This Doctor Is Too Wealthy

After Du Heng finished writing out the medical advice, Lan Changhua slowly stood up. He looked somewhat emotional and lonely as he said, ”Since everything is done, I’ll go back and not disturb your work. Xiao Wu, please arrange leave for Xiao Cao, and let him take me home.”

Director Wu was taken aback. Seeing the old man in this state, it seems like Du Heng’s efforts today were for nothing.

At this moment, Du Heng hurriedly said, ”Professor Lan, don’t leave just yet. I still have something to discuss with you.”

Lan Changhua stared at Du Heng. ”Then speak quickly.”

Du Heng got up, walked over to Lan Changhua, gently placed his hand on his shoulder, and said with a grin, ”Please sit down and let me explain slowly.”

Lan Changhua felt a bit puzzled but reluctantly sat back down in his chair. ”Is there really something?”

”There really is,” Du Heng said earnestly. ”Professor Lan, I’d like to ask you to help me keep an eye on this patient.”

Lan Changhua’s shoulders stiffened slightly. He looked at Du Heng in disbelief and amazement. ”Xiao Du, what do you mean?”

Du Heng glanced back at Director Wu and winked.

Director Wu quickly caught on and added, ”The thing is, Teacher, Xiao Du has a large number of patients in the outpatient service, and he also has many inpatients to treat. He’s been extremely busy every day. As for me, my skills are admittedly a bit inferior to Xiao Du’s. Besides my own outpatient service, I also have to attend various meetings and return to the university for classes. To be honest, I don’t even spend as much time at the hospital as Xiao Du does. You’re aware of the current situation in our department – there are only two of us, Xiao Du and myself, at the deputy senior level or above, and we’re really short-staffed.”

Lan Changhua frowned. ”You’re beating around the bush and haven’t gotten to the point after all that. Simply put, what exactly do you want?”

Director Wu forced a bitter smile but said crisply, ”This patient’s condition is quite severe, and we don’t feel comfortable entrusting them to someone else. Moreover, Xiao Du and I are both incredibly busy and truly lack the time to constantly monitor them. So, Xiao Du and I discussed it and decided to ask you, Teacher, if you could trouble yourself for the next few days to help us keep an eye on this patient.”

Lan Changhua’s gaze shifted back and forth between Du Heng and Director Wu several times. ”Are you telling the truth?”

Du Heng’s expression turned serious, and he nodded firmly. ”Professor Lan, this is truly what I think. Spinal cord neuroglioma—the location of this lesion is extremely troublesome. Once the patient begins medication, they need someone by their side constantly to prevent any sudden emergencies. And as for our Traditional Chinese Medicine Internal Medicine Department, you know that with such a severe case, I truly don’t dare entrust it to anyone else. Director Wu and I are genuinely swamped. We’re constantly running back and forth between the outpatient service, the hospital rooms, and the university. Director Wu has even more on his plate than I do; he has to attend various meetings at the hospital, in the city, and for the association. So, I was hoping to ask you, Professor Lan, to oversee things during this period. That way, I wouldn’t have to devote all my attention to this one patient.”

Seeing Lan Changhua’s lingering skepticism, Du Heng launched into another detailed explanation.

However, this still left Lan Changhua with some doubts. ”Xiao Du, I’m aware of your skill level. It’s understandable if you have a large number of outpatient service patients, but surely this inpatient doesn’t require your constant attention, right?”

Du Heng’s eyelids twitched. This old man has been idle at home for a while. It’s one thing for his mood to be poor, but how has he also become so suspicious?

But for the sake of the old man’s well-being, Du Heng patiently continued to explain, ”Professor, please try not to overthink and doubt everything. Right now, I have a patient whose facial nerves have lost all activity. The treatment is particularly troublesome and very time-consuming. I’m about to go administer the treatment shortly. Would you like to come with me and see for yourself?”

Lan Changhua was taken aback for a moment, then asked doubtfully, ”Facial nerves lost activity? What does that mean?”

”It’s facial paralysis resulting from a stroke. However, due to improper treatment and the administration of a large amount of medication, the patient’s facial nerves and muscles have become rigid and unresponsive,” Du Heng explained softly.

Lan Changhua frowned slightly. ”Nerve paralysis and meridian obstruction, I can understand that. Even if it can’t be cured, it won’t threaten their life. But this rigidity, this loss of activity... that means it’s progressing towards necrosis.”

Saying this, Lan Changhua looked even more puzzled as his gaze shifted between Du Heng and Director Wu. ”Necrosis requires excision. Don’t tell me your skills have expanded into surgery? Can you now perform facial debridement of necrotic tissue?”

Director Wu immediately let out a bitter smile. ”Teacher, that patient has paralysis on half of their face. Let’s not even discuss whether we can perform facial excision. With half the face affected, how would we even cut it? Shave it down to the bone? If it were just the skin, or a specific part, that might be possible. But as Xiao Du just mentioned, the entire half of the face is rigid and deadened. If we were to cut, we’d have to remove everything. And even if we could cut it, how would we control the subsequent infection? Teacher, please stop doubting us. We genuinely want your help. If you feel this would disrupt your retirement, then how about this: when either Xiao Du or I am present, you don’t need to come. But if we’re both busy, you could come over and take a look. Would that be acceptable?”

Lan Changhua was visibly moved. How could he not be keen on this proposal? He truly hoped he was genuinely needed, and not that Du Heng and Director Wu were making this offer simply to accommodate an old man like him, out of a sense of obligation.

Seeing this, Du Heng stood up decisively. ”Professor Lan, it’s about time for the treatment. Why don’t you come with me directly and see for yourself if I’ve been deceiving you?”