Chapter 23 - They Gave Me a Box of English Listening Tapes?!
Chapter 23: They Gave Me a Box of English Listening Tapes?!
“So, if I just sunbath and protect my eyes, will that suffice?” Wang Jieqiong considered these tasks to be quite straightforward. The crucial part was that they wouldn’t cost her anything. Recovering from her illness without spending a dime was something that would make anyone happy.
Additionally, she was currently low on funds, so she had chosen traditional Chinese medicine. In the minds of many, consulting a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner and having a pulse reading was a more economical option than undergoing expensive medical tests at a hospital.
“No, no, there are a few other things to consider,” Lu Ming said, shaking his head.
“Hmm?” Wang Jieqiong asked with concern, “Do I need to take medication? But Doctor, you mentioned earlier that I shouldn’t and couldn’t take medicine.”
“No, you won’t be taking medication,” Lu Ming assured her. “Given your current condition, it’s not suitable for you. However, I can offer you something else.”
With that, Lu Ming opened a drawer and started searching inside. This scene not only puzzled Wang Jieqiong and Li Xuejing but also left the viewers in the livestream chat confused.
“When you’re sick, you usually take medication. If he’s not prescribing medication, what else could he possibly provide?”
“Why does it feel like things are getting a bit shady?”
“Could it be that all that talk earlier was just a setup, and now they’re going to start taking advantage of us?”
“First gain people’s trust, then set them up?” one viewer in the livestream chat questioned.
“I don’t think it’s like that,” another viewer responded. “This young doctor must have his unique methods for treating illnesses.”
Some viewers eagerly anticipated what special treatment method Lu Ming would reveal, while others were skeptical, thinking that Lu Ming might be trying to deceive people.
Before long, Lu Ming took something out of the drawer.
“What is this?” Wang Jieqiong tilted her head, looking puzzled because Lu Ming had taken out a “Junior High School English Listening Tape”!
It was a rectangular object with two holes on top, just like a cassette tape.
“What is this for, Doctor?” Wang Jieqiong asked with a baffled expression. Why had Lu Ming suddenly produced an English listening tape?
“Doctor, what’s this about?” Li Xuejing also couldn’t help but feel confused.
They were in the middle of a medical consultation, and now Lu Ming was bringing out English tapes. Was he planning to give her an English lesson?
“You take this tape back with you and listen to it. You might need to purchase a radio for yourself,” Lu Ming told Wang Jieqiong.
“Hmm?” Wang Jieqiong couldn’t believe her ears. “You want me to listen to an English listening tape? Can this help with my illness?”
“Ah, we have to keep up with the times,” Lu Ming sighed. “I’ll have to talk to Hui Shu later and get these recordings converted to CDs. Not many households have radios nowadays.”
Lu Ming continued to speak as if in deep thought, “We have some songs on these tapes.”
“What do you mean, Doctor?” Wang Jieqiong asked for clarification.
Lu Ming returned to reality and explained, “Actually, it’s not English listening. It’s a music collection. Pure instrumental music.”
“In the early days, due to limited resources and tight budgets, our clinic collected some discarded audio cassette tapes. We then reprocessed them by recording pure instrumental music onto these tapes.”
Lu Ming clarified what this “English listening tape” contained and its origin.
Wang Jieqiong still couldn’t comprehend it. “So, you want me to listen to music to treat my illness?”
Lu Ming nodded, “That’s the idea.”
Wang Jieqiong was left speechless, and the livestream chat once again became lively.
“I can understand the part about sunbathing for health, but using music to treat illness? What on earth is this?”
“Unbelievable! It’s the first time I’ve heard that music can cure diseases.”
“If music can cure diseases, hospitals would have closed by now.”
Not only Wang Jieqiong and Li Xuejing, but even the viewers in the livestream chat couldn’t comprehend the idea.
“This… Is there a scientific basis for this?” Li Xuejing asked a question that was on everyone’s mind.
Since Lu Ming claimed that listening to music could treat illnesses, there must be some underlying principles, right?
“Music therapy,” Lu Ming replied.
“Five-tone therapy?” Li Xuejing and Wang Jieqiong repeated simultaneously, their voices tinged with disbelief. It was the first time they had heard of this term.
“If I told you that the ancient guqin was originally invented with therapeutic functions, would you believe it?” Lu Ming looked at both of them with a cheerful smile.
Li Xuejing and Wang Jieqiong were truly astonished by this paradigm shift in their understanding. The guqin was not just a musical instrument but was deeply connected to ancient Chinese medicine.
“So, you’re saying the guqin was created for healing?” Li Xuejing sought further clarification.
Seeing their bewildered expressions, Lu Ming continued to explain, “The ancient guqin originally had only five strings, each corresponding to the Five Elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. It also matched the Five Tones: gong, Shang, jue, zhi, and yu.”
“At the same time, it was linked to the body’s five organs: the lungs corresponded to metal, the liver to wood, the kidneys to water, the heart to fire, and the spleen to earth.”
“Of course, the Five Elements also relate to the body’s five transformations, flavors, body parts, fluids, and more. I won’t go into too much detail about that to avoid confusion.”
“So, striking the Five Tones correctly can stimulate the body’s five organs to some extent. It’s similar to how ancient armies used drumming to boost morale among their troops, using rhythm to influence them. Incorrect drumming rhythms could disrupt the soldiers’ morale.”
Li Xuejing and Wang Jieqiong wore expressions of disbelief after hearing this explanation.
It was truly unbelievable!
They never expected that traditional Chinese medicine would have such a connection to music. It sounded extraordinary, and they wondered if anyone would believe it. It was a scam.
In the live stream chat:
“Our ancestors left us something amazing. I had no idea the earliest guqin had only five strings. Why isn’t it a full set of 7 notes? So, can music treat illnesses? If that’s the case, I might need to listen to Netease music every night.”
“Net ease music? The doctor said we should listen to pure music, not your emo songs.”
“Streamers! Where can I find this doctor? I want to see him and buy a box of those tapes!”
“+1! Please share the address!”
“I wasn’t interested in traditional Chinese medicine before, but I didn’t expect there’s so much interesting knowledge about it. If so, I will support traditional Chinese medicine from now on.”
The livestream chat viewers were becoming more engaged in the discussion, with some expressing their desire to see Dr. Lu Ming for treatment.
“Doctor, can I share your address with the viewers?” Li Xuejing asked on behalf of the viewers.
Dr. Lu Ming agreed, “Of course you can.”
Li Xuejing was excited, thinking this might be a viral way to gain more followers.
“Doctor, how much does a box of these tapes cost?” She inquired.
Wang Jieqiong, concerned about the financial aspect, wanted to know if these miraculous tapes would come with a high price tag. After all, unconventional items often carried a hefty price.
Dr. Lu Ming waved his hand, assuring Wang Jieqiong, “You don’t need to pay for it. I’ll give it to you. These tapes are outdated. We’re transitioning to using recorded CDs.”
Wang Jieqiong took a deep breath and said, “This is unbelievable. Not only did I not have to spend a single penny on treatment, but I also got a box of tapes for free! Traditional Chinese medicine is becoming more and more appealing!”