Women are strange creatures. Just a moment ago, Chen Siyan was crying her heart out, and now she’s all smiles, chatting enthusiastically with Ye Xin.
The family members of the patients nearby, especially the male ones, occasionally glanced over, and one of them even cut his finger while peeling an apple.
Chen Siyan kept asking Ye Xin questions about fun places abroad and delicious foods, and Ye Xin answered everything gladly, sharing interesting stories from her time overseas.
At this time, Qin Zhiyuan returned and said to Yang Chen, "I’ve arranged everything. Tonight, let’s take Yanyan out for dinner."
"Okay!" Yang Chen nodded, glanced at Chen Siyan who was happily chatting with Ye Xin, and pulled Qin Zhiyuan to step outside.
"Director, how is my little sister’s condition now?" Yang Chen asked.
Qin Zhiyuan sighed and said, "Leukemia is such a troublesome disease. It’s very troublesome, yet simple at the same time. Last month, a girl with leukemia underwent chemotherapy for a month and was almost cured. But with Yanyan, after nearly two days of chemotherapy, it only slows the disease and doesn’t have much effect!"
Yang Chen frowned deeply.
"Chemotherapy is the most torturous. After chemo, she can’t eat for several days, only managing some liquid food, and she might vomit it out at any time. Watching her weaken little by little, my heart aches, too."
Watching Qin Zhiyuan, Yang Chen knew that the old man had already taken on too much for them.
"What about bone marrow transplant?" Yang Chen asked.
Qin Zhiyuan shook his head, "We’ve tried it once already, using her own marrow, but it wasn’t effective. It quickly relapsed. Now the doctors recommend matching with a donor, but it’s very costly."
"Then start preparing for it!" Yang Chen handed over a bank card to Qin Zhiyuan and said, "Today, I got a call for a bodyguard job with an annual salary of a million. Use it first for my little sister’s treatment."
"That’s great!" Qin Zhiyuan was thrilled, holding the bank card with excitement and said, "I’ll go pay the fees now and arrange with the doctors!"
Yang Chen nodded, watching the old man run quickly, his heart ached once again.
Yang Chen returned to the ward intending to chat with Chen Siyan, but found himself unable to join in the conversation, as the two women were chatting about topics he didn’t understand.
When Chen Siyan heard they were going out for dinner, she immediately asked Ye Xin to do her makeup; she wanted to look beautiful.
So, Yang Chen was kicked out.
In the garden outside, Yang Chen found a place to sit, lit a cigarette, and smoked it slowly.
When he was abroad, Yang Chen had saved his companions numerous times with his medical skills. But facing his little sister who was suffering, he felt powerless—a feeling he didn’t like.
He could save others, but not his own sister. For symptoms like these related to hematopoietic stem cell issues, Yang Chen was at a loss.
At this moment, Yang Chen noticed an old man secretly entering the garden.
The old man was looking around, seemingly assessing the surroundings.
Upon seeing Yang Chen, his eyes lit up with joy, and he hurried over, smiling as he said, "Young man, can you spare a cigarette?"
Yang Chen couldn’t help but smile, realizing the old man’s craving for a smoke had kicked in.
As a fellow enthusiast, Yang Chen naturally wouldn’t refuse. He handed the old man a cigarette and lit it for him.
The old man took a deep puff, exhaled a thick cloud of smoke, and sighed, "Good stuff. Not many young people smoke this nowadays."
Yang Chen chuckled, "I’m just used to it."
"Are you here visiting a patient?" the old man asked.
"Couldn’t resist sneaking out for a smoke?"
Yang Chen thought for a moment and smiled helplessly, "You could say that!"
"Ah! People are so particular. They won’t even let me have a smoke. I might not die of illness first but from being stifled!" the old man complained.
Yang Chen glanced at the old man and said, "This smoke, it’s a good thing. When troubled, smoking a bit can relieve worries, but you shouldn’t depend on it. When it’s time to quit, you must do it immediately, or the consequences could be dire!"
The old man paused, laughed, and said, "You sound like a philosopher, young man. Quitting smoking isn’t as easy as just wanting to."
Yang Chen took the last puff, crushed the cigarette butt, stood up, and said, "If you’re determined, there’s nothing you can’t achieve. Old man, you have some issues with your right lung, better cut down on smoking!"
Having said that, Yang Chen turned and walked out of the garden.
The old man stared at Yang Chen’s back, frowning, taking puff after puff until the cigarette was gone.
Throwing away the cigarette butt, the old man smacked his lips, not feeling satisfied, and then turned his head, suddenly overjoyed.
On the rattan chair was a half-smoked pack of cigarettes and a cheap lighter.
This was left behind by Yang Chen.
The old man picked up the pack and lit another cigarette, joyfully smoking it, chuckling, "I young man!"
However, he was a bit puzzled as to how the young man knew he had a problem with his right lung.
He was in the hospital due to vascular inflammation, not lung problems. He had tuberculosis once during his younger days, which got better, but some issues remained. Plus, his strong addiction to smoking made his lung issues quite severe. However, he couldn’t quit smoking, always sneaking out for a smoke when his family wasn’t looking, just like now.
"Dad! You’re smoking again!" A middle-aged man strode over, looking anxious, and snatched the cigarette from the old man’s mouth, scolding, "Why won’t you listen? The doctor already said that smoking now shortens your life, don’t you want to live?"
The old man smirked, "What’s there to fear? I’ve lived long enough, reached my quota!"
"You’re really going to make me crazy, Dad!" The middle-aged man was exasperated, confiscating the old man’s cigarette pack and lighter.
"Who gave you these cigarettes? Once I find out, I won’t spare them!" the middle-aged man said angrily.
"It was a young man, wearing a black T-shirt, faded blue jeans, black Converse sneakers with clean soles. Slightly tanned complexion, over six feet tall, quite handsome, seems to be from the ward building over there," the old man rattled off.
If Yang Chen were here, he’d be surprised that the old man could remember so many details after such a brief encounter.
The middle-aged man sighed helplessly and said, "Dad, do you really want me to go after him?"
"No, you help me find him. I have something to ask him," the old man said seriously.
The middle-aged man knew his father’s temperament; when he got serious, it meant business. "Is there a problem?"
The old man took a deep breath, feeling a stab in his right lung, "This young man is extraordinary. He just glanced at me and could tell I have an issue with my right lung."