Chapter 92: A Serious Illness

The emergency room was bustling with people. Despite Luan Nian’s efforts to maintain composure, his body remained slightly hunched, his brows furrowed—he was genuinely in immense pain.

“You stay here and don’t move. I’ll go register,” Shang Zhitao instructed him before running off to the registration desk. The hospital was crowded, and the registration line was long. Worried that something might happen to Luan Nian or that he’d grow anxious, she periodically sent him updates: “Ten people left,” “Five people left,” “It’s my turn now.” After completing the registration, she hurried back to the waiting area to find him. Rarely had she seen Luan Nian appear so vulnerable—she had always thought him invincible. She guided him to the consultation area, where he leaned his head against her shoulder, exhausted, his breathing labored.

Shang Zhitao’s heart softened repeatedly as she gently patted the back of his hand and reassured him in a soft voice: “It’s okay. I’m here.”

After a moment, she added: “I think we should call Dr. Liang.”

Luan Nian hummed faintly in acknowledgment but kept his eyes closed. He made no move to call Dr. Liang. When Shang Zhitao pressed him again, he simply said, “Dr. Liang is very busy.” Luan Nian didn’t want to bother her; he knew she would overreact, calling in favors to have someone see him, turning everything into a panic. He disliked such fuss.

He rarely depended on anyone, nor had he ever been relied upon. He disliked hospitals—they were places filled with life-and-death partings. As a child, when visiting Dr. Liang, he had witnessed family members sobbing uncontrollably in her arms more than once.

The last time he had visited a hospital was years ago, accompanying Shang Zhitao when she had a high fever and a cough.

Her hands were warm, patting him only twice before retreating politely, maintaining proper boundaries.

Diagnosis, blood tests, imaging—it wasn’t until the early hours of the morning that they finally received the results. The diagnosis was kidney stones, 0.5 centimeters in size. The doctor prescribed painkillers and medication to help pass the stone, along with detailed medical advice.

By the time the IV drip began, Luan Nian felt slightly better. He noticed that Shang Zhitao’s skin, usually fresh and clear, now had a faint oily sheen from exhaustion. Yet, she continued to check on him frequently:

“Are you feeling any better?”

“Do you want some water?”

“The doctor said to stretch your legs or climb stairs. Remember to do that.”

A little later, she added: “The doctor also said to cut down on carbonated drinks. Do you still have Coke and sparkling water in your fridge? If you do, remember to throw them away.”

“Are you hungry?”

Luan Nian’s illness worried her greatly. Though kidney stones weren’t life-threatening, in her mind, it was a severe affliction. She feared his suffering and discomfort.

She kept talking, and though Luan Nian occasionally responded, her incessant chatter reminded him of Dr. Liang. It warmed his heart slightly, and he reassured her: “It’s just kidney stones. I won’t die.”

“But you’ll suffer.”

A little while later, Shang Zhitao grew too tired to keep her eyes open. Luan Nian patted his leg, and she stretched out on the bench, resting her head on his lap and falling asleep. His fingertips brushed her earlobe, lightly kneading it—a gesture of intimacy between them. Though their relationship had ended years ago, today she didn’t resist. She slept soundly on him, though she occasionally frowned. Luan Nian leaned down to smooth her furrowed brows whenever he noticed.

By the time the IV was finished, dawn had broken. The early spring sky was painted with rare red clouds stretching across half the horizon. Both passengers in the car marveled at the sight. Afterward, Luan Nian closed his eyes and murmured: “I’m entrusting my life to you.” He remembered how poor Shang Zhitao’s driving skills used to be.

Shang Zhitao protested: “Then I guess this makes us comrades who’ve shared life-and-death experiences.” Her driving had improved significantly—so much so that Luan Nian fell asleep in the passenger seat. She drove him home, and at the entrance to his neighborhood, she spotted the familiar security guard.

Five years had passed, and the young man was now married with a stable career. Last year, during Shang Zhitao’s final visit to Luan Nian’s home, he had greeted her warmly.

Today, seeing her return, he greeted her with a smile as usual: “Miss Shang. Long time no see.”

“Long time no see.”

“If you need help hailing a cab, just call the security office.”

“That’s alright. I can use a ride-hailing app.” Shang Zhitao replied. Suddenly, she realized how quickly time had flown. From the nights when the security guard helped her hail a cab for Luan Nian to the widespread use of ride-hailing apps, though they had deliberately ignored it, time had marched on without waiting for anyone.

Luan Nian’s home was still as cold and empty as ever, devoid of warmth. Fortunately, the early spring sunlight poured in generously, lending a sense of warmth to the space. She helped Luan Nian lie down on the sofa and softly asked him: “Luke, where’s Auntie?”

“She’s not coming today.”

Luan Nian still disliked having people in his home. He had never grown accustomed to it. The person who visited most often was Shang Zhitao. The housekeeper came three times a week when he wasn’t home, cleaned the place, and left. Luan Nian barely remembered what she looked like. She only stayed a little longer when it was time to collect her salary.

“Do you have any friends you can contact?”

Luan Nian didn’t answer. Shang Zhitao wondered if he had cut ties with all his friends.

However, given his current condition, Shang Zhitao couldn’t leave him alone. The doctor had said it would take one to two days—or even three to four—to pass the stone, and he needed care until then.

“So… should I take a leave today?” Shang Zhitao asked, after all, he was her boss.

“Submit it online.”

You’re asking me to request leave online for taking care of you? Shang Zhitao’s eyes widened, inwardly cursing him.

“What reason should I give? Taking care of my sick boss?” Shang Zhitao challenged him.

Luan Nian’s lips curved faintly, but he didn’t respond.

Shang Zhitao refused to submit a formal leave request and instead messaged Grace: “Grace, I have an urgent matter today and can’t come to the office.”

Grace, who woke up early, replied quickly: “Don’t worry. I’ll contact you if anything comes up.”

Putting her phone away, Shang Zhitao told Luan Nian: “You rest for a bit. I’ll go make porridge.” Seeing his reluctance, she added: “My porridge isn’t bad.” During the New Year, Da Zhai had worried she’d starve and insisted on teaching her how to cook porridge. She had learned well.

Da Zhai’s porridge was legendary. Following his method, Shang Zhitao cooked the porridge over low heat, not rushing it. As Da Zhai had said: “Life is like cooking porridge—you can’t rush it. Good porridge takes time. Cooking it over high heat will burn it.”

“Isn’t that because you didn’t add enough water?” Shang Zhitao had teased, earning herself two light slaps from Da Zhai.

As steam began bubbling from the pot, Shang Zhitao suddenly recalled the time she had fallen ill, and Luan Nian had taken care of her. His care had far surpassed hers—he had prepared four dishes and a soup, whereas she could only manage porridge.

When the porridge was ready, Luan Nian was still asleep. Shang Zhitao took the eggs from the egg cooker, peeled them, and found the meal a little bland. But since her cooking skills weren’t great, she remembered buying pickles once. Opening the fridge, she found the two bags of pickles untouched. Pausing briefly, she took them out.

Then she went to wake Luan Nian for breakfast.

Luan Nian took a sip of the porridge—it was thick, with a subtle sweetness. Shang Zhitao had actually learned to cook porridge. So she wouldn’t starve herself anymore. Luan Nian’s standards for her cooking were abysmally low. After tasting her food once, he vowed never to eat it again unless he was starving.

Now, here he was, brought low by a tiny 0.5-centimeter stone. After eating, he endured the pain to take a shower upstairs before returning to bed to catch up on sleep.

Kidney stones were truly tormenting. Though not a serious illness, the pain could feel unbearable. The stone-dissolving medication was nauseating, causing him to vomit twice, leaving him in a foul mood.

Shang Zhitao heard him moving around in the bedroom and stood at the door, asking twice: “Luke, do you need help?”

“For example?” Luan Nian was rinsing his mouth, the taste of vomit lingering, making him feel queasy.

“For example…” Shang Zhitao hesitated twice, unable to think of anything else she could do. Finally, mimicking his tone, she joked: “For example, if you really can’t handle it, I’ll collect your body.” With that, she closed the guest room door, unconcerned about whether it would upset him.

Luan Nian had changed the bedding in the guest room—it was more comfortable than before. Shang Zhitao flipped through the covers, thinking that if someone else had used them, she’d sleep on the living room sofa. But the sheets were clean, showing no signs of use. She opened the wardrobe, finding it empty.

Shang Zhitao lay down on the bed and fell asleep almost instantly. She was utterly exhausted—having worked overtime for two days and barely slept the previous night, she slept deeply, oblivious to any noise.

When she woke up, it was already evening. She scrambled out of bed, remembering that Luke was still at home and hadn’t been walked all day. Sun Yuanzhu was in the northwest, and Sun Yu had gone to Guangzhou for an inspection. Feeling a pang of regret, she hastily threw on her clothes and opened the door. She saw that Luan Nian’s bedroom door was open, but he wasn’t there.

Shang Zhitao went downstairs and heard Luan Nian sitting in the living room on the phone:

“Yes, I’ve walked, jogged, and stretched my legs.”

“It hasn’t come out yet. Last night, the doctor said it had moved down quite a bit. It should come out in the next few days.”

“You don’t need to worry, someone is taking care of me.”

“Who’s taking care of you?” Luan Nian paused for two seconds before saying: “My girlfriend.”

“Do I have to tell you about my love life? I’m old enough to date, aren’t I? Anyway, don’t let Uncle Fang arrange any check-ups for me. Once this stone passes, everything will be fine.”

“I’m not in a bad mood.” Luan Nian’s tone softened: “I just want to hurry and stretch.”

Shang Zhitao couldn’t help but cover her mouth and laugh when she heard this. Luan Nian’s stubbornness would never change; he talked like this with Dr. Liang too, mixing truth and lies. Hearing the laughter, Luan Nian turned around, and the phone hadn’t been hung up yet. Dr. Liang asked on the other end: “Is there someone at your home?”

“Didn’t I say?”

“Then can I talk to her?”

“No.” Luan Nian refused.

This time, Dr. Liang was very insistent: “I think it’s perfectly reasonable for me to ask your girlfriend about your condition unless you’re hiding something from me.”

Not wanting to listen to her nagging, Luan Nian handed the phone to Shang Zhitao and said, seeing her look of astonishment: “Dr. Liang wants to know about my condition. She thinks I have an incurable disease, and she’s afraid that if her friend helps me, they’ll find out.”

“Oh, oh, oh.”

Shang Zhitao took a deep breath and answered the phone: “Hello.”

There was silence for a few seconds on Dr. Liang’s side. During those seconds, she frantically waved at Luan Nian’s father, beckoning him closer to the phone, and switched the call to speaker mode.

“Miss, hello, may I ask your name?”

“Dr. Liang, you can call me... Flora.” Shang Zhitao hesitated for a moment before using this name and noticed Luan Nian’s glance but remained composed.

“I want to ask about Luan Nian’s condition. Is it really just kidney stones?”

“Yes, I’ll send you the scans later. The doctor also mentioned the precautions—just what Luke told you earlier. We’ll take another scan after the stone passes in a couple of days.”

Shang Zhitao consoled Dr. Liang: “Don’t worry, it’s not a serious illness.”

Upon hearing this, Dr. Liang glanced at Luan Nian’s father and suddenly asked her: “What is your surname, Flora?”

In Hong Kong, when Luan Siyuan asked Luan Nian the name of the girl he was going to meet, Luan Nian said: Shang Zhitao. Luan Siyuan quickly mentioned in the family group chat: My younger brother likes a girl named Shang Zhitao. Dr. Liang was familiar with the name Shang Zhitao because she had chatted for a long time with a girl by that name on a dating app, even discussing their parents’ professions and plans for having children.

Shang Zhitao didn’t know any of this. While thinking about how to avoid the question, Luan Nian grabbed the phone back: “Alright, now you know I’m not dying. That’s all, goodbye.”

After hanging up the phone, Shang Zhitao asked him: “Girlfriend?”

“It’s a lie. Otherwise, she’d have one of her doctor friends take care of me. That doctor friend has a daughter who is of marriageable age.”

“Oh. I need to go back. I consulted with a friend who knows medicine, and aside from the pain and vomiting, there shouldn’t be any danger. Call me if anything happens.”

Shang Zhitao took out her phone to call a car but then heard Luan Nian groan softly. She put down her phone and saw him leaning on the sofa, his brows tightly furrowed, seemingly in a lot of pain.

“Does it hurt a lot?” she asked.

“It’s nothing. You go ahead.” Luan Nian said, then groaned again.

Shang Zhitao thought for a moment, put her phone back in her pocket, and extended her hand to him: “Can you lend me your car keys? I’ll drive back and take Luke for a walk, then come back.”

Luan Nian pointed to the door: “Get them yourself. Bring Luke along; it’ll be more convenient to walk him tomorrow morning.”

Shang Zhitao responded with an “Okay,” fetched the keys, and then took the elevator to the garage. As the elevator doors closed, she saw the corners of Luan Nian’s mouth twitch upward, then return to normal in the blink of an eye. She thought she might have seen wrong—it could have been a grimace from the pain.

Luke hadn’t been here for a long time, but how good a dog’s memory is. When Shang Zhitao let him out of the basement, he darted out on his own and ran to the elevator, barking at Shang Zhitao.

“What are you in such a hurry for!” Shang Zhitao scolded him and brought him into the elevator. On the first floor, she watched as Luke dashed toward the living room and jumped onto Luan Nian, who was lying on the sofa.

Shang Zhitao was dumbfounded and shouted from behind: “Get down! He has stones in his body!”

Luke didn’t listen; he was frantic, pawing at Luan Nian, desperate for a hug. Luan Nian looked at this silly dog and thought, you truly haven’t wasted all the meat I’ve fed you and the playtime I’ve given you. He sat up and hugged him.

Luke whined as if he had suffered a great injustice, whimpering in Luan Nian’s arms.

For some inexplicable reason, Shang Zhitao’s eyes suddenly welled up with tears.

So did Luan Nian’s.

Dogs are simpler than humans. When they miss someone, they don’t hide it; they just want to tell you, and they want you to hold them. Like Luke, if he truly missed Luan Nian, he would nestle in his arms, place his front paws on his shoulders, rest his head on his shoulder, and occasionally lick him with his tongue.

Luan Nian comforted him for a while before he obediently went to the ground. The reunion was over, and Luke looked up at Luan Nian and barked.

Luan Nian naturally knew what he meant and said to him: “Wait a moment.”

The doorbell rang just then, and Luan Nian asked Shang Zhitao to open it. She opened the door and saw something resembling a fresh delivery of takeout.

“What’s this?”

“Hello, this is the fresh meat dog food your home ordered. According to your request, we reduced the salt content and added more meat.”

? Shang Zhitao turned to look at Luan Nian, who beckoned her with a finger: “Bring it in; give it to my silly friend to eat.”

Shang Zhitao took the fresh meat dog food and saw high-quality ingredients arranged beautifully inside, along with a small box separately containing fruits and dog treats. Since when did people start feeding dogs like this? Since when did such services exist? What if Luke gets spoiled and becomes hard to handle when he goes back?

Luke had already smelled it and was jumping around anxiously until Shang Zhitao placed the food bowl on the ground. Luke rushed over, burying his face in the bowl, as if he hadn’t eaten for days.

“What kind of service is this? Freshly made dog food delivered to the door?”

“Mhm.” Luan Nian leaned against the sofa, half-dead, making a sound of acknowledgment. Hearing Luke eating happily, he felt inexplicably better.

“How much does each serving cost?”

“200.” Luan Nian understated it; it was 250, but he thought it sounded bad, so he paid 249.

“...”

Shang Zhitao felt a bit sorry for the money and started nagging Luan Nian: “Money doesn’t grow on trees...”

“I do.” Luan Nian reminded her with two words—he still had some money.

“...Even Luke can’t eat like this. How many children don’t have enough food, yet it eats so luxuriously. If it’s hungry, I can make food for it. Anyhow, I’ll let it eat this.”

“Okay.”

Luan Nian got up from the sofa: “I’m going to climb the stairs. Are we still drinking porridge tonight?”

“No. Starve.” Shang Zhitao was being a little moody, watching Luke sitting there licking its lips, obviously finding it delicious. This greedy dog was unbelievable, so she lectured it: “Is it tasty? No matter how tasty it is, this is the only time you get to eat it. When you go back home, you’ll eat regular dog food, or else you’ll starve!”

“Let me tell you, don’t think that just because someone is your friend, they won’t bother you to death. You don’t even realize it.”

“You stay away from him. He has stones in his stomach. If you accidentally step on him and hurt him, selling ten of you wouldn’t be enough to compensate.”

She spoke so much that Luke became annoyed and sat there fighting with her, barking: woof ~ whine ~, bark bark!

One person and one dog made quite a ruckus in Luan Nian’s house.

Luan Nian climbed the stairs ten times, then stretched for ten minutes. Shang Zhitao hadn’t finished quarreling with Luke yet, acting as if her brain wasn’t functioning properly. What was there to argue about with a dog? Dogs were simple creatures; indulging them was enough. Why so much trouble?

But he said nothing. His body seemed to feel a little better, though he drank a lot of water and had to pee frequently, heading to the second-floor bathroom.

It was extremely uncomfortable when he relieved himself. Looking down, he saw red urine in the toilet with a faint trace of a small stone. His body felt as if the Ren and Du meridians had been unblocked, feeling incredibly refreshed. Luan Nian flushed the toilet, washed his hands, and went back downstairs, leaning against the sofa.

Seeing him lie down again, Shang Zhitao urged him to stretch.

Luan Nian looked sickly and after a long while managed to utter a few words:

“I can’t stretch, it hurts.”