Chapter 380: Chapter 380: A Change for the Better

Ai Shengbing took out the electronic scale again.

He hesitated for a moment before finally taking off his shoes and carefully stepping onto it.

The scale’s display lit up, and the numbers began to fluctuate.

Ai Shengbing grew tense without realizing it, holding his breath.

"33.5 kilograms."

Ai Shengbing’s eyes flew wide open.

He quickly jumped off the scale and got back on. The number remained "33.5 kilograms."

"I... I actually gained a kilogram and a half?"

Ai Shengbing could hardly believe his eyes.

He clearly remembered that the last time he’d weighed himself was before he started taking the traditional medicine.

Back then, his weight was 32 kilograms.

Over the past half-month, not only had the trend of his weight loss been stopped, but he had actually gained a kilogram and a half.

That kilogram and a half might seem insignificant to an ordinary person.

But for a late-stage lung cancer patient who had been given a "death sentence" by doctors and whose weight had plummeted until he was nothing but skin and bones, it was nothing short of a miracle.

This wasn’t just an increase in weight; it was the resurgence of his life force, the weight of hope itself.

He shouted excitedly, "Mom! Mom, come look at this!"

Wang Xiufang was busy in the kitchen. Hearing her son’s cry, she rushed out.

"What’s wrong, son? Are you not feeling well somewhere?" she asked nervously.

Ai Shengbing pointed at the electronic scale. "Mom, I... I gained weight. I gained a kilogram and a half."

Wang Xiufang froze for a second, then looked at the scale.

When she saw the numbers on the display, she began to cry with joy.

"He really... he really gained weight!"

Ever since her son got sick, she had been living in agony every single day.

Watching him waste away day by day, she felt as if her own heart was being hollowed out bit by bit.

For countless days and nights, she had prayed silently, prayed that her son would get better, or even just stop getting thinner.

Now, not only had her son stopped losing weight, he had gained a kilogram and a half.

To her, this was the best news in the world.

"This is wonderful, son, just wonderful! Dr. Li is truly a Divine Physician."

Wang Xiufang was overwhelmed with emotion.

The gloom in her heart was swept away.

...

「Northern Hospital.」

Dong Chen sat at his desk, his brow furrowed and a hint of anxiety on his face.

’It’s been almost half a month. Why haven’t I heard anything?’ he muttered to himself, picking up the phone on his desk only to put it down again, repeating the action several times.

According to his earlier judgment, Ai Shengbing’s condition should have deteriorated sharply by now.

A late-stage lung cancer patient with malignant pleural and pericardial effusions might experience a brief moment of terminal lucidity from a few traditional medicines, but there was absolutely no way they could cure him.

He had expected to receive a desperate call from the patient’s family this week.

But now, the week was almost over, and there had been no news at all.

This made Dong Chen a little uneasy.

’Could it be... that Li Xu can actually cure lung cancer? No, absolutely not!’

He picked up his phone again and, unable to hold back any longer, dialed Wang Xiufang’s number.

"Hello, Ms. Wang. How has your son been recently? Is his treatment with Dr. Li going smoothly?"

Dong Chen forced down his anxiety, trying his best to sound concerned.

Wang Xiufang was overjoyed by her son’s improvement.

She had just been looking for someone to share the good news with.

So, she replied excitedly, "Oh, Professor Dong, you’re too kind, still thinking about my son. He’s doing so well now! Not only can he walk on his own, but his spirits are better too. And most importantly... he weighed himself yesterday and found out he gained a kilogram and a half!"

"What?"

Dong Chen almost dropped his phone.

His voice was filled with shock. "A kilogram and a half? How is that possible?"

He practically shouted it, completely forgetting that he was supposed to sound happy for them.

Wang Xiufang was startled by his suddenly loud voice, but she didn’t think much of it. After all, she had been just as shocked yesterday.

"It’s true, Professor Dong. My son weighed himself. It was 33.5 kilograms. Dr. Li is truly a Divine Physician."

Dong Chen’s mind went blank.

’He gained a kilogram and a half? A late-stage lung cancer patient, gaining weight instead of losing it?’

This completely defied his medical knowledge.

It went against his entire understanding of the progression of late-stage lung cancer.

He took a deep breath, struggling to calm his inner shock, and forced a happy tone. "Ah... haha, is that right? That’s... that’s wonderful! Congratulations, Ms. Wang! I told you Dr. Li had his own unique methods."

Though he said that, his mind was reeling with confusion.

He thought for a moment, then suggested, "Ms. Wang, since the patient’s condition is improving, I think it’s crucial that he comes back to our hospital for another detailed examination. First, it would allow us to objectively evaluate the effectiveness of Dr. Li’s treatment. Second, if it’s truly a miraculous effect, we can study it in-depth to see if we can promote this method to benefit more patients."

Hearing this, Wang Xiufang hesitated.

’My son is being treated by Dr. Li, and his condition is improving. If we go to a Western hospital for tests now, and Dr. Li finds out, will he think we don’t trust him?’

"Professor Dong, I... I don’t think that’s a good idea," Wang Xiufang said, sounding troubled. "I’m afraid Dr. Li might get the wrong idea."

"Ms. Wang, you’re overthinking it. Dr. Li won’t mind at all."

Dong Chen urged warmly, "We just want to cooperate for the sake of research, for science! Besides, our hospital will cover all the costs for this check-up. It’s completely free. Just think of it as doing our hospital a favor, helping other patients who are suffering just like Ai Shengbing."

’A free check-up, and it helps other people?’

Dong Chen’s words swayed Wang Xiufang.

She felt that Professor Dong had a point. Besides, getting a look at her son’s condition with medical instruments would give her more peace of mind.

"Well... all right, then. I’ll ask my son. If he’s willing to go, we’ll come over."

In the end, Wang Xiufang agreed.

"Great. I’ll wait for your call."

Dong Chen hung up, his expression grim, and dialed Zhang Lin’s number.

He told Zhang Lin about Ai Shengbing’s weight gain.

Zhang Lin was equally shocked when he heard the news. The two of them discussed it on the phone for a long time, but couldn’t figure out the reason behind it.

The next day, Wang Xiufang brought Ai Shengbing back to Northern Hospital.

They went to Dong Chen’s office.

When Dong Chen saw Ai Shengbing, he was completely stunned.

’Is this the same patient who was on the verge of death just half a month ago?’

Although Ai Shengbing still walked a bit slowly and his frame was still terribly thin, his complexion was no longer as deathly pale as before.

A healthy, ruddy glow seemed to radiate from him, inside and out.

He looked as if he had walked back from the edge of hell.

It was a huge change. Anyone could see that his condition had improved.

Dong Chen’s heart sank, and a sense of foreboding washed over him.

He suppressed his shock and forced a smile. "You’re here. Please, have a seat."

He then quickly wrote out a series of test orders. "Go get these tests done first, so we can get a clear picture of your current condition."