Chapter 59 This Is Not Your Fault

I remembered Zhou Lihong mentioning that Xiaowen had been sent to the First Hospital for treatment.
To think that the First Hospital she referred to was none other than the Haizhou First People's Hospital!
The moment I caught sight of that little boy, a sharp pang clutched at my heart, aching intensely!
It had only been two days since I last saw him, yet I almost failed to recognize him!
His hair had been completely shaved off, leaving him with a little bald head.
Those eyes that were once so lively and bright were now filled with terror, his face streaked with tears.
Beneath his hospital gown, PICC lines protruded from his arms on both sides.
He had also grown noticeably thinner—a dramatic weight loss visible to the naked eye after just two days. One could only imagine the physical torment the child had endured over this brief period!
I quickened my pace and walked over, intending to greet them, when I heard a man in a white coat speak with an impatient tone:
"Are we doing this or not? I don't have time to waste here with you!
If he's going to resist this much, let's just cancel the appointment and let someone else go first!
I've already warned you about the consequences, so whatever happens after the appointment is canceled is entirely on you!"
"Can't you just wait a moment longer?!" Zhao Shangde demanded angrily. "It's not like we didn't pay! The child has suffered so much, what's wrong with him acting up a bit?"
The doctor in the white coat grew exasperated as well, shouting back at him, "Your payment didn't go into my pocket; it went to the hospital!
Yet right now, you're wasting my time. What are you getting so worked up at me for?
Who hasn't paid? Don't you have any idea how many people are waiting?
I didn't cause the child's suffering, and there are plenty of others fighting to stay alive—your child isn't the only one suffering!"
Seeing that Zhao Shangde was about to lose his temper again, Zhou Lihong hurriedly held him back. With tears in her eyes, she forced a smile and said, "I'm so sorry, Director Fan! My husband is just too anxious. Give us two minutes to try and persuade the child again. If it still doesn't work, we won't waste any more of your time!"
Director Fan let out a cold snort. "I'll give you two more minutes then! Let me remind you once more: if radiotherapy cannot be administered continuously, the condition is very likely to relapse. You will bear the consequences yourselves!"
With that, he turned to leave. Chen Yinan, who was standing beside me, stepped forward and said to him, "Since the payment has been made, a sales contract has already been established.
As the practitioner, you are obligated to fulfill the examination duties. You cannot advise the client to request a refund simply because it delays your schedule.
According to the Law on the Protection of Consumer Rights and Interests, failing to fulfill your duties makes you legally liable!"

Director Fan was momentarily stunned. Looking somewhat guilty at Chen Yinan and me, he pulled a long face and asked, "Who do you think you are?"
The moment Zhao Shangde saw me, it was as if he had found a lifeline. He hurried over, grabbed my hand, and cried out, "Stone!"
A grown man was openly weeping in front of so many people, bearing no resemblance to the formidable figure who had dared to cross paths with Third Master in my memory.
Zhou Lihong also looked at me with red-rimmed eyes, saying, "Radiotherapy is just too agonizing. The child simply can't bear it, and he cries the entire night.
Now, the moment he hears he has to enter the radiotherapy room, he gets terrified and tries to run away, refusing to go no matter what. What should I do?!"
Director Fan regained his composure, turned to Chen Yinan and me, and demanded, "Hold on, who on earth are the two of you?"
Zhou Lihong quickly explained to him, "Director Fan, we only brought our child here for an examination because we followed this Mr. Shi's diagnosis..."
"Diagnosis?" Director Fan frowned as he looked at me. "Which hospital are you a doctor at? Which department are you in charge of?"
"This is our second boss at Yanhui Service Co., Ltd., not a doctor!" Chen Yinan pointed at me and introduced, "Here is our business card. If you have any needs in this area, feel free to call us for a consultation!"
Looking thoroughly baffled, Director Fan took the card and glanced at it. His expression immediately soured. He tossed the card straight onto the floor and cursed at me:
"I thought you were colleagues in the field, but it turns out you're just a couple of con artists from some shell company! Get lost right now, or I'll have security throw you out!"
Chen Yinan quickly bent down to pick up the dropped card, complaining, "Hey, don't just throw it away! It cost money to get printed, you know!"
I turned my gaze to Director Fan and asked, "Who did you say is a con artist? Who have I defrauded?"
Director Fan waved his hand impatiently and snapped, "I don't care what you do for a living! Stop making a nuisance of yourself here, do you hear me?"
Zhou Lihong hastily explained to him, "Director Fan, they aren't fraudsters. As I just said, it was Mr. Shi who first spotted Xiaowen's condition, which is why I came here..."
Director Fan turned to her and scolded, "What did he spot? Any blind person could tell there was something wrong with the way that child was drinking water!
You careless parents are the only ones who would drag things out for so long!
It was nothing more than a blind cat running into a dead mouse by sheer luck, understand?
If you trust him so much, then by all means, let him treat your child instead of coming to the hospital and wasting everyone's time!"
Xiaowen cried bitterly as he hugged Zhou Lihong's legs, pleading, "Mom, I don't want to be here anymore. I want to go home, I want to go to kindergarten. Let's go! Dad, I'm begging you, let's go home!"
Zhou Lihong embraced him tightly, her tears flowing endlessly.
With an unpleasant expression, Director Fan said, "Are you doing this or not? If not, cancel the treatment. Rest assured, the hospital will issue a refund.
Since you trust these two fellows so much, let him cure this child himself!
However, I must warn you: the longer this illness is delayed, the graver the threat to the child's life!
Once the child's condition deteriorates and he is brought back to the hospital, not even the most advanced equipment or the finest drugs will be of any use!"
I patted Zhao Shangde on the shoulder and said in a deep voice, "Old Zhao, stay strong! After all, I am not a doctor; you must trust modern medicine."
"Finally said something sensible!" Director Fan sneered from the side. "When you're sick, you seek treatment from a hospital. Don't listen to those social quacks who have no medical qualifications whatsoever yet love to pontificate!
Entrusting a child's life to people like that—how is that any different from killing the child with your own hands?
If parents are this ignorant, it is a true disaster for the child, far more terrifying than any illness!"
Looking rather incensed, Chen Yinan retorted, "I must say, your words are truly harsh..."
I tugged at his arm, shook my head, unable to bear looking at the expressions of Zhao Shangde and Zhou Lihong, and even less capable of facing Xiaowen's tear-reddened eyes. I turned and walked away.
Upon returning from the hospital, I didn't even touch dinner. I went straight to my room, sat cross-legged by the window, and closed my eyes to practice Qi.
Only through this process could I forget all the unpleasantness and let my mind enter a state of complete emptiness.
When I finally opened my eyes, my body genuinely felt much lighter. The turbid Qi within me had been completely purified, and those stagnant energies had now transformed into my own vibrant Qi. The pain and exhaustion of the past few days had been entirely swept away.
Sister Yan pushed the door open and, seeing me turn around, placed the tray she was holding onto the table. She said to me, "I saved some food for you. Do you have an appetite now?"
I nodded, walked over to sit by the table, and said, "Sister, I've made you worry again."
Sister Yan sighed softly, shook her head, and replied, "A-nan already told me. Stone, don't blame yourself; this isn't your fault!"
With a heavy heart, I said, "Such a little child... watching him endure that kind of torment, walking step by step toward death—I just..."
Sister Yan stepped behind me, placed her hands gently on my temples, and massaged them, sighing, "Such is fate! Everyone has their own destiny, and it cannot be forced."
Whenever I felt restless or distressed, Sister Yan would massage my head like this, and it never failed to calm my mind swiftly.
Yet this time, it felt as though I had been struck by a bolt of electricity; I abruptly reached out and grabbed Sister Yan's hand!