CHAPTER 358: 334 TAKING INITIATIVE TO SHOULDER RESPONSIBILITY

Prompted by Du Heng, Dong Yuezhang also realized something was amiss. He quickly apologized and asked everyone to sit down and talk.

After Zhu Minyan was settled by her parents, Dong Yuezhang took the initiative to ask, "The treatment level in the Capital is much better than in Jinzhou, and Zhu Minyan’s medical insurance is also for the Capital. Why did you come back here for treatment?"

Zhu Fanzhong, Zhu Minyan’s father, explained, "We initially wanted to stay in the Capital for treatment. However, we found out that the total monthly treatment cost would be more than 20,000 yuan. We could manage with poorer living conditions and simpler food for ourselves, but given our child’s current condition, she needs to eat and live better. We inquired about housing and living expenses near the hospital and realized that even if her treatment costs were reimbursed, we couldn’t afford it. So, we had to come back. It’s a helpless and realistic problem."

Dong Yuezhang wanted to ask more, but Du Heng interrupted him. Du Heng thought his friend, now accustomed to being a leader, was asking polite but useless questions. They sound like he cares, but they’re ultimately pointless.

So Du Heng stepped forward and asked, "Zhu Fanzhong, have you started chemotherapy for your daughter yet?"

Zhu Fanzhong shook his head. "Not yet, but we have an appointment for Monday."

"Zhu Fanzhong, let me make a suggestion. See if you can accept it."

"Please, go ahead."

"You can’t get reimbursed now. If you go for chemotherapy, how many sessions can you afford?"

Zhu Fanzhong’s eyes dimmed. His calloused hands, suddenly unsure where to rest, found his left clutching his right, while the fingernails of his right hand dug into the dead skin of his left palm.

"Two."

These two words seemed to drain all of Zhu Fanzhong’s strength; he even lost the will to continue picking at his skin.

"If your daughter had already started chemotherapy, I wouldn’t say this," Du Heng continued. "But since it’s just us here today, and we’re both from the same village, I want to offer you a different approach."

Du Heng spoke slowly and very seriously, "A few days ago, a gastric cancer patient I treated at Provincial First Hospital came for a follow-up. He had been taking the medicine I prescribed for two months, and when he was re-examined yesterday, the tumor had completely disappeared."

Instantly, everyone in the room stared at Du Heng, their expressions a mixture of shock, astonishment, and disbelief.

Dong Yuezhang was particularly startled. He said in a grave tone, "President Du, do you realize what you’re saying?"

Du Heng remained composed, nodding at Dong Yuezhang to affirm he knew exactly what he was saying.

"I’m not making this up," Du Heng stated solemnly. "The patient is from Digestion Department 1 at Provincial First Hospital; there are medical records you can check. I suggest letting Zhu Minyan stay at our Health Clinic for three days. If there’s no improvement in her condition by then, you can take her for chemotherapy on Monday."

Zhu Fanzhong glanced at Zhu Fanmin beside him. Seeing his elder brother nod, he seemed to make up his mind. "Alright, we’ll follow your advice and try the Health Clinic first."

Zhu Fanzhong wanted to seize any opportunity. Chemotherapy in the Capital was too expensive for him to bear. Besides, the doctors had said chemotherapy couldn’t solve the root problem; it was a treatment where inaction meant certain death, while undergoing it offered no guarantee of survival. Returning to Jinzhou saved on hospitalization and accommodation, but the treatment costs here wouldn’t be reimbursed. Aside from being able to eat and live a bit better, they faced the same financial predicament as in the Capital.

At this point, money wasn’t the primary concern. Even if he had to sell his blood or a kidney, he could find a way to raise funds. The most devastating thing was the lack of hope.

Now, Du Heng claimed a tumor had disappeared. This made Zhu Fanzhong feel he absolutely had to seize this chance. Moreover, Du Heng was from his own village; he wouldn’t and had no reason to deceive him. It was only for a few days. Instead of waiting at home, they might as well go to the Health Clinic and let Du Heng try. What if she was cured?

Seeing Zhu Fanzhong agree, Du Heng immediately called Wu Buwei. He asked him to prepare the hospital room that Yang Yuansheng had previously occupied and to send an ambulance to pick them up.

Just as Du Heng hung up the phone, Zhu Fanzhong seemed to recall a troubling issue. "President Du, what about the cost of staying at your Health Clinic? I’m afraid if that’s too much, we won’t have enough money left for chemotherapy."

Du Heng turned his gaze to Dong Yuezhang.

Dong Yuezhang thought for a moment and asked Du Heng, "Are you confident?"

"More or less," Du Heng replied. "I already have an approach in mind. We’ll do a thorough examination at the Health Clinic, and then we’ll have a clearer picture. But I can tell you this: if I find I can’t help, the cost will be minimal, equivalent to just one bowl of medicine. However, if it works, if she can be cured, your Township Government will need to help them cover a portion of the expenses."

"Do you have an approximate figure?" Dong Yuezhang asked.

"Taking the previous gastric cancer patient as an example, the cost was over 20,000 yuan. But that patient also had vitiligo. Factoring that in for Zhu Minyan, it would probably be around 30,000 yuan."

Dong Yuezhang looked deeply at his friend Du Heng. Seeing no hint of evasion in Du Heng’s eyes, he composed himself and said, "Alright. If you can really cure Zhu Minyan, the Township Government will cover forty percent of the medical expenses."

Forty percent of 30,000 yuan meant Dong Yuezhang was offering to cover about ten thousand yuan.

"That’s the most we can offer directly," Dong Yuezhang continued, "but we can try to secure other aid for Zhu Minyan, which could help cover more of the remaining costs."

"Okay, it’s settled then," Du Heng said. "I’ll bring you the invoices for your signature."

Even blood brothers keep clear accounts, especially when public money is involved; it had to be handled transparently.

With the matter settled, Zhu Fanzhong and his wife began packing their daughter’s things. Zhu Fanmin also hurried home to get the money he had prepared for his niece.

Seeing everyone busy, Dong Yuezhang asked them to wait in the courtyard while he pulled Du Heng aside and whispered, "Brother, what you did today was a bit reckless."

Du Heng smiled faintly. "Why do you say that?"

"You’ve given them hope. If it turns out well, that’s great. But what if it doesn’t? We studied together, and we’ve both been in the medical system for nearly ten years. I know very well what malignant lymphoma is. If they end up causing trouble for you, aren’t you just inviting misery?"

Dong Yuezhang’s voice was very low. Perhaps as the Town Mayor, it wasn’t appropriate for him to say such things, but as Du Heng’s friend, his words were sincere. "Are you really sure? If not, just go through the motions for these two days. I’ll try to apply for some subsidies for them. Considering Zhu Minyan is a Qingbei University student, the application should be approved. I also believe her school will definitely take some action and provide some aid. If all else fails, we can seek social assistance, like crowdfunding. The funds should be enough then."

Du Heng gave Dong Yuezhang a reassuring look and said earnestly, "As I just told you, I’ve successfully treated a gastric cancer patient. It’s true; I wouldn’t lie to you. During his examination two days ago, the tumor on the lesser curvature of his stomach had almost completely disappeared, with only a tiny trace left. He achieved this result by consistently taking the medicine I prescribed for just two months."

Seeing Du Heng’s unwavering confidence, Dong Yuezhang didn’t press further. He let out a long breath and straightened up. "Since you have ideas about tumors, you should have a way to deal with the vitiligo on Zhu Minyan’s face too, right? That vitiligo is in such a terrible place; it’s ruined her entire face. If it’s not treated, I’m afraid this girl won’t be able to go out in public."

Du Heng took a deep breath.

His last system reward was for treating such conditions, but so far, he hadn’t encountered a single surgical-type case—no blunt force trauma, or stab and gunshot wounds. He wondered when ’social people’ had vanished, when everyone had become so civilized, no longer brandishing knives and clubs. Furthermore, no one had come to him with dermatological issues like sores, boils, or abscesses. Even during his time in the Chinese Medicine Department at Provincial First Hospital, he hadn’t seen a single case. It was strange. Traditional Chinese medicine has an advantage in treating these diseases; didn’t people know that?

Silently sighing at these thoughts, Du Heng softly replied to Dong Yuezhang, "The vitiligo isn’t the main problem now. We must save her life first. If her life can’t be saved, everything else is pointless. Only after her life is secured can we consider her appearance."

Dong Yuezhang nodded slightly. "You’re right." He then turned to chat with the person from the Social Sciences Office.

After Zhu Fanzhong and his wife finished packing and helped Zhu Minyan out, Zhu Fanzhong released his daughter’s arm. He slowly backed away, clutching his abdomen, and sank onto a stool by the door, his body hunched over.

Despite this, he gritted his teeth and said to his wife, "You go with Yanyan to the Health Clinic. Listen to the doctor when you get there."

His wife glanced worriedly at her husband but still took a small bag and helped their daughter towards the door.

The Office Director, who had come with Dong Yuezhang, saw them and said, "Don’t rush. The ambulance from the Health Clinic isn’t here yet. Wait for it before you go out."

Zhu Minyan’s mother shook her head. "We’ll wait at the gate. We can’t make the medical staff wait for us."

As they were speaking, a car horn sounded from the gate. A few moments later, Wang Lili walked in with a nurse.

Du Heng had specified that since he was already on-site, no additional doctor needed to accompany the ambulance today.

Du Heng quickly briefed Wang Lili on the situation. Then, Wang Lili and the nurse helped Zhu Minyan and her mother out the gate.

However, Du Heng didn’t go with them. Instead, he walked over to Zhu Fanzhong, who was still by the door.

Dong Yuezhang, who had been about to leave, paused in confusion when he saw Du Heng heading back towards the house.

"Zhu Fanzhong, what’s wrong? Is your stomach hurting?" Du Heng squatted in front of him, asking softly.

In just that short interval, Zhu Fanzhong was already drenched in sweat from the pain. Beads of sweat were visible on his neck, and his collar was soaked through.