Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The doctorâs conscience made him unable to let go of the matter. He could not think of many people, so he came to look for Wang Yao.
âLetâs go.â
Pan Jun drove the two elders. Wang Yaoâs car followed behind.
They arrived in Lianshan County in less than 20 minutes. Pan Jun first dropped the two elders off at the station. They were grateful and kept saying they had met a good person, which made Pan Jun feel embarrassed. He left the station and went to the Peopleâs Hospital of Lianshan County with Wang Yao.
âWhereâs the patient?â
âAt the cardiology department.â
âIs he suffering from a heart problem?â
âThatâs what I deduced when he was in the emergency department, but the analysis report shows that his blood composition is problematic.â
On the way up the stairs, they discussed the condition of the patient they were about to meet.
âHello, Dr. Pan.â
âHello.â
Some doctors and nurses greeted Pan Jun along the way. He also greeted them back one by one. Through this situation, it could be seen that Pan Jun was quite popular in this hospital.
âWeâre here.â
The cardiology department was located on the eighth floor. Pan Jun brought Wang Yao to the ward where the patient was.
The patient lying on the bed was feeling extremely unwell. He looked like he was in his 60s. He was all skin and bones, like the heavy smokers on television or refugees who had not eaten for a long time.
On the side of the bed was a woman in her 30s, who seemed to be a relative.
They went forward a few steps. The patientâs breathing was uneven and heavy.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
âPan, why are you here?â
Just as Wang Yao was ready to check the patientâs pulse to have a detailed look at his condition, a doctor came into the ward.
âAh, Iâm here to have a look.â Pan Jun was suddenly a little embarrassed. After all, he was not responsible for this department. Moreover, he did not notify his colleagues before coming. Although he meant no offense, it signified that he was questioning his colleaguesâ skills.
âWhy? Are you worried about this patient?â his colleague asked.
âYes, Iâm a bit worried. His condition was more critical when he was admitted into the emergency department yesterday,â Pan Jun replied with a smile.
âHis condition is a lot better now. Heâs basically in a stable condition,â the doctor said, also with a smile. âYouâre overthinking.â
âThatâs good then. Thatâs good,â Pan Jun answered.
While they were talking, Wang Yao quietly placed his finger on the patientâs wrist.
His arms were a little cold, and his pulse was weak. They were not good signs.
Huh?
âWhat are you doing?â The patientâs family had noticed Wang Yaoâs actions.
âNothing. His arms are exposed, and itâs a little cold,â Wang Yao replied with a smile.
âWhoâs this?â The doctor looked at Wang Yao.
âOh, heâs my friend.â When he introduced the doctor to Wang Yao, he saw Wang Yaoâs hint. He then chatted with his colleague for a while and made a move to leave.
After coming out of the ward, Pan Jun asked, âHow is it?â
âIs the patient hospitalized due to a myocardial infarction?â
âYes,â Pan Jun answered.
That illness had become more and more common. There was also a tendency for younger people to suffer from it.
âDid you not give him a full-body checkup?â
âWe performed a color doppler ultrasound and electrocardiogram on him when he was in the emergency department.â
âDid you not discover any other problems?â
âNo. Whatâs wrong?â
âDid you not discover that there was a tumor in his liver?â Wang Yao replied.
âTumor? Is it benign or malignant?â Pan Jun was shocked.
âItâs malignant,â Wang Yao responded after being silent for a while.
A malignant tumor meant that it was most probably cancer.
âIt shouldnât be this way. With the current medical technology standard, this should be easier to judge.â
âThis wonât do. I have to talk to him.â After that, Pan Jun went to look for his colleague.
After a while, he came back and did not look too good.
âWhatâs wrong?â
âTheyâre going to perform NMR tomorrow.â
âThey should be able to discover it then,â Wang Yao replied. âDoes your colleague have an objection?â
âYes, a little.â
Although Pan Junâs colleague was still smiling when Pan Jun went over to tell him about it, there was an insinuation in his answer. He thought Pan Jun was crossing the line.
In fact, some departments looked down on the emergency department. The doctors there normally knew a little about everything, but they were not specialized in anything. After receiving the patients, they still had to transfer them to various specialized departments.
âWe already did what we could. What happens next will be dependent on them,â Wang Yao said.
Through this incident, his impression toward Pan Jun had improved a lot. Under the current ethos, such responsible doctors were rare.
âOh yeah, is it in the early stage or...â
âItâs in the early stage. If heâs treated in time, he may still stand a chance,â Wang Yao replied.
âIâll come over again tomorrow.â
It was already past 1 p.m. when they came out of the hospital. Pan Jun insisted on treating Wang Yao to a meal as a way to express his gratitude. Wang Yao could not decline his invitation, so he agreed.
Pan Jun chose a high-class restaurant and ordered many dishes.
âItâs just the two of us. Can we finish all these?â
âWhy donât you ask some of your friends? The ones we had a meal with last time,â Pan Jun suggested.
âOkay. Iâll ask them.â
Wang Yao called Wang Mingbao and the others. After a while, Wei Hai and Wang Mingbao arrived. Li Maoshuang had already had lunch. Plus, he was at his mother-in-lawâs at that time, so he could not make it.
It was not the first time they had met Pan Jun.
âWhy are you in town today?â
Pan Jun explained what happened.
âHey, doctors like you are very rare nowadays,â Wei Hai said.
Pan Jun sighed and replied, âIâm just worried.â
While chatting, Wang Yao was thinking about the patient he had diagnosed a while ago.
Medication might be able to suppress the tumor in the early stage.
Malignant tumors were an obstacle that medicine was trying hard to overcome. In modern society, cancer had become one of the three major threats to human health. Once one suffered from cancer, it basically meant that one was sentenced to death.
âWhat are you thinking about?â Seeing that Wang Yao was somewhat lost in thoughts, Wang Mingbao nudged him lightly.
âNothing.â
âLetâs drink.â
âYeah, letâs drink.â
They drank beer. They lived in Lianshan County, so it was not an issue for them to leave their cars outside. However, Wang Yao could not drink, so he drank tea.
It was already close to 3 p.m. when they came out of the restaurant.
âDonât drive.â
âOf course we canât. Theyâre so strict with drunk driving now.â
âHey, why donât we find a karaoke room and sing for a bit?â Wei Hai suggested.
âForget it. I still need to head back. You guys go ahead,â Wang Yao replied.
âLetâs go,â Pan Jun said.
Wang Yao said goodbye and drove back to the mountain village. When he arrived, he discovered two people waiting outside the medical center.
They were in their 40s, well-dressed, and looked quite fit. They seemed to be a couple.
Seeing that Wang Yao was opening the door, they quite surprised and asked, âAre you, Dr. Wang?â
âYes, and you are?â
They then explained their intentions for coming. They turned out to be people from the neighboring Houping. They incidentally heard there was a doctor in this mountain village with extraordinary pharmaceutical technology. They happened to have time that day to pass through the mountain village, so they especially came to have a look.
âLetâs talk inside.â
Wang Yao invited them into the medical center.
âThe environment here is good.â
âDo you want to get treated?â Wang Yao looked at the two of them.
They looked well, and their eyes were bright. Their breathing was also considered to be even. They did not seem ill.
âNo, no. Itâs not us. Itâs our son.â
âDid he not follow you here?â
âIt isnât very convenient for him to come because of his condition,â the man replied with a sigh.
âDr. Wang, can you make a house call?â
âSorry, I canât for the time being,â Wang Yao said.
âThen, when will you be here?â
âIâm usually here.â
After asking a few other questions, the couple made a move to leave.
âHeâs too young. Could he be a swindler?â
âHe doesnât look like it,â the middle-aged man answered.
âWeâll bring our son here then.â
âOkay.â
The black car left the mountain village.
âThereâs a car again.â
âHey, what business is Fenghuaâs son doing exactly? Why are there cars coming constantly?â
âTheyâre here to buy medicine.â
âIt doesnât seem that way.â
At night, it rained for the first time after the beginning of autumn. It only rained for two hours and did not rain heavily.
With the light rain, the medicinal herbs in the herbal field on the hill seemed to have grown more during the night.