"Regarding your situation, there are positive signs. I suggest hospitalization for observation. If conditions are favorable, surgery can be performed, and later, with radiotherapy and chemotherapy, it can inhibit the spread of cancer cells." In the consultation room, the doctor with glasses carefully studied Wang Longhu's newly taken chest CT and spoke earnestly.
This doctor is a renowned cancer expert at the city hospital, experienced in lung cancer surgeries. Normally, getting a consultation with this doctor requires waiting in line.
Today, Wang Longhu was quite lucky; as soon as he arrived at the hospital, he was able to book a slot at two thirty.
"Really?" Wang Longhu was overjoyed.
Of course, he was happy not because the doctor recommended surgery, but because through exercise and martial arts, he could truly rely on the panel for self-rescue.
This was indeed excellent news.
"Yes, your condition isn't without the possibility of being cured. If your family is willing, I still suggest giving it a try." The doctor said calmly.
A doctor has a heart like a parent's, yet years of practicing medicine can harden it.
As a cancer doctor, after many years of practice, he's seen countless cancer patients, some who could be saved and others who couldn't.
So regarding Wang Longhu's situation, the doctor merely expressed his suggestion.
Cancer is a most unpredictable disease. Attempts to save someone could devastate an entire family's finances, possibly ending with both the money gone and the person lost.
"Thank you, doctor. I'll go back and think about it." Wang Longhu rose to thank the doctor and turned away without looking back.
Surgery? There's no need.
Watching passersby in the hospital corridor, Wang Longhu felt a bit emotional.
He always believed that in his 25 years, he had a notoriously unlucky life. From childhood, he never won scratch-off tickets, never drew an SSR in Onmyoji, never got a skin discount in League of Legends below 30%, and only got the wife he wanted in Genshin Impact after exhausting all protections.
Unexpectedly, when he fell ill and got the panel, he realized his lifetime luck was European in this respect.
Taking the escalator downstairs, as he passed the restroom entrance on that level, Wang Longhu suddenly saw two familiar figures coming out of the restroom.
Both had bandages on their heads, and one had a plaster cast on his hand, yet it didn't hinder Wang Longhu from recognizing them.
"Ye Yuanpei? Lin Haitao?" Wang Longhu stopped and exclaimed.
"Ah Hu? What are you doing here?" Ye Yuanpei adjusted his glasses, which were cracked like a spider web, and was quite surprised.
"I'm here for a check-up. What about you two? How did you end up like this?" Wang Longhu stepped forward and asked in confusion.
"Ugh, unlucky. Why don't you come back to Dong County with us? We can talk on the way." Lin Haitao glanced at his arm in a cast and cursed.
Their car was parked in the hospital garage, it was Ye Yuanpei's Benz. Because one person's glasses were cracked and couldn't see the road, and the other's hand was broken and couldn't move, the responsibility of driving them home fell to Wang Longhu.
"You can really drive, right?" Ye Yuanpei asked uncertainly from the passenger seat.
"I got my license the summer after high school graduation. Don't worry." Wang Longhu gripped the steering wheel eagerly, "Oh, by the way, you guys haven't told me how you ended up like this. Did you get into a fight with someone?"
"Earlier we lent out 500,000 yuan to an old woman in the city. Today was the day for repayment, so I drove over with Ye Yuanpei to collect it. The old woman was ready to repay, but unexpectedly, her son was a ruffian and brought a few young punks to beat us up."
Lin Haitao leaned against his seat and cursed, "Probably because they know we can't go to the authorities. He's banking on bullying us and dodging the debt."
Wang Longhu clicked his tongue repeatedly, acknowledging that making money through this gray area was not easy. High investment and high returns come with uncontrollable issues.
Wang Longhu started the car and slowly drove out of the hospital gate, "What are you planning to do next? That's 500,000 yuan."
Ye Yuanpei punched the car door with a fierce expression, "If he dares to play dirty, I'll retaliate ruthlessly. Anyone I lend money to, I've investigated their financial situation beforehand. If we push a bit, they can still pay up."
Wang Longhu remained silent, feeling more determined than ever to be a law-abiding citizen.
Although dietary supplements cost a lot, and he was short on money, he absolutely couldn't take a crooked path.
He clicked the car stereo and played a song called "Transforming Alcohol," Ye Yuanpei comfortably reclined his seat, removing his glasses, and said, "Ah Hu, since we ran into each other today, I have a friend who brought back some beef and mutton from Meng Province. Come to my place tonight, I'll let you taste the Tiger Bone Wine I've cherished for a long time. That stuff is quite nourishing, and I wouldn't usually bring it out for just anyone."
"Drinking... I better not..."
Initially, Wang Longhu intended to politely decline. He had plans for tonight and was determined to practice the Beng Fist to Lv2, but when he heard Ye Yuanpei mention the Tiger Bone Wine, he got excited.
If he drank this wine, he'd gain lots of potential points.
The purpose of practicing his fist techniques was to level up and gain potential points to improve his physique.
Since there were ready potential points waiting for him, naturally, his plan could be postponed.
"Alright, I'll let you treat me this time. Next time, dinner's on me." Wang Longhu said resolutely.
The rest of the journey was silent, with only the sound of Berlin sound system playing music in the car.
"I'm a handsome guy allergic to alcohol, my tolerance is terrible, but I absolutely love to drink."
Lin Haitao impatiently said, "What are you playing?"
Without turning his head, Ye Yuanpei, with closed eyes, said, "You, who only listen to DJx0.8, wouldn't understand. This is hip-hop."
...
Evening.
Perhaps due to their considerable income, Ye Yuanpei and Lin Haitao rented together in Haiyue City, the best residential complex in Dong County, where monthly rent starts at 3,500 yuan. For young people in Dong County, it was considered a high expense.
Wang Longhu sat on the leather sofa, motionlessly staring at the two cats sitting on the glass coffee table.
Perhaps not accustomed to seeing strangers around, the Maine Coon and Ragdoll seemed particularly curious about Wang Longhu's arrival.
"I didn't know you kept cats." Wang Longhu laughed.
"For picking up girls, works wonderfully." Ye Yuanpei replied, coming out of the storage room holding a large glass jar.
The jar was filled with a liquid that resembled amber, clear and pristine, with what seemed like an animal's spine floating with various ginseng slices, Schisandra chinensis, and Ophiopogon japonicus.
"This Tiger Bone Wine strengthens bones, enhances kidney function, dispels wind and dampness. Even if your vitality has waned, drinking it can make you feel as mighty as the Hulk smiling at Black Widow—has an effect."
Ye Yuanpei carefully placed the glass jar on the dining table, not forgetting to introduce it to Wang Longhu.
He opened the lid, scooped several spoonfuls into a small bowl for Wang Longhu, "Quick, try if you can take it. If not, we have beer and wine."
Tiger Bone Wine is made with tiger bones and herbal medicine soaked in white wine; its taste is even more intense than regular white wine.
Taking the small bowl, Wang Longhu sipped it, and immediately felt a surge of heat from his throat to his stomach, his entire body warming up.
"Not bad, good stuff." Wang Longhu couldn't help but praise.
"Of course, this is pure wild tiger bone. My dad's friend in Shan Province was living near a village where a tiger came and injured people. It got out of control, and the police had to shoot it. The injured villager's family got some tiger bone. My dad's friend got some too and gave us this wine. This stuff's now banned, very hard to come by."
"Impressive." Wang Longhu gave a thumbs-up.
Along with the Tiger Bone Wine, the three of them sat around the table, eating beef and mutton hot pot. Just as Ye Yuanpei described, the meat from Meng Province had a texture different from what could be bought in a regular marketplace.
A few slices of mutton went down, followed by a sip of Tiger Bone Wine, and Wang Longhu noticed an additional 0.01 potential points on his panel.
The quick effect was truly tonic.
Bang bang bang!
Just as they were enjoying their meal, someone began pounding on the door from outside with such force that it seemed like they intended to break in.
"Damn it, who is it? Don't they know how to use the doorbell?" Ye Yuanpei cursed, getting up to open the door.
The next moment, a leg kicked in from outside, hitting Ye Yuanpei's stomach and knocking him to the ground.
Immediately, five or six lean young men in skinny jeans stormed in, wearing loafers adorned with Hermes metal logos.
The leader brandished a butterfly knife and arrogantly shouted, "Beat them up, lending money to my mom, you guys are really asking for it."