Chapter 2012: then translation of title

Two days later, moderate to large amount of fluid appeared in the left pleural cavity; this alone was enough to prove the severity of the condition.

Zhou Chun Yong recalled that he still had something he hadn't told Zheng Lao Ban. Today, after discovering pleural fluid, he performed a diagnostic thoracentesis, and the fluid drawn out was bloody pleural effusion.

This... is also a clinical symptom of late-stage cancer.

If the pleural fluid is yellow, a person can still hold on for a while; but if it's bloody pleural effusion, that means the person is done for.

At most one month of life left.

But what were Zheng Lao Ban and Su Yun looking at? Zhou Chun Yong felt surprised in his heart.

He continued examining the images, searching for any key point he might have missed.

The mediastinal lymph nodes were markedly enlarged, indicating metastasis, beyond doubt.

Hilar soft tissue shadow, one of the signs of rapid tumor growth. Because the malignancy is especially high, the tumor tissue hasn't had time to become solid.

It compresses the airway, the left upper lung is collapsed with accompanying inflammatory changes; this is also one piece of evidence.

As for the left lower lung, it is already soaked in bloody effusion full of tumor cells. Zhou Chun Yong looked at the images again, confirming he hadn't misread.

A fairly standard central-type lung cancer, with imaging manifestations of mediastinal lymph node metastasis and bloody pleural effusion.

Such images probably wouldn't allow any other diagnosis, Zhou Chun Yong looked at Zheng Ren, still harboring a sliver of hope in his heart.

Hope Zheng Lao Ban could, as before, miraculously overturn this diagnosis outright.

Thinking of this, Zhou Chun Yong sighed, turned his head away from Zheng Lao Ban.

Impossible; it's a standard late-stage cancer imaging presentation that nobody can overturn.

He closed his eyes, recalling every little moment over the years with his old friend.

He is over fifty; people around him have begun to leave one after another, and he doesn't know when his own time will come.

Zhou Chun Yong's thoughts drifted to an infinitely distant place.

"Director Zhou, we also need to do the other tests." Zheng Ren suddenly said.

His steady voice pulled Zhou Chun Yong's thoughts back.

"Ah?" Zhou Chun Yong stared for a moment.

"Boss, let me take a look..." Su Yun peered in and said, "I just knew you'd be looking at the first image, just like me."

"The first one?" Zhou Chun Yong froze.

He has the contrast-enhanced CT but isn't looking at it, instead looking at the plain scan—could Zheng Lao Ban really be that individualistic?

"Director Zhou? Ask about the situation." Seeing Zhou Chun Yong dazed, Su Yun immediately said.

"Um... Doctor Su, is it still necessary?" Zhou Chun Yong let out a long sigh.

"I don't think it's lung cancer; I guess the boss thinks the same." Su Yun said.

"Hmm, I have a somewhat different idea; I need more data to support it. By the way, did the patient undergo cardiac radiofrequency ablation two months ago?" Zheng Ren asked.

"It was for atrial fibrillation; they did the radiofrequency ablation. Post-op recovery was good, no abnormalities—I went and took a look." Zhou Chun Yong hadn't reacted yet.

"Then that's right—where is the patient?" Zheng Ren, energized, put down his phone and asked.

"At Di Du Tumor Hospital."

"Um... Su Yun, go take a look; will we still make it for dinner tonight?" Zheng Ren asked.

"Let Yan Master wait; what's the rush." Su Yun wasn't anxious at all; he cared more about the images in his hand.

After all, it's a cardiothoracic surgery case; Su Yun is quite interested in it.

Upon hearing that, Zheng Ren was really happy.

As for what gift Yan Master brought, he didn't care at all.

Zhou Chun Yong was somewhat surprised—are we really going to look at the images? But that side isn't ready yet, and the doctors have no contact.

Running off to Di Du Tumor Hospital in a carefree manner—is Zheng Lao Ban going to make another detour again?

"Old Zhou, hurry up!" Su Yun urged, "Go take a look; once we have a diagnosis we can proceed with surgery."

Zhou Chun Yong was speechless; he stared in astonishment at Zheng Ren and Su Yun, then froze for two seconds before immediately standing up and saying, "Then let's go."

"Brother Wang, you wait here; we're going to see a patient." Zheng Ren stood up, not forgetting to greet Wang Daoshi.

Having said that, without waiting for Wang Daoshi's reply, Zheng Ren strode out of the ward.

"Call Xiao Feng." Zheng Ren said in a low voice.

"Yeah, he's waiting downstairs." Su Yun said.

Zheng Ren stopped speaking; his mind was full of various images, cross-referencing and comparing them.

Because the data are scarce, Zheng Ren can only make a rough guess; to know more, he'd have to go to Di Du Tumor Hospital to check.

Seeing Feng Xu Hui's car parked downstairs, Zhou Chun Yong didn't drive himself but directly got in as a passenger.

"Chief Zheng, where to?"

"Di Du Tumor Hospital."

"Oh, okay." Feng Xu Hui started the vehicle and drove toward Di Du Tumor Hospital.

The atmosphere in the car was very strange; usually talkative Su Yun didn't speak a word, and they remained silent all the way.

This silence made Zhou Chun Yong a bit anxious, his heart pounding heavily.

He wished Zheng Lao Ban's words were true—that Lao Li's illness wasn't lung cancer.

But whenever hope rose in his heart, those few CT images would float up, silently telling him these were illusions.

Hilar soft tissue shadow, marked enlargement of mediastinal lymph nodes, bloody pleural effusion...

These are just too clear!

Zhou Chun Yong remained silent all the way, daring not to ask more. Even if there was only a sliver of hope, even if false, being able to retain a few more minutes would be good.

At least Lao Li hasn't been sentenced to death yet.

Zheng Lao Ban hasn't even looked at the images, yet they've already pronounced a death sentence! Zhou Chun Yong felt lost, anxious, helpless, yet mixed with a faint hope.

Afternoon, a little past three, traffic in Di Du was congested, but luck was still okay; we weren't stuck in one place for a long time.

It took nearly an hour to reach the Tumor Hospital in Di Du.

"Little Feng, don't go up yet." Zheng Ren said as he got out of the car: "If you need anything, I'll call you."

"Okay, Chief Zheng." Feng Xu Hui replied straightforwardly.

Zheng Ren and the other two strode into the Inpatient Department.

Zhou Chun Yong knew the place; he walked in front, each step filling him with inexplicable nervousness.

If Zheng Lao Ban says it's not possible after looking at the films and records……

What's worst is giving a sliver of hope in despair, then quickly snuffing that hope from the person who had it, and coldly saying it's not possible.

Taking the elevator to the thoracic surgery floor, then exiting, all in silence.

Entering the ward, a noisy clamor came from the doctors' office.

"We can't hastily assume it's a tumor." A clear young girl's voice rang out.

Zheng Ren found it interesting; the Tumor Hospital in Di Du truly lives up to being a professional hospital, with its own set of diagnostic methods.

Zhou Chun Yong strode in, with Zheng Ren following behind.

Seeing several people standing before the image viewer, the tallest…… was a girl who looked about twenty-three or twenty-four, with a ponytail, earnestly examining the images.

She was really tall; Zheng Ren is 1.78 meters, and the girl appeared taller than him. Although she visually looks a bit taller, plus she's wearing high heels.

But this image of a crane among chickens left a deep impression on Zheng Ren.

That girl is the crane, while the doctors looking at the films are chicken one, chicken two, chicken three……