Li Xu gestured for the patient to sit down and inquired about her condition.

The woman sighed and began to describe her troubles. "Doctor Li, my period has been very irregular recently. Sometimes it comes a few days early, and other times it’s a few days late. The flow is always very light and the color is pale. The most frustrating part is that it takes over ten days to stop completely. Whenever I get my period, I also get terrible cramps, feel dizzy and weak, and can’t sleep well at night."

Li Xu nodded.

He noticed that as the woman spoke, her eyes seemed to lack focus, and she appeared drained of energy.

He extended his hand, placed it on the woman’s wrist, and carefully took her pulse.

Her pulse was deep, fine, and weak. He then had her stick out her tongue; it was pale with a thin, white coating.

Considering the symptoms the woman described, Li Xu had already reached a diagnosis.

"You’re suffering from a constitutional deficiency. On top of that, you’ve just started a new job, so you’re busy and have been overthinking, which has damaged your spleen qi. When the spleen is damaged, your central qi becomes insufficient, throwing your Chong and Ren meridians into disharmony and causing the Sea of Blood to lose its ability to regulate. Over time, this has also impacted your kidneys. The kidneys are responsible for storing essence, and when kidney qi is deficient, this storage function fails. As a result, your deficient spleen can’t govern your blood, and your deficient kidneys can’t consolidate, leaving your Chong and Ren meridians undernourished. This is why your period arrives early, with a prolonged flow that just trickles on without end."

Li Xu explained in detail.

After listening, the woman asked, looking a little confused, "Doctor Li, so what’s the root cause of all this?"

Li Xu explained patiently, "Generally speaking, there are three main causes for irregular menstruation.

"The first is qi stagnation. This involves disharmony in the kidney qi and stagnation of the liver qi. Both the Chong meridian and the major collateral of the Shaoyin channel originate in the kidneys, and the Chong and Ren meridians converge in the uterus. When liver qi stagnates and kidney qi is weak, a person becomes prone to irritability, and their menstrual cycle naturally becomes irregular.

"The second is caused by an accumulation of cold. When pathogenic cold invades the uterus, it blocks the true yang. Insufficient Yang Qi then generates internal cold, leading to coldness in both qi and blood, which causes the uterus to contract. With cold qi and congealed blood, one will experience a delayed period with dark clots and a heavy, aching pain in the lower abdomen. These patients typically feel cold, have an aversion to cold, and have a pale complexion.

"Your situation, however, isn’t caused by accumulated cold. It belongs to the third category, which is caused by deficiency." 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

Li Xu said no more and entered a prescription into the computer:

Baked Astragalus Root, Fried Atractylodes, Charred Danggui, fried white peony, Longan Aril, Dodder Seed, Carbonized Rehmannia Glutinosa, Carbonized dried ginger, Schisandra, Codonopsis, Cornus Officinalis, Morinda Officinalis, Chaihu, Cimicifuga, Dried Tangerine Peel, and Poria Cocos.

He handed the printed prescription to Song Sisi to have her fill it.

Then he instructed the patient, "Take this for two weeks, and you should feel better. And I’ll say it again: try not to put yourself under too much stress, or no amount of medicine will work. Staying positive and keeping a regular schedule is more effective than any prescription."

The woman took the prescription, nodding repeatedly and promising to follow the doctor’s instructions.

After seeing the patient out, Song Sisi was again in front of her small mirror, moisturizing her face.

Seeing this, Li Xu couldn’t help but smile and ask, "What’s up? Back to moisturizing?"

Song Sisi replied with a sigh, "You know it. The weather has been so dry lately, and my skin feels awful. It’s all tight and uncomfortable."

Li Xu laughed. "Perfect timing. The Aloe Vera Frost I just made is ready for a test run."

"Aloe Vera Frost?" Song Sisi didn’t look pleased. Instead, she asked hesitantly, "Doctor Li, are you sure this is... actually safe to use?"

Li Xu raised an eyebrow, feigning confusion. "What’s this? You don’t trust me?"

Song Sisi quickly waved her hands. "It’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s just... I’m a little traumatized when it comes to Aloe Vera."

She explained, "Back when I was in college, we kept a potted Aloe Vera plant in our dorm. My roommates told me it was great for your skin, so on a whim, I decided to copy them. I broke off a small piece of a leaf, squeezed out the sap, and spread it right on my face. Not only did it do nothing, but a short while later my face got all red and itchy. The allergic reaction lasted for days. I’ve been scared to touch Aloe Vera ever since."

After listening to her story, Li Xu understood completely. "Ah, so that’s why."

"What you’re describing is quite common. Aloe Vera contains high levels of aloin, an anthraquinone compound that can be a mild irritant. The allergy rate is actually over twenty percent.

For people with sensitive skin, applying unprocessed Aloe Vera sap directly can easily trigger an allergic reaction or even cause dermatitis.

So it’s no surprise you had a reaction when you applied it so recklessly.

However, the Aloe Vera Frost I made has been processed to remove those irritants. I’ve only preserved the active ingredients that are beneficial to the skin, and I’ve also added gentle herbs like baked licorice to ensure it’s mild.

You can use it without worry. You’ll be fine."

Hearing Li Xu’s professional explanation, Song Sisi felt her worries subside.

"So... should I try it now?"

Song Sisi asked, eager to give it a go.

"Of course," Li Xu said with a smile. "It’s the perfect time to see how it feels."

Song Sisi nodded, went to the restroom, and carefully washed the makeup and other products from her face with warm water and a cleanser, making sure her skin was completely clean.

When she returned to the consultation room, Li Xu handed her a small glass jar filled with a milky-white Aloe Vera Frost.

Song Sisi carefully unscrewed the lid, and a light, fresh botanical fragrance wafted to her nose.

She dipped a fingertip into the frost and gently dabbed it onto her cheek.

"Wow!" Song Sisi couldn’t help but gasp. "This feels amazing!"

The Aloe Vera Frost had a very delicate texture. The moment it touched her skin, it created a cooling sensation, as if a fresh spring had just washed over her dry face.

The cooling feeling spread quickly, instantly relaxing her previously tight skin. Paired with the light fragrance, the experience was incredibly pleasant.

Song Sisi closed her eyes, savoring the moisturizing and soothing sensation of the Aloe Vera Frost.

She massaged it in gently, and the Aloe Vera Frost was quickly absorbed. Her face felt moisturized and refreshed, not the least bit greasy.

"How does it feel?"

Li Xu asked expectantly, watching her blissful expression.

"It’s so soothing! It’s nice and cool, not irritating at all. I feel like the dryness on my face is already getting better."

Song Sisi said, pleasantly surprised.

Just as they were speaking, another patient came in.

Song Sisi quickly composed herself and got back to work.

For the rest of the day, a steady stream of patients came to the clinic, keeping Song Sisi and Li Xu busy until closing time.

As the workday ended, the clinic fell quiet once more.

Li Xu looked over at Song Sisi and asked, "So, how does your face feel after a day of using the Aloe Vera Frost?"

Song Sisi walked over to a mirror and examined her reflection.

She touched her cheeks. The tone of her skin hadn’t changed much, but the tight feeling from the dryness was completely gone.

Her skin felt hydrated, and the discomfort of being parched had vanished.

"I think... it’s not as dry as it was before."

Song Sisi answered honestly. While there was no immediate, miraculous "beautifying" effect, the relief from the dryness was already enough to satisfy her.

Li Xu smiled. "This is just the beginning. You’ll see more results over time."