Chapter 19 - Suggestion to Visit the First People's Hospital with KFC

“But my son is still quite thin,” Du Nianzhen objected. “Even when we went to the hospital, they said he was underweight.”

“Look at his arms. They’re as skinny as chicken wings,” she continued, expressing doubt and attributing her son’s thinness to his preference for only one type of meat and vegetable. She directly seized Guan Yichen’s arm and lifted it to show Lu Ming.

“There are various factors for being thin,” Lu Ming explained patiently. “Some people are naturally slender, regardless of how much they eat. Others may have poor digestion in their intestines and stomach, leading to thinness.”

Lu Ming gestured for Guan Yichen to come closer and said, “Come here.”

Du Nianzhen urged Guan Yichen to sit in front of Lu Ming. Then, Lu Ming began to examine Guan Yichen’s pulse.

“Your gastrointestinal function is somewhat weak,” Lu Ming observed. “However, it’s not a major concern. I’ll prescribe two medications to improve your digestive function.”

Following the diagnosis, Lu Ming confirmed that Guan Yichen’s thinness was due to poor digestion.

“But these medicines can only help regulate it,” Lu Ming continued. “The key is to pay attention to your daily diet. If your child can’t consume much in one meal, you can try having smaller, more frequent meals.”

“Instead of three meals a day, consider five or even six meals daily, with additional snacks.”

Simultaneously, Lu Ming advised Du Nianzhen that the fundamental solution to her child’s thinness was to make dietary improvements in their daily life. Du Nianzhen reluctantly nodded in agreement.

Next, Lu Ming turned his attention to the other mother and daughter.

“Is the child also feeling unwell?” Lu Ming inquired.

Zhu Cuicui nodded and said, “Yes, it’s a similar issue to the boy from the previous case—too frail. She cries whenever it’s time to eat and never eats properly. I also want you to prescribe medicine to regulate her digestive system.”

“Come here. Let me take a look,” Lu Ming beckoned to Zhu Cuicui’s daughter, Jia Lienshan.

Jia Lienshan glanced at her mother and, upon receiving her mother’s nod of approval, approached Lu Ming.

“Your daughter is fine. She’s in good health,” Lu Ming reassured them. “She does have a slightly low blood sugar level, probably due to not eating enough.”

“I told you she doesn’t like to eat,” Zhu Cuicui said anxiously. “How can we make her eat?”

“Please wait a moment,” Lu Ming signaled for Zhu Cuicui to be calm. He then crouched down beside Jia Lienshan and whispered into her ear.

Jia Lienshan glanced at her mother, covered her mouth with her hand, and replied hushedly, engaging in a private conversation with Lu Ming. On the other side, Zhu Cuicui couldn’t help but feel puzzled by the situation unfolding in front of her.@@novelbin@@

After a lengthy conversation, Lu Ming concluded his discussion with Jia Lienshan. He turned to Zhu Cuicui and said, “I can’t address your daughter’s issue here. She needs to be transferred to another hospital.”

“Transferred to another hospital?” Zhu Cuicui was shocked. “What do you mean? Is there a serious problem?”

She wondered why they would need to transfer to another hospital.

“Yes,” Lu Ming nodded. “I recommend taking her to the First People’s Hospital with KFC.”

“Huh?” Zhu Cuicui thought she might have misheard. They were going where? The First People’s Hospital with KFC? What kind of place was that? After a moment of confusion, she considered if they were going to KFC to eat.

“I’ve discussed it with your daughter. You can take her there,” Lu Ming added. “She will tell you everything when the time comes.”

Lu Ming smiled but didn’t offer further clarification. He believed it would be more effective for the child to talk with her mother about this issue. Zhu Cuicui looked at Lu Ming’s earnest expression and realized he wasn’t joking.

“Alright,” she replied, still somewhat uncertain.

After leaving the Jimin Clinic, Zhu Cuicui and Du Nianzhen took their children to the nearest KFC and ordered two family-sized meal deals. What followed left Zhu Cuicui astonished.

Jia Lienshan, who used to cry and refuse to eat more than a few bites at mealtimes, was now not only grinning but also holding a chicken drumstick in her left hand and a chicken wing in her right, thoroughly enjoying her meal. At that moment, Zhu Cuicui seemed to have an epiphany, but she couldn’t help but ask with a hint of suspicion, “Lienshan, can you tell Mom why you didn’t want to eat properly before?”

Hearing her mother’s question, Jia Lienshan’s joyful expression paused, but she remembered her agreement with Lu Ming and decided to tell her mother the truth.

“Mom, the food you make doesn’t taste good,” she responded.

At that moment, Zhu Cuicui felt like a lightning bolt had struck her head. She had unraveled the mystery! Her child’s reluctance to eat wasn’t due to a medical issue but because her cooking was unappetizing. She suddenly understood a lot of things. No wonder Jia Lienshan would gain weight when she stayed with her grandparents in the countryside for a while and then lose it when she returned home. It was because her grandparents’ food was delicious, and she enjoyed eating it.

It was a lesson learned: a choosy child might not be unwell. They may not like the food.

Children may be young, but they are not foolish.

“Dr. Lu, why did you send them to KFC?” A medical intern outside the clinic observed Lu Ming’s actions and was perplexed. The interns often spent their free time listening and learning in the various examination rooms.

“Because the child isn’t demanding. It’s just that the food at home is not up to par,” Lu Ming explained his decision. “I’ve already spoken to the child, and she’ll be candid with her mother.”

Some parents might think that the food they cooked was delicious, and if they could eat it, why couldn’t their child? They might attribute the issue to fussiness and try methods they found online, like letting the child go hungry to coerce them into eating. This approach might work for truly selective eaters, but in reality, what adults find delectable might not be the same for children.

Children’s taste buds are often more sensitive. For instance, the natural bitterness of vegetables can be tolerated or even ignored by adults, but children’s taste buds magnify this bitterness, making them find vegetables very bitter. This is one of the reasons many children dislike eating vegetables.

“I see,” the intern said, suddenly enlightened. Today, he has gained another piece of valuable knowledge.

Lu Ming nodded and then called the next patient into the examination room. The person who entered was a female patient. As soon as she walked in, she expressed her concerns.

“Doctor, I’ve been experiencing frequent sleeplessness lately…”