DCTMOAS Chapter 28

The indicator light above the endoscopy room turned green.

Chu Cheng put his shoes back on and got off the examination bed. He leaned against a ventilated window for twenty to thirty minutes, trying to calm the discomfort caused by the standard gastroscopy.

Due to the physiological reaction, the corners of his eyes were rimmed with a faint reddish sheen, and his pale, slender fingers clutched tightly onto the corner of the windowsill.

“Are you okay?” A nurse noticed he hadn’t left and approached gently, handing him a few tissues.

“Much better…” Chu Cheng replied, though his throat still felt a pronounced nausea that made him take deep breaths to ease it.

[Announcement: Number C025, Chu Cheng, please go to Dr. Xu Jie’s Consultation Room 4 to collect your test results.]

“Alright, take your time.” The nurse advised kindly, perhaps because he looked quite young. “About two hours after the test, you can eat something soft and easy to digest. If you feel unwell, just come back. The doctor consultation rooms are connected to this area. No need to exit—just go straight and turn left.”

Chu Cheng: “Thank you.”

The nurse replied, “You’re welcome.”

Knock knock—

Chu Cheng walked to the end of the hallway. After politely knocking twice on the door, he pushed it open and entered on his own.

Behind a narrow, long table sat a female doctor, around her fifties. She lifted her masked face and glanced at him. “Chu Cheng, right?”

“Yes, hello.” Chu Cheng sat down on the round stool in front of her. “May I ask if there’s anything wrong with my test results?”

“Hmm…” The doctor looked at the computer screen on her desk, pausing for a moment.

Chu Cheng’s heart tightened in nervousness.

Sure enough, in the next second, the doctor pointed to an image from the endoscopy report and said, “There’s something growing in your stomach. Look, right here. It’s not an ordinary polyp—just from the colored image, you can clearly tell. Its diameter isn’t exactly small.”

Chu Cheng froze slightly, but kept his tone steady: “Is it a tumor?”

“At the moment, yes.” The doctor nodded. “But we’ll need a biopsy for pathological analysis to determine its exact nature.”

“Could it be benign?” His short question carried no obvious emotion, but under the table, Chu Cheng had clasped his hands tightly together.

The doctor noticed his tension and gave a reassuring smile, though her words remained professional and precise: “Based on clinical experience, it’s unlikely to be malignant. But as a doctor, I can’t guarantee there’s absolutely no chance of cancerous changes.”

Chu Cheng fell silent for a moment.

The doctor continued, “Don’t be too frightened by the terminology. Gastrointestinal polyps and hyperplasia are actually quite common, especially in men. It’s just that… you’re a bit young for it.”

Chu Cheng wetted his lips: “Is there a known cause for this kind of condition?”

“There are many contributing factors, but the main ones depend on individual constitution. Some patients have a genetic predisposition, and others are affected by daily habits—like poor diet and irregular routines that can cause chronic gastritis, which damages the stomach lining.” After she finished, the doctor looked more closely at Chu Cheng. “I don’t even need to ask—you clearly pulled an all-nighter from the look of your tired face.”

Chu Cheng pressed his lips together awkwardly: “I wasn’t feeling well last night, so I didn’t sleep much. Based on the current situation, what should I do next?”

“Once the pathology report comes out, we’ll likely suggest scheduling surgery as soon as possible. After all, symptoms like bloating and nausea can be troublesome. Leaving it there would only pose a potential risk. But depending on the specific diagnosis—like if it turns out to be a gastric adenoma or a leiomyoma—the treatment plan will vary.”

The doctor glanced again at the report: “In your case, most likely, we’ll go with a minimally invasive procedure using the endoscope. When the time comes, bring a family member along, and we can do it under intravenous anesthesia so it’ll be painless—unlike today. You’re young, so recovery should be good. After observing for about three to seven days, you should be up and bouncing out of the hospital.”

Chu Cheng more or less understood the situation. He took a deep breath. “Thank you, doctor. I’ll think about it and wait for the results before deciding.”

“Alright. Give me a moment—I’ll print this report for you and send it off for testing. You can pay through your phone. The pathology results will be ready in seven working days—pick them up at the Pathology Department on the ninth floor of Building B.” As she spoke, the doctor began operating the computer.

More than an hour later, Chu Cheng came out of the pathology department holding a bright yellow file folder.

He walked slowly down the hallway, flipping through the report on his own, when he suddenly heard a weak voice calling out.

“Mr. Chu~”

Chu Cheng looked up and saw a familiar teenage figure sitting on the waiting bench, wrapped in a jacket. Next to him was Mr. Yu, resting with his eyes closed.

“You’re out.” Hearing Lu Yan call out, Yu Siting opened his eyes. Though he hadn’t rested well the night before, his dark eyes were still as black as ink, unusually deep and clear.

Chu Cheng glanced at his watch in surprise. He had been inside for at least two or three hours, and yet the man had really waited for him.

“You were waiting for me?”

Yu Siting: “Mm.”

“Teacher, I just finished my IV drip too,” Lu Yan added with a faint smile, his face pale. He had been vomiting since yesterday and had practically emptied his stomach. Even his voice sounded weak and feeble.

Chu Cheng said, “Then shouldn’t you be going back to rest?”

“You had to fast for the endoscopy too. I’m taking him to eat something. Want to come along?” Yu Siting asked.

“I don’t have much of an appetite,” Chu Cheng replied. The endoscope had left him feeling awful—he really didn’t feel like eating, even though it had been nearly twenty hours since he last had a meal.

“Let’s go.” Yu Siting stood up directly. His tall, straight figure stood out strikingly among the background of other patients. His voice was deep and calm as he added, “You can’t keep skipping meals.”

Lu Yan slipped on his coat and chimed in, “Come on, Teacher Chu. For the sake of me and my uncle waiting all this time.”

Chu Cheng didn’t have the heart to refuse again and could only follow.

The restaurant Yu Siting chose was a dim sum place near the hospital. It wasn’t peak dining time, so there weren’t many customers inside.

A friendly waiter greeted them warmly, “Welcome. How many in your party?”

Yu Siting: “Three.”

“Would a table on the second floor be alright?” The waiter saw him nod and led them toward the elevator. “This way, please.”

The dim sum restaurant had a relaxed, leisurely atmosphere. The dining area on the second floor had no windows, and the only source of light came from a few rows of warm lights on the ceiling. The soft orange decor gave off a cozy, pleasant feeling.

A serving cart rolled past, pushed by a staff member. It was loaded with steaming bamboo baskets—freshly made Cantonese snacks still giving off hot steam.

Lu Yan looked like he was carefully picking through the options. Yu Siting and Chu Cheng didn’t compete with the younger one for food, instead starting a quiet conversation on the side.

“How did the test results go?” Yu Siting asked from across the table.

Chu Cheng wiped his hands with a moist towel and answered truthfully, “They said there’s something growing in my stomach. The pathology report isn’t out yet, but in the end, it’ll need to be removed either way.”

Yu Siting cast a rather stern glance his way. “Is it serious? When are you planning to have the surgery?”

Chu Cheng shook his head. “I haven’t decided yet. I’ll probably wait until the school break.”

“Don’t drag it out.” His tone carried a note of warning. “No matter how much work you have in class, nothing is more important than your health.”

Chu Cheng replied, “It’s fine. It’s not that urgent.”

He had always been the type to take things in stride, never one to overthink or wear himself out unnecessarily.

Back at the hospital, he had only spaced out momentarily due to the suddenness of the diagnosis. Now, he was completely relaxed, even managing to respond with a light smile.

“If you need help with anything, just let me know.” Yu Siting could sense his mindset and didn’t press further.

On the other side, Lu Yan was still leaning on his chin, staring at the food cart, yet unable to make a decision. The server stood awkwardly nearby, waiting.

Yu Siting frowned slightly. “You still haven’t decided?”

Lu Yan had no appetite and replied lazily, “I don’t know what to eat…”

“We have abalone with chicken, black bean steamed chicken feet, crab roe soup dumplings, truffle BBQ pork buns, steamed pork ribs, sweet and sour pork, lime sea bass…” Seeing the customer hesitating, the server began listing the menu items.

Before she could finish, Lu Yan’s throat lurched uncomfortably, and he suddenly turned away and dry heaved, “Yue—”

Server: “…”

Yu Siting reacted quickly, reaching out to cover his nephew’s mouth with the palm of his hand. “Control yourself. Don’t disgust others.”

“Mmph.” Lu Yan took a deep breath to steady himself.

“Bring him a bowl of eight-treasure porridge, a basket of cucumber shrimp dumplings, and a couple of light-flavored side dishes.” Yu Siting, unable to watch any longer, grabbed the menu, skimmed through it, and ordered for him.

The server quickly jotted it down and turned to the other side. “And for this gentleman?”

Chu Cheng glanced at the food cart. Despite the wide variety of dim sum options, none of them stirred his appetite.

The table fell into a few seconds of silence.

Yu Siting had to speak again. “He’ll have the same.”

“Alright. Let me know if you need anything else.” The server finally completed the table’s order, breathed a sigh of relief, and wheeled the food cart away with the menu in hand.

Bzz—

Just as Chu Cheng was about to say something, he noticed Yu Siting’s phone on the table light up with an incoming call.

(President Yu)

He was a little curious about the contact label, but didn’t ask directly. Instead, he smiled and gestured for him to take the call.

Yu Siting picked up the phone, brought it to his ear, and said plainly, “What is it?”

On the other end was a woman with a calm and composed voice, carrying the authoritative tone of someone used to giving orders. “You don’t sound too cheerful. Another sleepless night?”

“Your son was rolling all over the floor.”

It was rare to hear Mr. Yu sound this exhausted. The woman didn’t hold back her laughter. “If you can’t beat him, just join him.”

Yu Siting’s expression was indifferent as he asked, lips pressed together, “Is that funny to you?”

“Alright, alright.” President Yu clearly understood her son’s knack for exhausting his uncle. Noticing her brother’s patience was wearing thin, she quickly shifted to a serious tone. “How about this—keep an eye on him tonight. If he still seems really unwell, I’ll send someone to bring him back. No need for you to get distracted taking care of a kid and let it affect your work.”

Lu Yan, sitting close to his uncle, vaguely recognized his mom’s voice on the call. He leaned over quietly, tilting his head to eavesdrop with one ear.

But he forgot how weak he was at the moment. His arms gave out, and before he knew it, he lost his balance and slumped right onto his uncle’s shoulder.

“Hey—down he goes—”

Yu Siting caught his nephew with one hand and pushed him away in annoyance. “Sit on the other side.”

Just then, a server came over with a tray and served two light meals.

Yu Siting added three words as if on cue, “Finish it all.”

“O~kay.” Lu Yan rubbed the cheek he had bumped and moved his bowl of porridge over to Chu Cheng.

Yu Siting ignored him and calmly continued his phone call: “No need. Midterms are just around the corner. The teachers in the class are either busy, sick, or still on their honeymoon. I really can’t trouble anyone to make up missed lessons for him.”

“Alright then.” The older sister’s suggestion was rejected, so she had to come up with another plan. “I’ll send the family’s nutritionist aunt over to your place to prepare three meals a day for Xiao Yan and make some soup to nourish his stomach. That’ll make things easier for you too.”

“You arrange it as you see fit.” Yu Siting patiently listened to a few more instructions from President Yu, then hung up the call.

Only after putting down the phone did he notice the pair of “sick comrades” sitting across from him.

Lu Yan and Chu Cheng sat side by side on their chairs, sipping porridge. Ignoring the table full of side dishes, they insisted on splitting a single shrimp dumpling—and made the same request in unison.

Chu Cheng: “I’ll eat the skin, you take the filling.”

Lu Yan: “You eat the filling, I’ll take the skin.”

“Are you cheating again? I already had just the skin last time.” Chu Cheng looked at the boy beside him, showing no intention of backing down on the division of dumpling duties, despite the age difference.

Yu Siting pulled at the corner of his mouth with a complicated expression.

Why is it so hard to get these two to live a normal life?

———-

Author’s Note:

(Bossy Older Sister): If you can’t beat him, join him.

Yu Siting: Me? Join him?

Chu Cheng (raising hand): I can join. Let me join!