced. By merely dieting, over time, you could suffer stomach pain. I’m sure you already feel it protesting a bit, your complexion is evidence enough."

Cheng Yumi said, "I just want to be thinner."

"Your puffiness is due to severe dampness, in truth, although your body is robust, it’s proportionate, not just fat in one place. Remove the dampness and drive out the cold, balanced with dietary adjustments and exercise, your physique will become more in proportion and healthy. You may not become very slim, but you’ll look slimmer than now; after all, you’re quite tall."

Cheng Yumi’s eyes lit up, "Are you sure?"

"As long as you persist."

"I will, I’ll definitely persevere."

"Then I’ll prescribe a formula for you, firstly to regulate your menstrual irregularity, and also perform acupuncture to expel dampness and regulate menstruation. Following this set of acupuncture, I’ll apply body acupuncture to help with weight loss. As for diet, it should be mild, avoiding heavy oils, salts, and sugars. For exercise, practicing a set of Eight Pieces of Brocade would be suitable for you."

Mrs. Cheng listened, feeling a bit muddled and asked, "Aren’t you a master of the Daoist Temple? How come you’re so proficient in medical skills too?"

Qin Liuxi smiled proudly, "I’m not a master but a Daoist doctor, I know a little bit of everything!"