Bai Taoran listened to An Ran recount case after case, and her heart began to soften. Could she also seek out this shop owner for a consultation?
“Is this shop owner that capable? She sounds less like a restaurant owner and more like a doctor.”
An Ran was a devoted fan of Meng Huai and knew even more details.
“The shop owner knows so much! Even doctors aren’t as good as her!”
That sounded a bit exaggerated, Bai Taoran thought.
An Ran glanced at Bai Taoran, whose expression revealed everything, allowing An Ran to read her thoughts clearly.
An Ran leaned closer to Bai Taoran and, shielding her mouth with her hand, whispered, “Taoran Jie, you know about the detoxifying agent developed by Tang Corporation, right?”
“I’ve heard of that detoxifying agent. They say many companies researched it for years, and it was unexpected that Tang Corporation developed it. And it’s exclusive. Tang Corporation must have made a lot of money from this agent in the past two months.”
The consumption of this detoxifying agent was immense, after all, food was the easiest thing to sell. While this detoxifying agent wasn't food itself, it was a necessary condition for making star beast meat edible, thus it sold exceptionally well.
An Ran didn't precisely know how much money it made, but she knew Meng Huai had shares in it.
She had overheard this information accidentally, but Meng Huai didn't try to hide it. When An Ran casually inquired, Meng Huai revealed that she had developed it and was entitled to dividends.
Bai Taoran was also puzzled as to why the topic had shifted. An idea struck her, and she said in disbelief, “Don’t tell me this is related to that mysterious shop owner!”
An Ran’s expression was filled with pride, as if she herself were the mysterious shop owner. In fact, even as a fan, she felt proud.
“Yes! The shop owner developed it!”
This was truly astonishing. If that were the case, Bai Taoran was very eager to meet this shop owner.
Her assistant then called her, “Taoran Jie, filming is about to start.”
Bai Taoran took off her coat, preparing to go to the set. But before leaving, she said to An Ran, “If you have the chance, can you introduce me to this shop owner? Please?”
An Ran hadn't expected that this movie queen, the lead actress of the crew, would ever ask a favor of her, a nobody. She immediately nodded vigorously, saying, “Yes, yes, of course.”
Thus, the two arranged a time and left the film set when neither of them had any scenes.
This led them to the Medicinal Cuisine Restaurant, arriving at the moment Bai Taoran was explaining her purpose to Meng Huai.
“My husband and I have been married for many years, and we haven’t had children. An Ran, this girl, has shared many cases with me, problems that current technology finds difficult to solve. She said you have resolved them, so I wanted to…”
Hearing this, Meng Huai glanced at An Ran. An Ran was giving Meng Huai a thumbs-up, looking as if to say, “Praise me, praise me!”
Meng Huai shook her head helplessly and said to Bai Taoran, “Taoran Jie, this issue is not like hair loss; it’s not something that can be resolved just like that.”
Bai Taoran did not give up because of Meng Huai’s words. Perhaps because she usually acted in films, she paid closer attention to people’s expressions in her daily life. Although Meng Huai said this, her expression did not convey any hint of ‘she couldn’t do it.’
Bai Taoran stated with certainty, “I believe the shop owner must have a way.”
Meng Huai then instructed Bai Taoran, “Taoran Jie, please rest your hand on the table like this, palm facing up.”
Bai Taoran didn’t know Meng Huai’s purpose in asking her to do this, but she felt it was a sign that Meng Huai had a solution. So she did as Meng Huai instructed, resting her wrist on the table, palm up.
Then, Bai Taoran and An Ran watched as Meng Huai placed her index, middle, and ring fingers on Bai Taoran’s wrist. Meng Huai told Bai Taoran, “Don’t be nervous, calm your mind.”
Bai Taoran relaxed and watched Meng Huai’s movements, not daring to speak at this moment.
Neither of them knew what Meng Huai was doing, as there were no records of pulse-taking with traditional Chinese medicine at this time.
Meng Huai said nothing during the pulse-taking, and An Ran dared not disturb her. It was only when Meng Huai removed her hands from Bai Taoran’s wrist that Bai Taoran asked, “Shop owner, what are you doing?”
“Taking your pulse, diagnosing your condition and symptoms through your pulse.”
Bai Taoran had never heard of a diagnosis that didn’t require sophisticated instruments but was made by touching the skin. However, she also knew that this shop owner was no ordinary person, so she asked, “Then what can you tell about my body?”
“There are no major problems. You didn’t find any issues during your hospital check-ups either, did you?”
Bai Taoran nodded, “Yes, the doctors said there were no problems. They just said that conceiving now is difficult, and it’s not a physical issue.”
An Ran, upon hearing this, secretly rolled her eyes. These doctors just spouted nonsense…
“Taoran Jie, you usually experience mild pain in your lower abdomen on both sides, and your abdomen often feels heavy and bloated, right?”
Bai Taoran was about to shake her head upon hearing Meng Huai’s words, but upon closer reflection, she realized it was indeed the case: “I hadn't noticed it until you mentioned it. It seems I do feel that way.”
“You can touch your belly and see if it feels cold.”
Bai Taoran touched it, and it was indeed cold.
“Is there something wrong with me? Could it be my body’s condition that prevents me from getting pregnant?”
Meng Huai shook her head and said, “Your hands are ice-cold. Have you suffered from a cold in the past few years?”
Before Bai Taoran could say anything, An Ran quickly interjected, “I know about this! Taoran Jie is famous for her dedication. She once stood barefoot in the ice and snow for two days while filming! The director at the time insisted on realism and really went into the snow.”
Meng Huai didn’t ask why she stood barefoot, thinking it was for the role.
“This is just tormenting your body. Cold enters the body from the feet, and the invasion of cold has quite significant harmful effects.”
Meng Huai briefly explained to Bai Taoran, “Your uterus is now like an ice cellar; naturally, children are unwilling to stay.”
Bai Taoran’s brows furrowed. In the past, when this incident was mentioned, it was always about her dedication. She thought at the time that she just had to endure it and it would pass, never imagining that it could affect her ability to conceive.
Bai Taoran’s face was pale at this moment, her lips devoid of color. Her voice lowered as she asked Meng Huai, “You must have a way, right?”
Meng Huai nodded, “I told you, it’s not a major problem. Don’t be nervous!”
An Ran also held Bai Taoran’s hand, offering encouragement.
“Yes, Taoran Jie, you have to believe Meng Huai.”
Bai Taoran also looked at Meng Huai, “Okay, then what should I do?”
Meng Huai thought for a moment and said, “This is not a big problem, but it requires slow recuperation. Moreover, your mood is also very important. You must remain cheerful; constant anxiety is not good.”
Bai Taoran thought to herself: How did she know I was often anxious? Although Bai Taoran held a high position in the industry now, she still worried a lot.
Meng Huai knew that telling her not to be anxious wouldn’t help with her state of mind; everything had to be done gradually. She first formulated some plans for Bai Taoran: “First, consume the medicinal cuisine daily. Second, your body can be conditioned with daily medicinal baths. Third, give yourself a vacation!”