Chapter 42: Luo Hao's Hand

"Leader, why does that guy look a bit familiar?" Zhou Tianci asked softly and doubtfully.

Section Chief Duan's expression changed repeatedly. Seeming to recall something, he pulled his neck in and dragged Zhou Tianci far away.

After moving to a safe distance, he offered no explanation to Zhou Tianci, his face full of pensive thought.

Some things were better left unknown.

Zhou Tianci did not dare to ask further. He knew very well that speaking less was a hundred times better than speaking more, especially when the leader's expression was abnormal.

Luo Hao was truly awesome. Who would have expected that the person he brought in for medical treatment would cause his own leader to turn tail and flee at a single glance?

Seeing this with his own eyes once again refreshed Zhou Tianci's perception of Luo Hao.

Yet, who on earth was that patient?

Under the pretext of going to the restroom, Zhou Tianci took out his phone and began searching.

Soon, Zhou Tianci emerged from the restroom looking solemn and silent.

...

"Dr. Luo, you can make your contacts on your side. I also have some connections and have reached out to relevant doctors," Lu Zhankai said softly. "It's not that I don't trust you, but having an extra possibility is always better. Please understand this."

"The more people looking at it, the better, of course." Luo Hao did not mind and smiled slightly. "Old Leader, please rest assured. To be honest, I also hope to have higher-level experts and professors involved in the diagnosis."

"That's good then." Lu Zhankai felt greatly relieved.

It was best to mention such matters in advance so they could communicate along the way. Otherwise, once they reached the Imperial Capital, it could lead to misunderstandings and trouble.

In truth, Lu Zhankai and his secretary did not care much about Luo Hao's feelings; what they cared about was the resources at Luo Hao's disposal.

There was nothing to fear except malicious people. If Luo Hao grew unhappy and made the medical treatment process bumpy...

Moreover, Luo Hao was one of the only two doctors who claimed he was not suffering from late-stage pancreatic cancer, leaving Lu Zhankai with an extremely favorable impression.

"You mentioned bringing a patient's family member to the Imperial Capital for a follow-up examination. Is it Duan Liang?" Lu Zhankai asked.

"Yes, it is." Luo Hao smiled, leading the patient and the family member into the high-speed railway station. As they walked, Luo Hao briefly explained that Section Chief Duan's grandson had surgery at Anzhen Hospital. Although the post-operative checkup was done at the Mineral General Hospital, Duan was still worried, so they decided to make the trip to the Imperial Capital together.

Supported by his secretary, Lu Zhankai walked with difficulty, his face filled with sorrow. He paid no mind to Section Chief Duan's affairs, listening passively to whatever Luo Hao said.

"The deputy section chief under Section Chief Duan is a childhood friend of mine. I was the one who previously helped arrange his grandson's congenital heart disease treatment at Anzhen Hospital. With that connection and it being on the way, we're just traveling together to get it checked out."

The secretary's expression was grave, but after glancing at Lu Zhankai, he prudently shut his mouth and did not vent his frustration onto Luo Hao.

Very few people knew about this before they set off, but simple logic told them—it was either late-stage cancer or nothing at all, meaning there was actually no need for strict confidentiality.

Since the leader had taken it lightly, it was not his place to talk too much. That said, the secretary still felt that Luo Hao's handling of the matter lacked thoroughness.

Boarding the train, they took a high-speed sleeper car.

High-speed sleeper berths had only been introduced a few years prior, and it was Luo Hao's first time riding in one.

They always said lying down beats standing, and a sleeper berth was indeed comfortable. Without suffering any hardship along the way, they arrived in the Imperial Capital.

As they exited the station platform, a figure rushed straight toward them.

"Radish!"

Cui Mingyu's eyes crinkled into slits as he opened his arms and gave Luo Hao a bear hug.

Luo Hao detested such pun-based nicknames from the bottom of his heart.

He was a Ph.D. graduate, and generally, people in the hospital would address him as Dr. Luo.

When spoken quickly, it morphed into "Radish."

Over time, everyone ended up calling him Radish.

"Old Cui, are you out of your mind? Being a deputy director makes you feel mighty, but now you're calling me Radish? Is that something you can call me? Come on, call me Godfather and let me hear it." Luo Hao patted his back firmly, producing loud thudding sounds.

"I am already the deputy director of the Department of Cardiac Intervention at Anzhen, and you still want me to call you Godfather? Stop joking around, let's be serious for a moment," Cui Mingyu whispered.

"Hahaha." Luo Hao laughed loudly.

Back in their school days, he had never lacked money and would always treat his classmates to meals, especially Cui Mingyu, whose family was not well-off and who also had a girlfriend.

A family that was already not rich found things going from bad to worse once a girlfriend entered the picture.

Luo Hao had treated Cui Mingyu more times than anyone else.

Being college classmates, calling someone who treated you to dinner "Godfather" was only proper.

"This is my childhood friend, Zhou Tianci. He's the one who accompanied us last time," Luo Hao introduced to Cui Mingyu.

"I know him. I've stayed at your place and met Zhou Tianci. After the child's surgery last time, the two of us even had a drink together. We're old acquaintances now." Cui Mingyu reined in his enthusiasm, extending a polite hand to greet Zhou Tianci and Section Chief Duan.

"Don't you have surgeries today?"

"Even if I did, I wouldn't. Didn't I come to pick you up? If I came and you still called me out, who knows what kind of sarcastic remarks you'd make." Cui Mingyu firmly patted Luo Hao's shoulder.

"I still have things to take care of on my end. You take the patient back first for the checkup, and tonight your Godfather will treat you to dinner," Luo Hao said.

"I'll pay this time," Cui Mingyu said with a smiling squint. "How are you a deputy director now and not like before? Radish, come on, call me Godfather and let me hear it."

"Get lost!"

After sending off Cui Mingyu, Section Chief Duan, and Zhou Tianci, Luo Hao walked over to Lu Zhankai.

"Sorry, Old Leader, let's head over now."

"I've called a car." Lu Zhankai's secretary raised his phone.

"No need, someone is picking us up." Luo Hao waved at a suited middle-aged man not far away.

"Hello, Mr. Luo."

The middle-aged man greeted him very politely, helped carry the rolling suitcase, and spoke only one sentence the entire time.

Arriving at the parking lot, they boarded a commercial van.

No one spoke. The middle-aged man remained quietly at the wheel, driving straight toward the hospital.

Lu Zhankai's secretary leaned close to Luo Hao and whispered, "Dr. Luo, should we go to the International Department first?"

Luo Hao smiled, "No need."

"???" Lu Zhankai's secretary was somewhat displeased, pondering how to teach Luo Hao not to be so arrogant.

"The Old Leader needs examinations, which requires hospitalization. I've already arranged it," Luo Hao explained gently. "Even if we go through the outpatient clinic, we'd still have to complete the admission procedures later. It's the same thing."

"Xiao Zhu, listen to Dr. Luo," Lu Zhankai said.

"Leader, the appointment with the specialist has already been made over there."

"Which specialist did you find?" Luo Hao asked.

"Professor Qian Guangming, a domestic heavyweight in pancreatic diseases," Lu Zhankai's secretary said with a hint of pride.

"We can have a consultation right in the ward," Luo Hao said casually and immediately. "Rest assured, there won't be any problems."

Lu Zhankai's secretary wanted to say more, but catching the leader's gaze, he fell silent.

Arriving at the hospital, the commercial van did not turn in when passing the main hospital grounds, but instead proceeded slowly along Dongdan Street right in front.

"Uh... Driver, you went the wrong way," Lu Zhankai's secretary reminded him.

To accompany the leader for medical treatment, he had done his homework thoroughly at home, staring at satellite maps countless times.

"That's correct," Luo Hao said with a smile. "We'll be there soon."

"Huh?" Lu Zhankai frowned as he watched Peking Union Medical College Hospital pass by, unable to figure out what Luo Hao was up to.

Yet Luo Hao was not lying; they indeed arrived very quickly.

Before Lu Zhankai and his secretary could raise further objections, the van made a turn and reached its destination.

Shuaifu Hutong!

Lu Zhankai's pupils constricted.

Of course he wanted to stay in Shuaifu; who wouldn't? But his official rank was simply not high enough.

Luo Hao had actually managed to arrange for him to stay in Shuaifu?!

Lu Zhankai felt it was somewhat absurd.

If Union Hospital was China's top medical institution, then Shuaifu was the absolute top of the top.

Could Luo Hao accomplish something even he couldn't?

The thought was absurd, and Lu Zhankai's initial reaction was that it was impossible.

Let's see how Luo Hao gets us through the gate, Lu Zhankai thought to himself.

Yet the next second, Lu Zhankai froze.

After scanning the license plate, the barrier pole at the gate lifted directly, and the commercial van slowly entered the courtyard at No. 20 Shuaifu Hutong.

"Stop for a moment." Luo Hao had the van pull over to the side, slid open the door to get out, and handed a cigarette to the thin, withered elderly gatekeeper.

The two of them smoked and chatted, looking as though Luo Hao was quite familiar with the Shuaifu gatekeepers.

Soon, Luo Hao bid farewell to the old man and re-boarded the van.

"Dr... Dr. Luo, this is..." Lu Zhankai's secretary stammered.

Overwhelmed by wealth and power, the man who had always looked down his nose finally lowered his head.

"The inpatient department only has extra hallway beds, which isn't very suitable. The Old Leader is physically frail, so staying in an official ward is better," Luo Hao explained blandly. "After comprehensive consideration, coming straight to Shuaifu is better and much more convenient."

Convenient!

He actually called this convenient!!

Countless alpacas stampeded through the hearts of Lu Zhankai and his secretary, spitting countless mouthfuls of saliva in their wake.

Was this just a matter of convenience?!

They fell silent, deep in thought.

The middle-aged man was quite familiar with the grounds, driving straight to the entrance of Building No. 1.

Lu Zhankai's secretary looked out the window and saw a figure in a white coat waiting at the entrance. Standing with his hands clasped behind his back, his profile radiated the demeanor of a grandmaster.

Must be the senior specialist Luo Hao found, Lu Zhankai's secretary guessed.

Still, for a specialist to come out and welcome them at the door felt a bit far-fetched.

As the angle shifted, when the secretary saw the man's full face, he got a fright.

Bald, no eyebrows, scowling with a fierce, malevolent expression just like a major villain in a movie.

The quintessential look of a villain who tortures the protagonist a thousand times over, leaving the protagonist powerless, making the audience's hearts leap into their throats the moment he appears.

Unconsciously, the secretary's heartbeat accelerated.

Luo Hao leaped out of the van and opened his arms to embrace the "major villain."

The bald, browless, fiercely scowling man obviously wasn't used to such an enthusiastic greeting and instinctively wanted to dodge.

Hesitating for a moment, he didn't move away after all, letting Luo Hao enthusiastically embrace him.

"Luo Hao, that's enough, be serious," the bald, browless man rebuked in a low voice.

He simply couldn't handle Luo Hao.

"Director, look at you," Luo Hao released him, saying with a smiling squint, "Why aren't you running your clinic?"

"You brought someone in for medical treatment, and it wouldn't look good if I didn't come to check, so I took some time off," the man asked. "Where is the patient?"

Lu Zhankai had already stepped out of the vehicle.

"This is my Old Leader from Dong莲 City. He used to be in charge of culture, education, and health, and was very supportive of our Mineral General Hospital," Luo Hao introduced.

He emphasized the words "Old Leader" heavily.

"Old Leader, in charge of culture, education, and health," the man said flatly.

"Yes, Old Leader, this is my senior martial brother, Director Qian Guangming."

Hearing Luo Hao's introduction, Lu Zhankai and his secretary were stunned foolishly.

The bald, browless man who looked like a hardened villain was actually Qian Guangming, the country's top hepatobiliary expert?!

A man styled like a super villain turned out to be a top-tier medical expert in China?

Besides, wasn't he supposed to be running his clinic today?

"Little Conch is taking this very seriously, so I asked for half an hour off to come take a look," Qian Guangming explained indifferently.

"Senior Brother, let's head to the ward first. I'll brief you on the situation later when I accompany you to the clinic," Luo Hao said with a smile. "It's been so long, did you miss me?"

"Miss your head! Why haven't you changed at all in all these years? Still jumping around like a monkey," Qian Guangming scolded.

"That's called being full of vitality and passion."

Listening to the banter between Luo Hao and Qian Guangming, Lu Zhankai's secretary couldn't help but pull out his phone.

He hadn't personally known Qian Guangming, only managing to contact this top national hepatobiliary expert for a consultation through connections.

He had previously searched for Qian Guangming's photos on Baidu, but he never expected Qian Guangming to look just like Bald Eagle, the major villain from the Shaolin Temple.

Searching for Qian Guangming's photos again and examining them closely, he could make out a few traces. It was just that the pictures on Baidu had clearly been heavily photoshopped, making that fierce and malevolent aura much fainter.

Lu Zhankai's secretary was left speechless.

Following Qian Guangming to the ward, an on-duty doctor handled the admission reception, and then Qian Guangming and Luo Hao left.

Staying in the ward, Lu Zhankai instantly felt a surge of energy. The sickly, frail feeling receded as he surveyed the decorations of the single room.

He never imagined that one day he would... Although this peculiar way of being upgraded in rank felt bizarre, Lu Zhankai still felt a trace of excitement.

"Leader, Dr. Luo... is truly formidable," Lu Zhankai's secretary whispered.

"Mhm." Lu Zhankai nodded, tentatively sitting on the bed. His excitement had already passed, and he cautiously began to ponder things over.

The secretary started packing their luggage and inquired about dining arrangements. After a dozen minutes, the on-duty doctor came in to take the medical history.

The entire procedure was similar to any ordinary hospital, and Lu Zhankai and his secretary gradually adapted.

Another hour passed, and neither Luo Hao nor Qian Guangming had returned.

Though anxious, living in Building No. 1 of Shuaifu meant Lu Zhankai could only wait quietly.

He didn't even dare to breathe too loudly, terrified that his breathing might disturb someone and bring trouble upon himself.

I might as well have stayed in an ordinary ward, a bizarre thought flashed through Lu Zhankai's mind.

Yet if he were truly asked to move to a regular ward, Lu Zhankai certainly wouldn't be happy.

Human nature was just this conflicted. If given another chance to choose, Lu Zhankai would definitely still choose Shuaifu.

"Knock, knock, knock~"

A knock on the door broke the quiet of the ward.

Lu Zhankai's secretary went to open it, and the moment the door swung open, he froze in place.

"Is Dr. Luo here?" a middle-aged man wearing rimless glasses asked amiably.

"Wei..."

The rimless-glasses-wearing middle-aged man paid no mind to the secretary's horrified expression, which looked as though he had seen a ghost.

He stood outside the door and glanced inside.

"Dr. Luo hasn't returned yet?"

"Wei... Wei..."

"We're not at the office, just call me Brother Wei," the middle-aged man said with a smile.

He, too, was a secretary. When occasionally mentioned in private among peers, everyone addressed him as Chief Secretary Wei.

Lu Zhankai's secretary never expected to run into this person right here in the inpatient department of Shuaifu.

"Brother Wei, please come in." The secretary instantly regained his composure and quickly ushered Chief Secretary Wei inside. "Dr. Luo went to accompany Professor Qian to the outpatient clinic and hasn't returned yet."

"Oh, I just went to the outpatient clinic to pick up some medicine for the leader and happened to see Dr. Luo. I thought I was seeing things; I haven't seen him in several years." Chief Secretary Wei walked into the ward as he spoke.

Catching sight of Lu Zhankai, Chief Secretary Wei greeted him and said with a hint of regret, "Dr. Luo isn't back yet. It's truly hard to catch a glimpse of him."

"..."

"..."

Both Lu Zhankai and his secretary were dumbfounded.

Was it hard to see Luo Hao?

"Mayor Lu, then I won't disturb you any further. When Dr. Luo returns, please pass along a message that I stopped by, and tell him to let me know when he has time for a casual meal together."

With that, Chief Secretary Wei turned and left.

He came quickly and left just as fast, acting as though Luo Hao's absence meant there was no need to waste even a single second here.

Seeing Chief Secretary Wei off, Lu Zhankai and his secretary fell into total silence.

What on earth was Luo Hao's background?

Why did it feel like seeing Chief Secretary Wei was like seeing the top leader himself, and meeting him even required an appointment?

Chief Secretary Wei, Luo Hao, an appointment.

Combining these terms gave an overwhelmingly absurd feeling, as hard to accept as an absurd comedy.

A multitude of thoughts flashed through Lu Zhankai's mind.

Though these thoughts were completely meaningless in the face of late-stage pancreatic cancer, he was long accustomed to thinking this way.

It seemed... it seemed...

Lu Zhankai hesitated, turning things over in his mind.

If only his illness wasn't pancreatic cancer, he thought with a trace of regret.

If only he had gotten to know Luo Hao sooner, how wonderful that would have been.

"Knock, knock, knock~"

Another series of knocks interrupted Lu Zhankai's thoughts, and before the secretary could reach the door, the ward door was pushed open.

Several doctors in white coats walked in.

"Luo Hao isn't here, huh," the leading man said with a hint of regret.

"Dr. Luo went to the outpatient clinic with Professor Qian," the secretary explained numbly, having reached the limit of his shock.

"That's strange, they already left the outpatient clinic, why haven't they returned to the ward?" The leading doctor scratched his head, sighed, and muttered to himself, "I'll just have to call him. I wanted to give the kid a surprise."

"Should we wait a bit?" another doctor asked from behind.

"No need, let's head back," the leading doctor smiled. "Little Radish is probably consulting with Director Qian and who knows how long that will take."

With that, he turned around and shot a glance backward.

The two young doctors trailing at the back carried fruit baskets into the room and set them down.

Seeing the fruit baskets, Lu Zhankai felt the world had grown absurd beyond explanation.

He had wanted to come to the Imperial Capital for medical treatment and inexplicably upgraded his stay to Shuaifu.

Chief Secretary Wei had suddenly appeared, inviting Luo Hao to dinner and failing to catch him.

Unfamiliar doctors had unexpectedly delivered fruit baskets to him.

These were things Lu Zhankai could never have imagined.

Damn it!

Lu Zhankai cursed inwardly in a daze.

Yet deep down inside, he felt an overwhelming surge of joy; perhaps the higher Luo Hao's status was in this place, the more it implicitly validated his professional competence.

Although doctors were part of society, they made a living purely by their skills.

A high standing in the medical circle also meant Luo Hao possessed exceptional skills.

High skills meant the accuracy of Dr. Luo's diagnosis—that he was not suffering from late-stage cancer—was all the higher.

Lu Zhankai clutched at straw after straw, the straws almost filling up the cofferdam known as late-stage pancreatic cancer.

"Sorry to disturb, wishing you a speedy recovery," the leading doctor said politely.

"You're too kind, too kind. When Dr. Luo returns, I'll pass the message along. May I ask your surname?" the secretary asked politely.

"No need, I just dropped by to take a look." The leading doctor turned and walked away.

The secretary walked them to the door, but once outside, those doctors treated him like air, chatting idly amongst themselves.

The object of their casual chatter was undoubtedly Luo Hao, with the two young fruit-basket-carrying doctors inquiring about his background, while the leading doctor answered as they walked down the hall.

The secretary didn't catch every word, but he vaguely sensed something.

Before the doctors even reached the main exit, they crossed paths with yet another group of physicians walking in.

After exchanging a few words, the newly arrived doctors walked up to the ward door with expressions of mild regret.

"Luo Hao isn't here?" someone asked.

"Dr. Luo went to the outpatient clinic with Professor Qian," the secretary explained.

"Then we won't go in." Someone handed over fruit baskets and flowers, then turned and left.

The secretary felt increasingly surreal.

He understood the medical industry to a certain extent.

Much like back at the Mineral General Hospital, when a department director fell ill and was hospitalized, people might drop by to visit successively. But if it were a director's family member, visitors would dwindle significantly.

If someone merely acquainted with the director was hospitalized, basically no one would come to visit.

Yet right now... personal experience and social common sense had completely shattered established logic.

Soon enough, yet another batch of doctors arrived looking for Luo Hao.

Learning that he was absent, they chuckled and cursed softly, leaving behind fresh flowers and fruit baskets before departing.

Gradually, the ward filled up with flowers and fruit baskets, resembling a hospital fruit supermarket.

Neither Lu Zhankai nor his secretary could do anything; they could only quietly wait for Luo Hao's return.

Fortunately, Luo Hao didn't delay for too long before pushing the door open.

Seeing the room crammed with flowers and fruit baskets, he frowned, sniffed the air, and walked straight over to open the windows.

"Dr. Luo, these were sent by your colleagues."

"Bah, they're just joining the crowd," Luo Hao chuckled. "They were all gifts from patients to those guys in their own wards, and now they're borrowing flowers to present to Buddha, stacking them all up here."

Looking at the room full of flowers and fruit baskets, Luo Hao sorted out the fresh flowers and threw them straight into the trash.

Many patients suffered from pollen allergies, so Luo Hao didn't want to take any risks.

Finishing up, Lu Zhankai asked, "Dr. Luo, what did Professor Qian say?"

Asking this, Lu Zhankai's heart hammered violently against his ribs, as if it might leap straight out of his throat the next second.

He wanted to hear the truth, but the kind of truth that brought good news.

The next second, Luo Hao smiled and said, "Senior Brother Qian said they need to consider whether it's a malignant tumor. Just like Teacher Zhao's opinion, we need to perform an EUS examination."

"Right, EUS is the endoscopic ultrasonography I mentioned earlier."

"Can it be done next week? How long do we have to wait?" the secretary asked.

"Next week?" Luo Hao paused for a moment, then laughed. "Oh, oh, oh, EUS examinations usually have a one-month backlog, but I just contacted a friend in the endoscopy room, so we can get it done tomorrow."

Lu Zhankai felt deeply grateful, but still subconsciously asked, "Won't it cause trouble if we cut the line?"

"We're not cutting the line," Luo Hao said casually. "They'll just stay a bit later after work off-hours and get the examination done by working overtime. We're all our own people; staying late for a bit of overtime won't kill anyone."

"..."

This was completely different from what Lu Zhankai had imagined.