“You have more than just the rash on your neck, don’t you? Take off your coat and let me have a look.”
Zheng Chunmei felt a bit embarrassed.
She had just noticed the live broadcast.
Liu Yan quickly reassured her with a serious tone, “Don’t worry, we’ll blur everything to protect your privacy.”
Hearing this, Zheng Chunmei reluctantly took off her coat.
Even though they were prepared, everyone was still shocked by what they saw underneath.
Her armpits, chest, stomach—everywhere they could see was covered in the same shingles-like rash!
Viewers in the live stream felt their scalps crawl.
“Gotta admit, I’m kind of impressed. She’s still out and about even in this state? That’s hardcore!”
“Oh my god, what kind of illness is this? It looks terrifying!”
“It seems like a skin disease, but it’s rare for a common one to spread all over the body like this.”
“Let’s see what the streamer says. He’s the professional.”
After watching his streams for a while, the audience had come to trust Qin Jiang’s medical skills.
His expertise was undeniable, even if his bedside manner… left much to be desired.
Seeing Zheng Chunmei’s symptoms, Qin Jiang already had a diagnosis in mind.
But to be thorough, he needed to check her pulse.
He took out some plastic wrap and laid three layers on the pulse pillow. Then, he put on a medical glove.
Precise and cautious, like a seasoned pro.
“Miss Zheng, please rest your hand here.”
Zheng Chunmei nodded and did as she was told, though she couldn’t help wondering:
Can he really get an accurate reading through such a thick glove?
Just as the thought crossed her mind, Qin Jiang began his questions.
“Miss Zheng, are you very fond of small animals?”
Zheng Chunmei shook her head.
“I’ve never liked small animals, especially the furry ones. I think they’re dirty.”
“So, you don’t have a cat at home, and you haven’t been near any recently?”
Zheng Chunmei nodded with certainty.
“I don’t like cats or dogs. I always keep my distance when I see them. I never get close.”
Qin Jiang murmured quietly, “That’s strange.”
Zheng Chunmei’s heart sank.
Just as I thought. Even if this young doctor has some skill, he’s still limited.
“Miss Zheng, stick out your tongue, please.”
As Zheng Chunmei stuck out her tongue, a complex odor hit Qin Jiang’s nose, nearly overwhelming him.
Yet, it was this very smell that confirmed his diagnosis.
“Your condition is actually quite treatable, but you’ll need to change your eating habits. Otherwise, trouble enters through the mouth.”
Zheng Chunmei looked confused. “Doctor, what do you mean? I don’t understand.”
Qin Jiang sighed. “You enjoy coffee, don’t you?”
Zheng Chunmei nodded.
“Yes, I love it. Several cups a day.”
“What kind do you prefer?”
An awkward expression crossed Zheng Chunmei’s face. “Latte… mostly.”
Qin Jiang gave a cold laugh. “Latte? Are you sure it’s not civet coffee?”
Zheng Chunmei stared at him in shock.
“You! How did you know!”
The live chat instantly erupted.
“Hey guys, what’s civet coffee? It’s not what I’m thinking, is it?”
“Yep, it’s exactly what you’re thinking.”
“Oh my god, several cups of civet coffee a day? How does she stomach it?”
“Well, you learn something new every day. Some people actually pay money to eat… that!”
Few in the stream knew about civet coffee, but Qin Jiang was quite familiar with the stuff.
Civet coffee is made from coffee berries that have been eaten and then excreted by wild civet cats. The beans are retrieved from their feces, ground up, and brewed. It’s supposedly known for a unique, captivating aroma.
Qin Jiang had no idea if the stuff actually tasted good.
But getting him to eat what came out of an animal’s rear? Not in this lifetime.
Seeing how accurately Qin Jiang had pinpointed her preference, Zheng Chunmei pressed him, “Doctor, what does my condition have to do with drinking civet coffee?”
“What does it have to do with it?” Qin Jiang stated bluntly, “Your illness is a classic case of toxoplasmosis infection.”
“Cats can carry the toxoplasma parasite in their feces. The only way it’s transmitted is through the fecal-oral route.”
“Which means the civet coffee you drank contained toxoplasma parasites. And, undoubtedly, it also contained some actual civet cat feces.”
The live stream audience burst into laughter.
“Well, she got the authentic stuff, alright!”
“This lady seems like a real connoisseur—prefers her drinks au naturel.”
“The original brew for the original flavor! Tastes fantastic!”
“I’ve had cats for years and never caught this. How did she get so ‘lucky’? Who is this woman?”
Zheng Chunmei was mortified.
She never imagined her illness could be linked to her taste in coffee.
No wonder she always detected a weird taste in her civet coffee.
That café must not have cleaned the beans properly!
“So doctor, my condition…”
Qin Jiang stood up. “I happen to have medicine that can help expel the parasites. Wait here, don’t move. I’ll go prepare the decoction for you.”
Following the formula provided by his system, Qin Jiang selected the herbs, placed them in a pot on the stove, and started the fire.
Zheng Chunmei waited patiently, enduring the burning pain all over her body, and sat waiting for half an hour.
“Here’s the medicine!”
After what felt like an eternity to Zheng Chunmei, Qin Jiang poured a steaming bowl of the herbal brew.
“Doctor, will I get better just by drinking this?”
Qin Jiang shook his head. “This decoction will only expel the toxoplasma parasites from your body. But your entire system is inflamed now. You also need something to clear the heat and reduce the inflammation.”
“Common herbs won’t be effective enough. You’ll need a special kind of medicine.”
A special medicine?
Qin Jiang gestured for Zheng Chunmei to follow him.
The camera crew, not wanting to miss this, quickly followed.
But as they walked, they noticed something was off.
“Why does it smell worse and worse the further we go?”
“We’re here. This is the place.”
Zheng Chunmei looked up and was horrified.
“The… the outhouse?”
Qin Jiang nodded with a completely serious face. “The special medicine I mentioned is inside this outhouse.”
“Go on in and get it yourself. There are white strings tied to the wall. Just pull one out.”
For the sake of her health, Zheng Chunmei gritted her teeth and went in.
A moment later, she stumbled out holding a filthy piece of bamboo, leaned against the wall, and vomited violently.
Qin Jiang nodded in satisfaction.
Vomiting was a way to expel toxins, too. This was good.
