Over the next several weeks, Ning followed the cleansing schedule, measured inhalations, and restorative broth. She wrote each session on her own calendar and marked whether the cough woke her at night. On the first evening after Returning Spring Palm, she drew a small circle around the treatment time and wrote “easier breath, tired.”
Yan watched her mark the page. “Can I add a mark beside every successful breath?”
Ning took the pencil back. “I can count for myself.”
“I was only offering.”
“I know. Let me keep the calendar.”
He sat beside her and watched her record the next dose. Qinghe checked the chart with her permission. The treatment had helped the marked tissue, but Ning still tired after a long walk. The inhalation schedule continued.
Fan checked her lung mirror twice each week. The residue continued to clear, though the improvement was gradual. After one morning dose caused no tightness, Ning asked whether the next inhalation could be adjusted. Fan did not change it until she reported the same result at the following visit. Qinghe compared the dose and pulse notes; they kept the level steady rather than chasing a dramatic reading.
At the next appointment, Ning asked Fan to explain why he wanted the same amount. “Because two sessions without tightness are useful, but not enough to know how you will respond every time,” he said.
