You're being utterly reckless

"What are you all doing?"

Gong Honglin saw a dozen or so people pressed against the door in extremely strange poses and hurried over to ask what was going on.

Seeing Director Gong arrive, Qiao Shan and the others immediately straightened up.

"Look at you. You're all grown men, yet you're acting like children." As he spoke, Gong Honglin moved to open the door, only for Qiao Shan to stop him.

Gong Honglin looked at Qiao Shan in confusion. "Uh, what are you doing?"

Qiao Shan blinked guiltily. "Dean Gong, Commander Chu just told me to guard the door and not let anyone in."

That left Gong Honglin puzzled. "No one? Does that include me?"

"Yes."

Gong Honglin actually laughed. "Commander Qiao, stop fooling around. If I'm not allowed in as Commander Chu's attending physician, then who is? Move aside."

But Qiao Shan dared not disobey Commander Chu's orders and kept his grip on the door handle, refusing to let him through.

As the two argued, another burst of laughter suddenly came from inside.

Everyone froze, exchanging silent looks.

After a long while, Gong Honglin was the first to react. Pointing at the intensive care unit, he asked tentatively, "Was... was that Commander Chu's voice?"

As Commander Chu's attending physician, no one knew his condition better than Gong Honglin. He had even been worried that the commander wouldn't survive the night.

Yet this dying man was laughing heartily inside the intensive care unit. It overturned everything Gong Honglin had learned over decades.

The next moment, Gong Honglin pressed his ear straight against the door, doing it more smoothly than any of them had and earning disdainful looks from Qiao Shan and the others.

Listening carefully, Gong Honglin did indeed hear the faint murmur of conversation inside.

"Is someone else in there?" Gong Honglin asked Qiao Shan.

Without thinking much of it, Qiao Shan told him what had happened earlier with Chen Hao.

Once Gong Honglin heard the whole story, he exploded. "You... you're being utterly reckless! Can you take responsibility if something goes wrong? Get out of my way!"

But Qiao Shan's hand gripped the door handle like a heavy clamp, refusing to let Gong Honglin in.

Left with no other option, Gong Honglin's face darkened. He pointed at Qiao Shan and snapped, "I'm telling you, Corps Commander Qiao, Commander Chu is in terrible condition. We don't even know if he'll survive today. If anything happens to him, I'll hold you personally responsible."

Those words worked. Hearing how serious the situation was, Qiao Shan's grip loosened slightly. His gaze wavered, losing its earlier resolve. Gong Honglin had apparently frightened him into confusion, and he began struggling with himself.

Seeing his chance, Gong Honglin lunged forward and rushed inside.

"Hey, Director Gong! Commander Chu said no one could come in!"

When Gong Honglin pushed open the intensive care unit's door and looked inside, he froze.

He wasn't the only one. Qiao Shan, who followed him in, and everyone watching from the doorway were dumbfounded too, their mouths hanging open as they stared at the scene in disbelief.

Commander Chu had already sat up as though nothing were wrong. Not only was his face rosy and his energy restored, but he was even holding a small wine cup, drinking with Chen Hao beside him.

Commander Chu frowned slightly at the crowd standing frozen in the doorway. He drained the wine in his cup before saying with mild displeasure, "Qiao Shan, didn't I tell you to guard the door and not let anyone in?"

Qiao Shan blinked, then said blankly, "Commander Chu, Director Gong..."

Before Qiao Shan could finish, Gong Honglin hurried to Commander Chu's side. He looked at Chen Hao, then at the commander, before asking dubiously, "Are you... are you drinking?"

Commander Chu smiled. "Yes, Director Gong. Would you like a cup too?"

Gong Honglin declined with an awkward chuckle. After looking Commander Chu up and down several times, he asked, "How did you suddenly..."

By Gong Honglin's reasoning—and by any normal reasoning—there was no way Commander Chu should have been able to sit there drinking so comfortably in his condition.

Commander Chu laughed, clearly in excellent spirits. "It's all thanks to Chen Hao. Without him, this old man probably wouldn't have made it through tonight."

"Impossible. This is absolutely impossible." Shaking his head and muttering in bewilderment, Gong Honglin quickly took out his phone and made a call. "Arrange an MRI for Commander Chu right away."

"There's no need. I feel perfectly healthy now." Smiling, Commander Chu reached toward Chen Hao for more wine.

Gong Honglin's mouth twitched. He wanted to refuse but didn't dare, so he could only urge, "Let me do an MRI for peace of mind. And let's stop drinking for now. It's not good for your health."

Gong Honglin was a nationally renowned figure, and Chen Hao didn't want to undermine him. He quickly backed him up. "Commander Chu, since Director Gong wants the scan, let's have it done. As for the wine, there's plenty of time ahead. We'll have lots of chances."

"Good! Plenty of time ahead—I like that. Since Chen Hao says so, let's have the scan." With that, Commander Chu hopped off the bed on his own.

Alarmed, Gong Honglin and Qiao Shan hurried to support him, only to find that Commander Chu was remarkably nimble. He clasped his hands behind his back and walked out by himself.

Gong Honglin and Qiao Shan looked at each other, momentarily at a complete loss.

Just as Commander Chu reached the doorway, he stopped and turned to Chen Hao. "Chen Hao, that wine of yours is really special. After drinking it, these old bones feel warm all over. It's indescribably comfortable. Don't leave. We'll have a few more cups later. Haha..."

"All right, I'll wait for you," Chen Hao answered loudly.

After Gong Honglin followed Commander Chu out, Qiao Shan finally asked with a doubtful look, "Chen Hao, are you really a doctor?"

Chen Hao chuckled. "You could say that." With that, he walked out, wearing a mysterious air.

As soon as he stepped outside, Sun Long and Zou Jian crowded around him, looking at Chen Hao with unmistakable warmth.

"Mr. Chen, am I seeing things? Why is Commander Chu so courteous to you? What exactly is your relationship with him?" Sun Long couldn't help asking.

Beside him, Zou Jian eagerly chimed in, "Mr. Chen, you really are a miracle doctor. I'm impressed. When you have time, could you take a look at me? My lower back and legs have been aching a lot lately."

Seeing Zou Jian bring up precisely the wrong subject, Sun Long silenced him with a glare. "If you don't know what to say, keep your mouth shut."

For a while, Chen Hao was unquestionably the center of attention. Everyone surrounded him with a barrage of questions. Some asked about Commander Chu's health, others about Chen Hao's medical skills, and still others about his relationship with the commander. A few even asked whether he had a girlfriend.

They all knew it, especially Sun Long and Zou Jian: Chen Hao had saved Commander Chu's life. Even if he was an ordinary man with no status or connections, his life could be completely different after today.

In the examination room, Gong Honglin sent all the medical staff away and personally performed Commander Chu's MRI.

When he saw the latest report, his entire worldview and understanding crumbled. "This is impossible. This is absolutely impossible."

Commander Chu, the patient himself, was nowhere near as shocked as Gong Honglin. Holding a cup of tea, he savored it slowly. "What's impossible? Dean Gong, just say what's on your mind."

Gong Honglin pointed at the report. "Commander Chu, look. Your lungs were almost completely black before, indicating that the cancer had spread throughout them. But now, the shadows and lesions are almost entirely gone."

At those words, Commander Chu nearly sprayed out all the tea in his mouth. "W-what?"

After recovering a little, Commander Chu asked with delight on his face, "Then, Director Gong, are you saying...?"

Gong Honglin answered with utmost seriousness, "Your lung cancer appears to be gone."

Silence. Utter silence.

The two stared at each other, neither knowing what to say.

Commander Chu had naturally been deeply astonished by Chen Hao's methods, but he hadn't believed Chen Hao could cure his cancer. He had assumed Chen Hao had merely used some technique to temporarily restore a little vitality to his body. Who could have guessed this would be the result?

Gong Honglin stared at Commander Chu in an almost stupefied daze. "Commander Chu, what did that young man named Chen Hao do to you earlier?"

During the treatment, Chen Hao had asked Commander Chu not to let a third person know what had happened today. A man who took his promises seriously, he naturally wouldn't break that agreement. "I'm afraid I can't disclose that."

Seeing that he wouldn't learn anything from Commander Chu, Gong Honglin grabbed the reports and rushed out.

When he reached the intensive care unit, he pulled Chen Hao straight out of the crowd surrounding him, hurried him into a corner, and asked urgently, "Chen Hao, what exactly did you do to Commander Chu?"

Chen Hao feigned ignorance. "I didn't do anything."

"If you didn't do anything, how could this happen?" Gong Honglin held the two reports out in front of Chen Hao.

Apparently worried that Chen Hao wouldn't understand them, Gong Honglin pointed at the reports and explained, "Look, this is Commander Chu's report from a few hours ago, and this is the current one. The difference is far too obvious. How could the shadows in his lungs suddenly disappear? It's absolutely impossible."

Chen Hao had no intention of telling him the truth. With a mysterious smile, he walked straight away. "It's a secret."

When he returned to the corridor, Commander Chu had arrived there too.

Commander Chu was now positively radiant and naturally in excellent spirits. The moment he saw Chen Hao, he went straight up and clasped his hand excitedly, leaving Sun Long and Zou Jian staring in astonishment. "Chen Hao, you saved my life. I truly don't know what to say."

Chen Hao quickly smiled. "Commander Chu, don't celebrate too soon. This treatment was only the first step. You'll need several more sessions at regular intervals before you're completely cured."

"All right. I'll cooperate fully."

Watching the exchange between the old man and the young man, everyone around them beamed with joy. Qiao Shan in particular no longer had the slightest doubt about Chen Hao. Saving Commander Chu was as good as saving his own life.

"It's getting late. We'll deal with my granddaughter's matter tomorrow. Stay here today and keep me company." Commander Chu smiled happily, then turned and ordered Qiao Shan, "Qiao Shan, go make the arrangements right away. I want a banquet to give Chen Hao a proper welcome."

Before Qiao Shan could move, however, Chen Hao hurriedly stopped him. "Commander Chu, although your health has improved considerably, I still suggest you take care. You should strictly follow Director Gong's instructions regarding your diet and daily routine. That will also help with our subsequent treatment. Let's skip the meal. Next time, I'll definitely drink with you to your heart's content."

Commander Chu nodded, looking a little disappointed. "All right, all right. I'll do as you say. Next time, then."