Merchant and doctor

Chapter 2020: The first thing they asked upon meeting was how much time they had left to live.
As evening approached, the rain finally stopped, but the sky was still not completely clear. Layers of gray clouds pressed heavily on the distant horizon, suggesting that it would rain again in the near future!

The three young interns politely saw the last group of patients and their families off. Bian Mu got up, stretched, and stretched his arms and legs. The day had passed just like that, and his fatigue had obviously lessened a bit. Bian Mu felt that this might be due to the convenience brought by the recent upgrade of the "Digital Medicine" system. Taking advantage of the holiday, he had to send Duan Hongyi a decent and generous gift.

Of course, he shouldn't be shortchanged on his share of the compensation. Nowadays, Teacher Duan is the owner of an independent studio. Friendship is friendship, and compensation is compensation. He can't pretend he doesn't deserve what he's owed.

"Boss! Dr. Teng is here, please come this way!" The clear voice was unmistakably Dr. Gong's. How come? Speak of the devil, and he appears! Teng Daili's arrival was perfectly timed!
He casually straightened his clothes and went to the door to greet her.

Teng Daili looked much more energetic, and it seemed like she had been having a good time lately. Beside her was a middle-aged woman, who was nearly forty years old. Her hair was thick and black, like ink, and it was clear that it wasn't artificially dyed or permed. In this day and age, for a middle-aged person to still have such beautiful hair, it was a testament to how good their health must be!

She was slightly shorter than Teng Daili by half a head, wearing a light purple spring/autumn dress made of pure cashmere. It fit her perfectly, probably handmade. Bian Mu knew a bit about Qi Yuewei and Tao Wenjie, who were known for their custom-made everyday clothes. There were no rings, bracelets, or earrings on her, but... the plain leather bag she carried looked expensive. She had a round face, big double eyelids, and long eyelashes. Her bright eyes and brows suggested she was a smart and professional woman. She had fair skin and gave off a quiet and beautiful impression from the first meeting. Just standing there, she exuded an air of intellectual sophistication.

"Sister Chu! This is Dr. Bian, the head of the clinic, and this is Deputy Director Chu. You're usually too busy to bother you, so I'm here to ask you something and introduce you to me." Teng Daili warmly introduced the two of them.

"Oh! It's Deputy Director Chu from the Ninth Hospital! My apologies! This way, please!" As he spoke, Bian Mu hurriedly and very politely ushered the local renowned doctor Chu Fang to the waiting area outside the door.

Having long admired Dr. Chu's reputation, Dr. Gong naturally treated him with exceptional hospitality. She was the kind of person who was naturally shrewd, and following her boss would bring her many advantages. One of these advantages was that she could easily get to know many famous doctors, even the top medical experts in the country. Who knows if she would be able to use these connections in the future? It would be difficult to even become a familiar face to them!

The finest fragrant tea, fresh seasonal fruits, delicate pastries... Dr. Gong treated the two guests with the utmost hospitality, making them feel warm and welcome.

Bian Mu remained silent, and Dr. Gong naturally found a secluded seat some distance away and sat down, just in case her boss needed her help out. Of course, she had her own ulterior motives. Dr. Chu was clearly no ordinary doctor, and if she could make a good impression on her, she would have more options when they met again in the future.

"Sister Chu! Shall I talk about my business first?" Teng Daili greeted Chu Fang politely with a smile.

It's clear that the two get along very well.

Bian Mu guessed that Dr. Chu had put in a lot of effort because of the critically ill elderly patient under Dr. Han's care. Afterwards, Dean Chen Yurong would inevitably have to explain things to her. On the one hand, it was to discuss the next treatment plan in depth, and on the other hand... Dr. Chu herself might have had other considerations that led her to want to meet with Bian Mu. Judging from her appearance and temperament, she must have come from a good family. Children from such families are often quite self-respecting. Moreover, given her situation, the family she would marry into would definitely be a wealthy and noble one. Therefore, it seemed a bit inappropriate for her to rashly visit a young TCM doctor with a somewhat江湖气 (jianghu-like, chivalrous) air... With Teng Daili's introduction, everything became much more natural.

Chu Fang smiled reservedly, made a very polite gesture as if to ask, picked up her teacup and sipped the fragrant tea on the table. It was clear that Dr. Chu was very generous and not the kind of person who would put on airs wherever she went.

"Master! I'm sorry, but we have a relative, 71 years old, a close relative. It's been about half a year now. His sleep, appetite, and mood are all quite normal, and all his physical examination indicators are normal. He's an elderly person, so all his values ​​are within acceptable ranges. But... he just can't muster any energy all day long. He insists on taking two walks outdoors every day, once in the morning and once in the evening, but he's very tired. He always sweats profusely on the back of his thighs, and in the past week, he's started sweating profusely on the upper back as well. We're worried that if this continues, it will delay his treatment, so they sent me here to ask for your advice." As she spoke, Teng Daili took out a thick stack of medical records from her large handbag and respectfully stood up to hand them to Bian Mu.

It was a cloudy day, and the indoor lighting wasn't very bright. Dr. Gong quickly got up and went to the wall to turn on several additional lights, instantly making the first-floor lobby several times brighter. Bian Mu flipped through the book very carefully, even going back to double-check the more important details…

“This elder in your family is quite troublesome. It’s fortunate that you didn’t come with him… There are some things I can’t say for sure. How about… I suggest that a family member accompany you to see Mr. Nie and Teacher Meng Shulan again. If their attitude is similar to mine, then…” At this point, Bian Mu stopped talking and fell silent.

Teng Daili guessed something, and her face immediately turned pale. She looked somewhat nervous and couldn't help but glance a few times in the direction where Chu Fang was sitting.

"Doctor Bian means... that their family needs to prepare for the worst?!" Chu Fang felt that it was only appropriate for her to say something that was not very pleasant in this situation.

Bian Mu nodded gently.

"Huh?! Then... roughly how much longer... I mean, the longest I can survive..." In her anxiety, Teng Daili's voice became a little slurred.

Dr. Gong became a little nervous as she listened. Since she started following her boss, this was the first time she had encountered such a terminally ill patient who seemed beyond saving!

"It could take as long as nine months, or as short as... starting next month, about five months..." Bian Mu replied in a slightly heavy tone.

"Is there really no room for maneuver?!" Having been completely unprepared, Teng Daili was flustered and anxious.

Chu Fang had clearly seen a lot of the world, and she remained relatively calm at this moment. Her delicate eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and she was probably thinking about something in her mind. She didn't say a word for a long time.

“If we do everything we can… we can extend his life for a little longer at most. However… his lifeline has been severed, and… if it weren’t for his children being so filial and his family being relatively well-off, the old gentleman would probably be lying in a nursing home more than ten years ago…” Bian Mu replied with some regret.

Hearing Bian Mu's clear diagnosis, Teng Daili felt utterly hopeless.

Looking at Teng Daili with immense sympathy, Chu Fang basically concluded that what Bian Guanzhu said was probably close to the truth.

Suddenly, the room fell silent! The weather outside was still gloomy, and the atmosphere inside was so oppressive. Dr. Gong was still young, and she felt a bit suffocated. Limited by her position, she didn't know what to do for a moment.