Chapter Ninety-Seven: Truly Cured

Originally, Zhang Can had spoken nothing but the truth, but to Li Yong and Liu Xiaoli, these truths sounded like lies.

Liu Dongsheng was incredibly excited, his entire body brimming with energy—a stark contrast to how he had felt before. Even he found it strange; this newfound vitality, the so-called "return of light," was lasting far longer than he expected. The longer it persisted, the more frightened Liu Dongsheng became. After all, who isn't afraid of death? While suffering from illness, he had often wished for death to release him, but now, without a trace of pain and feeling fresh and healthy, he realized he wasn't ready to die after all. He had assumed, as books and movies depicted, that this surge of energy would be brief before death, but sitting in the car, he felt more invigorated than ever. Watching the passersby outside, he suddenly found himself reluctant to leave this world.

After Liu Xiaoqin finished the paperwork and came out, her face was still clouded with displeasure. In such a large hospital, how could the doctors be so incompetent—almost like laymen with no medical skill? Zhang Can understood her thoughts, and to be fair, even he had nearly failed to comprehend the situation. For those utterly uninformed, it was even less surprising.

Once Liu Xiaoqin boarded the car, still fuming, Zhang Can started the engine and headed to the City First Hospital. Whether Liu Dongsheng was truly well or not, they had to check and confirm it.

The City First Hospital was the largest and best in Jin City. Liu Xiaoqin was annoyed; both the Second and First Hospitals were major institutions—how could doctors at such places be so clueless, like unskilled amateurs?

They registered, saw the doctor, did blood tests, and finally dialysis.

When all the results were in, the doctor carefully explained each item to them. To Liu Xiaoqin and Liu Xiaoli's surprise, these doctors' conclusions were identical to those at the Second Hospital!

Liu Xiaoqin found it absurd—if the Second Hospital's doctors had erred, now the First Hospital's doctors were saying the same. Were they all just collecting paychecks without doing their jobs?

Distressed, Liu Xiaoqin glanced at her robust, energetic father, feeling increasingly perplexed. He hadn't seemed this well since falling ill—no pain or discomfort, full of energy, behaving nothing like a patient with severe uremia.

Now, she began to doubt—if one hospital made a mistake, it was unlikely a second would as well.

Still, she couldn't rest easy. It would be wonderful if her father was healthy, but she feared a misdiagnosis, only to be disappointed again. After all, the illness had tormented them for so long and drained the family’s resources. To suddenly be told it was gone seemed almost unbelievable.

They went to two more hospitals, both reputable. This time, Liu Xiaoqin didn’t mention the illness, only requested a comprehensive checkup.

When the results came in, Liu Xiaoqin was more bewildered than ever: all the findings were consistent. Her father, Liu Dongsheng, while somewhat weak, had perfectly normal organ function—especially the kidneys, which showed not a single sign of uremia.

Moreover, Liu Xiaoqin, though only a nurse, knew enough common medical knowledge. Having cared for her father for so long, she was deeply familiar with the symptoms of uremia. Comparing the test results with her father’s condition, it truly didn’t match the disease. So, where had his uremia gone?

Eventually, Liu Xiaoqin was convinced her father was truly healthy, and Liu Dongsheng, feeling only hunger, simply wanted something to eat.

Zhang Can was in high spirits—reviving someone at death’s door was no small feat. He couldn’t help but feel thrilled by his own ability; surely only God could do such a thing.

Instead of going home, Zhang Can parked the car at Tianxin Square and called Zhu Senlin. "Hey, Zhu, I’m inviting you to dinner tonight, are you coming? ... No particular reason, Xiaoqin’s parents are here, and I just want everyone to have a good meal, haha ... What, you’ve got too much money to spend? Fine, you insist, you treat, and you choose the place!"

After hanging up, Zhang Can grinned at Liu Xiaoqin and the others. "I wanted to welcome you all with a good meal, but Zhu won't let me—he insists on treating. He’s booked a table at Golden Hall; let’s head there now. Xiaoqin, call Zhang Hua and have her bring your mother directly to Golden Hall."

Liu Xiaoli nodded, took out her phone, and made the call. Li Yong, sitting in the back, was itching with anticipation. Golden Hall was Jin City’s most renowned Southern cuisine restaurant. The building itself exuded luxury, and Li Yong had never set foot inside. From the advertising signs at the entrance, he guessed even the cheapest meal would run over a thousand yuan, and the best dishes were priced beyond imagining—some meals cost hundreds, others tens of thousands.

After Zhang Can finished speaking to Liu Xiaoqin, he turned to Liu Dongsheng, Liu Xiaoli, and Li Yong in the back. "Zhu is my boss—he’s a pretty good guy. Since he insists on treating, let him. We’ll eat well on his dime!"

His words, though jovial, revealed a close relationship with his boss. Li Yong and Liu Xiaoli, both ordinary workers, knew that most bosses were stingy; Zhang Can’s rapport with Zhu was clearly unusual.

Golden Hall occupied nearly two thousand square meters, stood five stories tall, and was dazzlingly ornate. As soon as they parked in the lot, a security guard hurried over to assist.

Inside, the front desk was staffed by receptionists in cheongsams, their makeup thick but still quite attractive.

The hostess greeted them warmly. Zhang Can mentioned the room booked under Zhu Senlin’s name, and after confirming, the hostess called another attendant to escort them upstairs.

Li Yong, as they walked, kept sneaking glances at the hostess’s pale thighs exposed by her cheongsam slit. Everything about this place was exhilarating and fresh. If not for Zhang Can, he doubted he’d ever enter such a restaurant—he simply couldn’t afford it.

Zhu Senlin’s room was on the third floor, a spacious private suite. Zhang Can’s group totaled five, but inside were already three: Zhu Senlin, Zhang Hua, and Liu Xiaoli’s mother, Chen Huiyu. They had arrived first, thanks to their taxi driver’s familiarity with the route.

"Brother, come, sit down! And these are...?" The plump Zhu Senlin stood to greet them, smiling broadly.

Zhang Can introduced everyone, one by one: "This is Xiaoqin’s elder sister, Xiaoli, her boyfriend Li Yong, my father-in-law..." He nearly called Liu Dongsheng "uncle," but thought better of it, choosing "father-in-law," knowing the Liu family needed his care and sensitivity now. He was committed to treating them as his own.

Li Yong, seeing he was introduced, promptly stood and offered Zhu Senlin a handshake. "Hello, Mr. Zhu, I’m Li Yong, Zhang Can’s brother-in-law. I hope you’ll look after me in the future!"

"No problem at all! Of course!" Zhu Senlin replied immediately. He had always wanted to help Zhang Can and deepen their bond, and Li Yong’s initiative delighted him.

Eight people sat around a large, rotating glass table. Zhu Senlin beckoned a server, took the menu, glanced through it, then waved dismissively. "Let’s start with a bowl of abalone for everyone. As for the rest, bring one of each of your famous house dishes!"

The server couldn’t help but smile at such generosity. A table laden with their best and most expensive dishes would only cost a few tens of thousands—not astronomical. The true exorbitant bills usually came from drinks, especially rare, vintage wines. For food alone, prices were still countable; no one could simply assign a random value, as customers often asked about the origins and preparation of each dish.

At Golden Hall, servers earned commission based on the total bill, so the more expensive the meal, the higher their earnings. Most customers typically spent only two or three thousand.

The server brought tea, which was selected by the guests from a menu—each variety packed in small sachets. Rather than using pre-boiled water in a teapot, they heated transparent glass containers over alcohol lamps.

Li Yong had never seen such a contraption for boiling water; it struck him as novel, but mostly he felt his heart race with excitement. He resolved to pursue this lifestyle; it was simply too enticing. Thinking of his exhausting days at the supermarket, his paltry wages barely enough for cigarettes, he sighed, all the more determined to cling to Zhang Can. He hoped to find a chance to speak with Zhang Can’s jovial boss; with his quick wit, if he found the right opportunity, he could do just as well as Zhang Can.

A few minutes later, the first dish arrived: eight exquisite bowls of abalone, each fitting comfortably in the palm. The abalone broth gleamed enticingly. Li Yong had seen the price in the menu—two hundred per bowl. Just these eight bowls added up to sixteen hundred yuan!

Zhu Senlin smiled and gestured, "Let’s all enjoy it while it’s hot; abalone soup is most nourishing when warm. You are all family to Zhang Can, which makes you family to me as well. Zhang Can and I are like brothers, so please feel at home—if you ever need anything, just ask."

Zhang Can merely smiled in silence. For all Zhu Senlin’s enthusiasm, he was, after all, reliant on Zhang Can, and Zhang Can had treated him well, so Zhu’s generosity was not excessive.

Li Yong was not shy, grinning as he replied, "Thank you, Mr. Zhu. I’m sure I’ll need your help in the future!"

He picked up the small bowl and spoon, sipping the abalone soup. It was smooth and fresh, though hard to describe the flavor precisely. As he reached for another spoonful, he found the bowl empty. In just a few absent-minded sips, two hundred yuan had vanished!