Chapter 673: The Leader Visits Again

Chapter 673: The Leader Visits Again

Bai Zhi waved her hand politely, "No need, why would I need rent? Talking about money will hurt our feelings."

Liu Guifang's expression immediately turned serious. "What's there to hurt feelings about? Even close brothers keep clear accounts. I'm already very grateful that you can help me solve such a big problem. Of course, I'll give you the money. I have money now, so you don't need to worry."

Liu Guifang insisted, and Bai Zhi, without further ado, smiled and agreed, "Okay, then I'll listen to you."

The next day, Liu Guifang didn't set up her stall. Instead, she went with Bai Zhi to clean up the house in the county town. They cleared out everything from the storage room.

Then she went to a secondhand market and found a wooden plank bed.

They prepared bedding rolls.

These things are relatively easy to handle. What Liu Guifang is most worried about is the kitchenware. In the kitchen, there is a large adobe stove, the kind that can hold a large iron pot.

Landlords used to cook with large iron pots.

After Bai Zhi and her family moved in, they installed a kerosene stove for convenience.

It's used for cooking simple meals.

Liu Guifang sells those large steamers for steaming buns at the market in the county town.

Because the national policy of returning farmland to forest has been implemented in the past two years, there are fewer people selling firewood on the street, and the price of firewood has started to rise. Liu Guifang bought two bags of coal directly, as it is more convenient to burn coal directly.

She spent a whole day getting everything she needed for the kitchen ready.

Next comes the issue of setting up a stall.

Across from the Baizhi Clinic is the market.

On market days, the market is quite lively.

This area is very spacious, and Liu Guifang has her eye on a stall space.

I plan to set up a stall here tomorrow morning to test the waters.

After tidying up the kitchen, she went home to settle things, promising to come back here tomorrow afternoon to make noodles and jelly.

Bai Zhi was busy with her clinic and didn't have time to accompany her shopping.

Liu Guifang was also very efficient; by the afternoon of the second day, she had prepared everything and was already washing her face in the kitchen.

She also bought a small folding table and two benches to use for her stall.

The number of patients coming to Derentang to see Ye Rufeng for treatment is gradually increasing. Bai Zhi purchased a blood pressure monitor according to Ye Rufeng's request and posted a notice at the entrance that middle-aged and elderly people can come in to have their blood pressure measured for free.

Of course, most of the middle-aged and elderly people in this small county town are illiterate, so in order to make the information more intuitive for everyone, Bai Zhi bought a small loudspeaker, recorded some audio, and put it at the door to play on a loop.

This has indeed attracted a lot of middle-aged and elderly people, even though many of them don't even know what blood pressure is.

But they were curious to see what it was all about, since they could get a free physical exam and have their blood pressure checked.

Bai Zhi patiently explained the science to them and then measured their blood pressure one by one.

They actually identified several elderly people with high blood pressure.

Bai Zhi looked at a woman in her sixties with a blood pressure of 150 and asked, "Auntie, do you often feel dizzy?"

The old woman replied, "Yes, yes, I get dizzy all the time. I think it's because I get up too fast. I've even fainted before."

Bai Zhi explained to her, "This is high blood pressure. You have to take medicine, otherwise the consequences will be very serious."

Are medicines expensive?

“It’s not expensive. If it’s inconvenient to brew Chinese medicine, you can take Western medicine. Just take one pill in the morning.” Bai Zhi took a box of Western medicine for treating high blood pressure from the medicine cabinet and explained to the old lady, “This is an antihypertensive drug. Taking one pill every morning can lower your blood pressure. Of course, if you have the means, you can brew Chinese medicine to regulate your condition. Your long-term high blood pressure is very dangerous.”

When the elderly men waiting in line heard Bai Zhi say that she had been diagnosed with high blood pressure and needed to take medicine, offering both Western and traditional Chinese medicine, their expressions immediately turned sour.

A shrewd old man realized something.

He was straightforward and immediately began to criticize, "Aren't you deliberately examining us to sell us medicine? I was wondering why you were being so attentive all of a sudden, so it turns out you're after something profitable."

He had just been diagnosed with high blood pressure and was about to ask what to do, but when he saw the sales pitch for medication, he didn't bother asking anymore.

Run!

Bai Zhi, worried that they might damage the clinic's reputation, quickly explained, "Sir, you've misunderstood. We don't specialize in selling medicine; we're just offering free high blood pressure screenings. If you're healthy, of course you don't need medication. But if you're sick, do you have to take medicine no matter where you go? If you don't trust us, you can go to the hospital. In short, don't delay your treatment."

"Forget it, I've seen this kind of thing before. I'm not going to test you anymore. I'm leaving."

As soon as the old man left, the other people who had been diagnosed with high blood pressure who were following him also realized that Bai Zhi and the others were just trying to scam them, so they waved and left as well.

Bai Zhi did not stop them. She instructed the old woman, "Auntie, please go back and tell the younger generation in your family that you have high blood pressure. Tell them to take you to the hospital for a checkup and get treatment. Don't delay."

"Okay, okay, what's my illness called again?" The old lady forgot the name of the illness Bai Zhi had mentioned in the blink of an eye.

Bai Zhi repeated, "High blood pressure."

"Okay, I've got it. High blood pressure."

When things calmed down at the clinic, Bai Zhi plopped down on a stool and sighed, "Sigh, it's so hard to get anything done."

"What's so special about this? With your experience, haven't you seen anything like this before?" Ye Rufeng glanced at her and asked casually.

Bai Zhi said, "Grandpa, that's not what I meant. I just think there's a reason why people in small places have so many diseases. They're not only poor, but they also avoid seeking medical treatment."

Ye Rufeng spoke up, "Didn't you hear what that person said? He's seen this kind of trick many times, and he's been fooled so many times. He doesn't have any money, so of course he's going to be more vigilant."

Ye Rufeng has traveled all over the country and seen all sorts of bizarre things, especially in this small county town, which is basically a gathering place for swindlers.

Knowing only a little bit of medical skills, they would set up stalls on the street to treat illnesses and recommend their miracle drugs.

Judging from the complaints of those ordinary people, they must have fallen for this kind of scam before.

Given that they are from out of town, even though they have opened a clinic, they are not trusted, especially since they offer free blood pressure checks and then sell medication after diagnosing illnesses. This behavior inevitably raises suspicions about their motives.

Bai Zhi didn't take it to heart. She simply turned off the loudspeaker at the door and kept only the simple announcement.

Free blood pressure measurement.

The saying "you get what you pay for" applies to any industry.

...

On the morning of the third day after they returned from the military hospital, the clinic had just opened, and before the first patient arrived, two acquaintances walked in.

Bai Zhi had just finished wiping the table and was about to pour water into her glass when she saw the people who had come. She was surprised and asked, "Dean Liu, Director Li, what brings you two here so early?"

Dean Liu and Director Li both looked slightly embarrassed, with a hint of awkwardness and apology.

Dean Liu said with a smile, "Dr. Ye, Dr. Xiao Bai, we were worried that the clinic would be busy later, so we came early."

"Is there something you need?" Bai Zhi asked politely and kindly, though she already knew the answer.