Marina couldn’t hide her surprise. When Leo’s fingers touched her back, she felt her inner turmoil subside, and the heat in her body eased a little.
Anxious, Baldwin asked, “Dr. Bloomer, what’s wrong with my sister? Can you cure her?”
“Of course, I can,” Leo replied indifferently without even glancing at Baldwin. “Although it may look severe, the red blotches will disappear after a bath, and Marina’s underlying condition will also improve.”
Leo’s response left Baldwin wide-eyed. “What did you just say? A bath?”
After his initial shock, Baldwin grew increasingly furious. He knew Leo was doing this intentionally, perhaps venting his frustration at being dismissed earlier.
He couldn’t believe that a bath could cure such a serious condition. If bathing could heal illness, there wouldn’t be any sick people left in the world.
Baldwin glared at Leo and exclaimed, “Leo, just because I need your help now doesn’t mean you can mock me like this! Where’s your medical ethics?”
Leo, still maintaining a cold expression, responded, “Mr. Meredith, why would I mock you for no reason?”
“I’m asking you how to treat my sister’s condition, and you claim that a bath will cure it? This isn’t mockery; this is madness! Are you suggesting that my sister painted herself, and a bath can wash it off?” Baldwin had to clench his fists tightly to avoid losing his temper. He wanted to punch Leo in the face.
Ryan, who had remained silent until now, stood up. He seemed to understand what Leo meant and asked, “Dr. Bloomer, when you mentioned a bath, are you talking about a herbal bath?”
Ryan had some knowledge of herbal baths, although he hadn’t delved deeply into this form of treatment. He thought herbal baths were more for relaxation and general well-being rather than treating severe medical conditions.
Leo gave Ryan a quick glance and replied, “Dr. Burns is quite knowledgeable; yes, I’m referring to a herbal bath. Some people make a fuss even when they don’t understand things and accuse others of mocking them.”
Leo’s sarcasm almost set Baldwin off. But for the sake of his beloved sister, he decided to endure for now. If this Leo guy managed to cure Marina, everything would be fine. But if not, he swore that Leo would regret it.
Ryan, hearing Leo’s confident tone, grew a bit excited. He thought that if Leo successfully treated Marina’s current symptoms with a herbal bath, he would definitely want to learn about the herbal formula.
Leo asked the butler to fetch paper and pen and hastily wrote down a list of over ten traditional Chinese herbs. He handed the paper to the butler, instructing him to purchase these herbs and have the pharmacy prepare them into a medicinal solution.
Leo hadn’t brought the herbs from his clinic because he hadn’t conducted a thorough examination of Marina’s condition yet. Traditional Chinese medicine relied on precise diagnoses, and he couldn’t administer herbs without proper evaluation. Therefore, he needed to buy fresh herbs from a nearby pharmacy based on Marina’s symptoms.
After the butler rushed off, Leo turned to Marina and asked, “Miss Meredith, have you had lunch?”
Before and after meals, there should be a half-hour gap before taking a herbal bath; otherwise, it could lead to reduced blood circulation in the stomach and intestines, making digestion less effective and possibly causing discomfort, or even nausea and vomiting.
Marina shook her head and replied, “I have no appetite.”
Leo smiled and said, “You must eat. food is the priority for people. You can’t skip meals. Before I begin the treatment, you need to have something to eat. Trust me; I’m confident I can make you better.”
Although Leo had a poor impression of Baldwin, he felt positively about helping his sister, Marina. She had a calm and unassuming demeanor and showed no signs of being a spoiled heiress.
Marina, looking at Leo’s smile, felt a strange sense of security and calmness. Even though she had just met Leo, she could sense a certain level of safety and peace emanating from him.
Marina wasn’t particularly hungry, but she nodded in agreement. Her brother, Baldwin, who was eager to help her, quickly asked, “Marina, what would you like to eat? I’ll have the hotel prepare it.”
After giving it some thought, Marina replied, “I’d like some mixed sauce noodles.”
Leo added, “And a sunny-side-up egg, please.”
Marina’s health was indeed deteriorating, and she was suffering from some nutritional deficiencies.
Following Baldwin’s orders, the hotel staff quickly brought in a steaming bowl of mixed sauce noodles with an added sunny-side-up egg. Despite her lack of appetite, Marina forced herself to finish the whole bowl, knowing it was essential for her recovery.
Now, they were waiting for the butler to return with the medicinal solution.
In this relaxed atmosphere, Thomas’s eyes shifted a few times before fixing on Leo. He took out his business card and approached Leo, saying, “Dr. Bloomer, hello, I’m Thomas Wordsworth. Here’s my card.”
It seemed that Thomas was attempting to curry favor with Leo. However, Leo had no fondness for someone who had previously mocked him and couldn’t be bothered. He waved him off and said, “I’m sorry, Mr. Wordsworth, but I’m not interested in your industry.”
As a prominent figure in the business world, it was the first time Thomas had offered his card only to be rejected. He felt embarrassed.
Harry, observing the exchange, was rather pleased to see Thomas fail. He knew Leo had a strong personality and wasn’t someone who would entertain just anyone.
Harry silently made up his mind to build a good relationship with Leo in the future.
After a while, the butler returned with two sealed bags of medicinal solution.
“Dr. Bloomer, the medicinal solution you requested is ready,” the butler said politely to Leo.
Leo nodded and then instructed Marina’s servant, Sandra, “Go to the bathroom and fill the bathtub with water up to two-thirds. Remember, the water temperature should be maintained at around 45 degrees, with no more than a three-degree difference from top to bottom. Once the water is ready, pour the medicinal solution into the bathtub.”
Marina’s condition required hot baths for optimal effectiveness, as warm baths wouldn’t be as effective in combating her cold symptoms.
Sandra, not daring to offend Leo, quickly went to prepare the bath as instructed.
Leo turned to the butler and asked, “Did you buy the medicinal black roses?”
“Yes, I did,” the butler replied, offering one of the bags to Leo.
Leo shook his head and said, “No need to give it to me. After filling the bathtub with water and adding the medicinal solution, just scatter the medicinal black roses into it.”
Ryan, the blind man, overheard the mention of “medicinal black roses” and couldn’t help but wonder. He asked, “Dr. Bloomer, may I ask about the purpose of adding medicinal black roses?”