Chapter Ninety-Six: The Fraudulent Hospital

The blood testing area was not on the same floor, so Zhang Can and Li Yong prepared to help Liu Dongsheng onto a trolley again, as they had pushed him here earlier. However, Liu Dongsheng waved them off, saying, “I feel strong enough. I can walk on my own, no need for the trolley!”

Li Yong was naturally relieved; he had been dreading having to push it again.

Liu Xiaoqin and Liu Xiaoli were still somewhat worried, each supporting their father on one side, their minds preoccupied with the words of the doctor they had just seen. It seemed so confusing—how did they end up in such a hospital? Even if the dialysis hospital wasn’t the attending physician, basic medical knowledge shouldn’t be so off. If this was the case, then, frankly, although this was the Second People's Hospital of the city, a national hospital, the sisters both felt this place was unsuitable and didn’t want their father to stay here.

At the blood testing station, Liu Xiaoli spoke with the doctor, gave her father’s name, and the doctor handed her the test results.

Liu Xiaoli looked at the sheet, which was filled with English terms she didn’t recognize. Liu Xiaoqin was holding the dialysis report; the sisters each had a document, looking at each other blankly, unable to make sense of it. As for Zhang Can and Li Yong, there was no need to ask—they clearly didn’t understand either.

When they returned to the emergency room doctor, Liu Xiaoqin, worried about her father, had Li Yong accompany him to wait on the bench outside, so that he wouldn’t hear anything distressing from the doctor.

The attending physician was waiting for them. These young people had left him uneasy; there had been so many doubts earlier, and he was eager to see the results of the blood tests and dialysis. As soon as they arrived, he quickly took both documents and examined them.

Upon reading them, the doctor’s furrowed brow immediately relaxed. He let out a long breath, then glared at Liu Xiaoqin and her companions, saying, “You people are absolutely foolish! There’s nothing wrong, yet you send someone to the emergency room. Do you think I have nothing better to do?”

Everyone was taken aback. Liu Xiaoqin asked, “Doctor, what’s going on? What about my father’s illness?”

The doctor waved the papers emphatically and replied irritably, “Your father has no illness. The blood test shows he’s just a little anemic; kidney function is normal, blood production is normal, just a bit weak physically. Give him some nutrition supplements and that’s it. For this, you bring him to my emergency room? Ridiculous!”

With that, Zhang Can was completely relieved. The blood test and dialysis both confirmed Liu Dongsheng had no symptoms of uremia; evidently, the illness had been healed by Zhang Can’s spiritual energy, though it had exhausted him to the point of fainting. But if the disease was gone, that was a good thing. Even if it wore him out, after some rest his spiritual energy would recover, perhaps even increase—a phenomenon he'd experienced before. After recovering from exhaustion, his spiritual energy always returned, just like physical strength after sleep, sometimes even stronger.

But Liu Xiaoqin and Liu Xiaoli couldn’t accept it at all. This was a hospital—a major one—how could they toy with people like this?

“Doctor, could you explain what these two reports mean? We don’t understand them.” Liu Xiaoqin asked hurriedly, wanting to hear the doctor’s interpretation, since all his angry words had been his own, and they couldn’t make sense of the reports anyway.

The doctor slapped the papers, making them rustle, and replied with frustration, “Look for yourselves! The dialysis report shows the kidneys are perfectly normal, no abnormalities whatsoever. The kidneys are healthy. Where’s the problem? Yet you insist it’s uremia? Which hospital made that diagnosis? If any hospital gave such a conclusion, it shows that hospital is seriously problematic. You should report them and seek compensation…”

The doctor vented these words, then lowered his voice, remembering professional courtesy, and spoke less for Liu Xiaoli and her sister's sake, finally pausing and continuing, “As for the blood report, your father’s indicators are all normal. No illness detected. The kidneys are producing erythropoietin normally, no uremic toxins found in the blood, red blood cells are active, the blood contains normal protein and vitamin levels. All this shows the person you brought in for tests is healthy. Anything else you want to ask? If not, go to the cashier and process discharge. Honestly, this is nonsense…”

Liu Xiaoqin was a nurse. She didn’t know all the doctors’ professional knowledge, but she understood the symptoms of many illnesses. Moreover, her father had been treated for uremia for a long time; she’d seen many test results. So, regarding uremia, she knew more than most. What the doctor said was indeed one of the diagnostic criteria for uremia—he was right—but she simply couldn’t believe it. In her mind, there was only one thought: this hospital is no good!

The doctors here—whether the dialysis doctor, the lab technician, or the attending physician in the emergency room—all seemed incompetent. How dare they open their doors and treat patients? Not to mention treating, they couldn’t even diagnose a person’s illness. How could they possibly treat anyone?

If it had only been the dialysis doctor earlier, Liu Xiaoli would have suspected him alone. But then came the lab technician and the emergency room physician, all saying the same thing. Judging by their expressions, they clearly hadn’t colluded; it wasn’t possible. The emergency room doctor, in particular, seemed highly skilled, yet he also said her father had no illness. Was that normal?

There were only two possibilities: either her father really had no illness, or this hospital was a complete scam.

Frankly, Liu Xiaoli leaned toward believing her father had no illness, glancing at her sister, Liu Xiaoqin.

But Liu Xiaoqin was the most upset. She knew her father’s illness—treated in the county hospital back home, draining the family’s money, causing him great suffering. For a period, lacking funds, he had been left untreated at home, his pain indescribable. If he had no illness, why would he suffer so? Later, they went to the provincial capital for tests and confirmed the diagnosis, even considering surgery. But then Zhang Can insisted on bringing him to Jin City for treatment, and Liu Xiaoqin trusted him completely; she had come to rely on him utterly.

But at the first hospital in Jin City, the diagnosis was this. How could Liu Xiaoqin accept it? Of course she wished her father had no illness, that he was perfectly healthy, but was that possible?

“We’ll get him checked at another hospital!” Liu Xiaoqin said quietly to Zhang Can, not arguing further.

By now, Zhang Can was completely at ease, smiling and nodding. When they stepped outside, Li Yong leaned in and asked quietly, “What did the doctor say?”

Liu Xiaoqin was always polite to Li Yong. When he handed over sixty thousand yuan at home, she was deeply moved—it was clear that was all the savings from his and her sister’s combined wages. He’d wanted to give only twenty thousand, which was understandable; he needed to live too, and giving a third of his savings was already extraordinary.

She felt grateful to Li Yong, watching her sister’s reaction with newfound respect. Indeed, Li Yong had said only two thousand, but she insisted on giving everything, no matter who objected. Who could say she lacked filial piety?

She thought to herself, now that her father was supported by Zhang Can’s funds, they shouldn’t lack money. Once the diagnosis and surgery were settled, she’d return most of the money to her sister, making sure to phrase it kindly to avoid upsetting her.

It was clear to anyone that her sister and Li Yong lived tough lives, working hard. Liu Xiaoqin knew this well—there were few as carefree as Zhang Can. He earned plenty, and his job was easy, but those earning hard wages suffered.

Except for those like herself and her sister, who didn’t work hard, but that was also because of Zhang Can—they owned their own shop now and were essentially their own bosses, so naturally could set their own hours.

Liu Xiaoqin hadn’t told her sister or parents about the shop yet, mainly because she’d been worried about her father’s illness, with her mind wholly occupied and no mood for other matters. Her sister’s visits were brief, and no one had brought it up.

Liu Xiaoqin, still upset, had Zhang Can and the others accompany her father at the hospital entrance while she went to process the refund.

Zhang Can cheerfully invited everyone to wait in his car. With his mind at ease, he played a beautiful melody. The BMW’s sound system was superb, the audio quality exceptional. Li Yong, an avid music listener, watched the dashboard while listening, unable to resist saying, “Brother-in-law, this car must be worth six or seven hundred thousand, right?”

Zhang Can smiled and shook his head. “I’m not sure. I didn’t buy it myself; my boss gave it to me!”

His words stunned Li Yong and Liu Xiaoli.

Only Liu Dongsheng wasn’t surprised; he’d always known Zhang Can worked well in Jin City and earned a lot. A boss giving a car was entirely normal—what boss wouldn’t try to retain their most capable employee?

But Li Yong and Liu Xiaoli found it hard to believe. A BMW 5-series had to cost at least half a million. What boss would casually give such a valuable gift to an employee?

If Zhang Can weren’t so obviously wealthy and sincere, Li Yong would have laughed at him on the spot, thinking he was dreaming.

“Brother-in-law, this car... your boss really gave it to you? Does he really not know how much it’s worth?” Li Yong pressed on, unable to keep the question in, the words bursting from his throat.

“Yes, my boss gave it to me,” Zhang Can confirmed calmly. “He wanted a new car, so he bought a Mercedes. This one was left unused, so he gave it to me.”

From his tone, there was no trace of excitement or surprise—nothing like someone who’d just received a lavish gift.

This made Li Yong even more skeptical. Even Liu Xiaoli almost suspected Zhang Can was lying, just trying to impress her and Li Yong.

Li Yong, too, found it hard to believe. What boss would ever think they had too many cars? That was like saying you had too much money. Cars could be left at home and still used; plenty of people owned several, but rarely gave them away.

In Li Yong’s mind, people who didn’t give away cars were normal; only Zhang Can’s boss was abnormal, giving away a car worth hundreds of thousands. It seemed Zhang Can really was spinning a tale.