Chapter 35 - The Young Couple's Lavish Play!

Outside the hospital room, Sister Luo sat on a chair near the nurse’s station, leafing through the stack of bills in her hand. These were invoices for various medical tests, and when added together, they had already become quite substantial. From small tests costing a few dollars to more significant ones costing hundreds of dollars, the expenses had piled up. However, after going through this series of tests, the over ten thousand dollars that Sister Luo had brought with her had almost been exhausted.

“Hospitals…”

“They aren’t welcoming places…”

“The money spent here seems to disappear faster than burning offerings during a memorial festival…”

Sister Luo chuckled wryly as she put all the bills back into her worn-out bag. Lu Ming had told her to keep these invoices safe, as they might be needed for reimbursement in the future. At that moment, Sister Luo noticed two nurses at the station having their lunch. Their lunch boxes contained chicken drumsticks, pork chops, shrimp, scrambled eggs, and more.

She couldn’t help but salivate. She had promised Shen Ruicong that she would buy him some fast food. However, given her current financial situation, she hesitated. Ultimately, she clenched her teeth and decided to buy fast food. After all, keeping promises to children was essential. One couldn’t go back on their word.

Being a parent meant setting an example for the child. Whatever parents did, children would follow suit.

Inside the examination room, as Lu Ming looked at the image that seemed to depict a fourth heart, he felt somewhat overwhelmed. He hadn’t even figured out the three existing hearts, and now there was a fourth one to deal with?

However, this was just a suspicion, and he needed to examine other images for a more accurate assessment. After reviewing a series of images, including CT scans and ultrasounds, Lu Ming finally decided. The object that appeared to be a heart was not a heart but a tumor. This tumor was located in the lower-left part of the chest, near the position of the heart.@@novelbin@@

Lu Ming couldn’t help but wonder if this tumor was related to Shen Ruicong’s sudden fainting and weakened state. If it turned out to be a benign tumor, that would be a relief. However, if it were a malignant tumor, the situation would become even more complex.

“Oh my God, what is all this?” Lu Ming exclaimed, feeling the pressure for the first time. He had never faced such a challenge before. It was imperative to conduct a thorough examination of this tumor. If it was indeed the source of the problem, removing it might restore Shen Ruicong’s health. As for the matter of the three hearts, that could be addressed later.

“I hope it’s the tumor causing the issues,” Lu Ming muttered to himself, for the first time hoping that a patient’s tumor would be problematic.

Meanwhile, Sister Luo arrived at a nearby fast-food restaurant after deciding to buy a meal. Upon entering, she felt a bit lost. Looking up, Sister Luo noticed many advertisements on the counter and was momentarily unsure what to choose.

“Hello, you can scan the code over there to place your order,” a staff member said with a smile to Sister Luo.

“Scan the code?” She asked, hesitating momentarily. It’s not that she didn’t understand what scanning a code meant, but her phone…

Sister Luo patted the basic keypad phone in her pocket but felt embarrassed to take it out.

Hesitating, she asked, “Can I pay with cash?”

The server paused for a moment. After all, refusing to accept cash, this somewhat outdated method is rarely practiced nowadays. Nevertheless, the server nodded and said, “Yes, you can.”

Declining cash as a payment method was against the law.

“How about this kids’ meal?” Sister Luo pointed to the children’s meal advertised and inquired.

“It’s delicious and suitable for our little one,” the server replied. “Our little one will like it.”

Upon hearing this, Sister Luo said, “Then I’ll have one children’s meal, please.”

Afterward, Sister Luo took out a small zippered pouch from her old cloth bag and retrieved a $5 bill folded in half.

“You can go sit over there and wait. Your order number is 0698, and here’s your change,” the server handed Sister Luo her change and provided her with the order number.

Sister Luo nodded and found a seat against the wall, sitting somewhat reservedly. She watched the men, women, and children in the restaurant, their faces filled with smiles. Suddenly, she felt like she didn’t quite fit into this world, as if she couldn’t keep up with the times. It was as if she were a primitive person left behind by the progress of society.

“0698, your order is ready,” a server called out shortly after Sister Luo’s meal was ready.

“This is a complimentary toy. Please take it,” the server handed her a randomly chosen small toy and meal.

Sister Luo was surprised. Were they giving away toys with food? She thought her son, Congcong, would be happy to have it.

With a smile, Sister Luo picked up the fried chicken and the little toy and hurried back to the hospital. Upon her return to the hospital, she entered the ward but couldn’t find her son.

“Nurse, where is the little boy in bed number 3?” Sister Luo quickly approached the nurse’s station to inquire.

“Are you asking about Shen Ruicong, the little one?” The nurse asked.

Sister Luo nodded repeatedly.

“Dr. Lu took him for an examination. He should be back soon,” the nurse replied.

“Oh, I see,” Sister Luo said with a sigh of relief upon hearing that Lu Ming had taken him. She then placed the fried chicken and the toy on the bedside table and patiently waited for Shen Ruicong to return.

More than half an hour later, Lu Ming brought Shen Ruicong back to the room.

“Dr. Lu,” Sister Luo quickly stood up when she saw him.

“Yes,” Lu Ming nodded slightly and said he wanted to talk to Sister Luo privately.

Sister Luo understood Lu Ming’s expression and said to Shen Ruicong, “Congcong, Mommy bought you fast food, just like you wanted. Look, there’s even a toy! You be a good boy and eat here while Mommy and Dr. Brother talk outside.”

Shen Ruicong obediently nodded and said, “Thank you, Mommy.”

Outside the ward, Sister Luo asked, “Dr. Lu, is the situation not looking good?”

Seeing Lu Ming’s expression devoid of any cheerfulness, Sister Luo felt anxious.

“Well, the thing is, there is still a tumor in the child’s body,” Lu Ming explained. “But we can’t confirm whether it’s benign or malignant. We need to wait for the test results. So, there are roughly two possibilities for now.”

“First, the child’s current condition may be caused by this tumor, and the three hearts inside the body have no impact on the child’s survival.”

“Second, it may not be related to the tumor, and if the tumor is benign, the deterioration in the child’s health could be due to the three hearts.”

Sister Luo’s face showed a mix of confusion. Didn’t that mean they hadn’t figured anything out? They had spent thousands on tests, and there was still no definite conclusion.

“Dr. Lu, when can we expect a definitive result?” She asked, frustrated.

“Don’t worry too much for now,” Lu Ming reassured her. “By tomorrow noon, we should have a result. We’ll conduct another examination tomorrow morning, and we’ll likely have a conclusion then.”

Sister Luo placed her hand on her old cloth bag, realizing that they would need to do another examination. The money… it might not be enough.

“For the cost, I’ll help you set up a deferred payment arrangement,” Lu Ming offered, sensing Sister Luo’s financial concern.

“Okay, thank you, Dr. Lu,” Sister Luo exclaimed, relieved.

As evening approached, a nurse at the emergency department’s station was surprised to see Lu Ming still at work.

“Hey, Dr. Lu, why haven’t you gone off duty?” She asked.

“Oh, I have a patient I need to monitor, so I’m working an extra shift today,” Lu Ming explained.

He felt that something might happen with Shen Ruicong tonight, so he planned to stay with him until the early hours. At that moment, an ambulance arrived outside. Since there was an on-duty doctor, Lu Ming didn’t pay much attention. However, the accompanying family member caught his interest.

“Honey, I promise I won’t nag you about your flatulence anymore. Please don’t die. Whatever you do, don’t die!”