Ning began the cleansing session after breakfast. She arrived with the stamped lung reading in her own folder and the signed schedule clipped to it. Qinghe sat beside her. Yan waited near the door until Ning waved him in.
“Today is the first dose,” Fan said. “We’ll check your breath against yesterday’s measure, then use the shorter exposure you chose. If you want to stop, raise two fingers.”
Ning checked the signal with him. “You’ll tell me before changing anything?”
“Yes. I won’t adjust the dose while you’re breathing.”
Fan asked before taking her pulse. He counted, then had her walk a short length of the room. Ning returned to the chair at her own pace. The measure was close to yesterday’s. She looked at the slate and asked whether the difference was meaningful.
“Not by itself,” Fan said. “It is a starting point. We compare after treatment.”
He placed a cup of warm herb steam beside her chair. Qinghe checked the dose against the recipe, then confirmed the cup’s fill line. Ning glanced at the notes and made sure the first exposure was half the usual amount.
“Ready?” Fan asked.
