"Mr. Gu, your issue may be rather complex."
The faint smell of disinfectant lingered in the air. Sitting behind his desk, the doctor in a white coat, with graying hair at his temples, inspected the X-ray in his hand and spoke.
Even though he wore a mask, making it hard to see his expression, it was clear his brows were furrowed.
"According to our examinations, your body indeed shows no problems. In fact, it could be described as remarkably healthy. You don't even have the minor sub-health issues common to most modern people, which, frankly speaking, is quite rare."
The doctor observed the young man sitting pensively in front of his desk. His features were delicate, and his frame tall and slim, prompting the doctor to nod appreciatively.
His skin radiated health, evident of regular routines, a healthy diet, and a disciplined lifestyle.
It's a pity that despite being such a healthy young man, he seemed to be afflicted with a mysterious illness... but nothing could be detected. One couldn't tell if it was truly something or just imagination, possibly stemming from a mental or psychological cause?
"Though we can't pinpoint any issues, you, Mr. Gu, are experiencing these symptoms, so we can't be entirely certain. We must consider the possibility that our facilities here might be limited..."
The doctor pulled his gaze away and reined in his thoughts, continuing to study the X-ray in his hand. After pondering with seriousness, he could only offer a somewhat ambiguous response due to his cautious nature.
"If you feel uneasy, we recommend you seek further examinations elsewhere."
The doctor really didn't want to pass the buck; the problem was he truly couldn't make a definitive conclusion. It was difficult to say. Despite the test results indicating everything was fine, the gentleman seemed to genuinely encounter some issues... In such cases, which doctor would dare to guarantee a clean bill of health?
Should one firmly assert there are no problems? Or play it safe, stating the results while noting that it's not absolutely certain, and perhaps the issue wasn't detectable with the current facilities?
Honestly, it's an easy choice.
"Understood, thank you, doctor."
The young man seemed to expect this, nodding gently before standing up.
...
...
Ten minutes later.
Gu Mo exited the city's central hospital and looked up at the Sun, which hadn't yet generated much heat, then habitually took a couple of steps toward the shade.
It was mid-summer, though he arrived early, at dawn when the sun had just risen. The sunlight was gentle as if devoid of heat, and the summer's scorching waves hadn't yet escalated to the extreme of defying basic norms, like baking the earth from early morning and turning the city into a sweltering sauna.
But this relief wouldn't last long; he had a lot of experience with this.
Gu Mo glanced back at the hospital lobby, which was already filling up with people, and let out a long sigh. He had listened intently to the mature and steady advice from the doctor, feeling a sense of déjà vu — as though hearing it was like hearing an echo of something.
In simple terms, even if those platitudes were somewhat useful, they weren't completely without merit.
— Otherwise, he wouldn't have ended up here again.
Because this was already the third hospital to give the same routine response, with an eerily similar process. Gu Mo even suspected they coordinated beforehand, as it always involved a full examination followed by the assurance, "Test results indicate perfect health, theoretically no issues"...
Yet, they couldn't guarantee anything, only subtly suggesting he "could" have things checked elsewhere if he was uneasy.
From initially noticing an issue, visiting a reputable hospital for examination and diagnosis, then being told they couldn't determine what was wrong, leading him to another large hospital where the response was the same, only to be politely directed elsewhere.
So now, on this morning, Gu Mo found himself here.
The city he lived in was fairly sizeable, and the hospital wasn't lacking in standards. Even if not the very best, it certainly wasn't second-rate or third-rate. Yet, the outcome was ineffective all the same.
They couldn't even identify any problems, nor verify if there indeed were any. This basic requirement could not be fulfilled.
Although he more or less anticipated this outcome, having experienced it twice before, he wasn't overly hopeful this time either. Still, to say he had no thoughts at all would be false. Gu Mo felt somewhat let down... or rather, his anxiety had increased.
Gazing at the receipts in his hand, Gu Mo sighed again, tore them to shreds, and tossed them into the nearby trash can. He then stepped out and flagged down a taxi on the street.
Sitting in the cab, watching the scenery outside slowly retreat, he once again heard a buzzing sound in his ears.
"Zzzz...%￥#@&...zzzz...$#%&@..."
It was like the static noise from electrical interference, mixed with the screeching static of an old radio.