The Transfer Dispute
After hanging up Lin Feng's call, the hope and excitement that seemed to ignite him surged like a tidal wave, propelling Hou Jun (Monkey) almost to the nurses' reception desk.
His heart pounded in his chest, not from exhaustion, but from something long forgotten called "a way out" that was violently knocking on the door of his almost desperate heart.
"Hello, may I ask... what are the procedures for transferring to another hospital?" He was panting, his voice trembling slightly with excitement, his hands unconsciously pressing on the cold reception desk, his fingertips turning slightly white.
Behind the information desk sat a young nurse, head down, organizing forms. Hearing the sound, she looked up, glanced at Monkey, seemingly surprised by his anxious manner, but quickly regained her professional composure. She put down what she was doing and replied in a relatively gentle tone:
"Transferring to another hospital? You first need to talk to the Patient's attending physician. After the attending physician assesses the situation, if they deem it appropriate to transfer, they will issue a 'Transfer Certificate' or a detailed 'Medical Diagnosis Report.' Once you have that, you just need to go to our medical affairs department to get it stamped and filed."
The process didn't sound complicated. The Monkey felt a little more at ease and thanked them repeatedly, "Okay, okay, thank you! Thank you!"
He immediately turned around and strode quickly toward Doctor Qin's office.
Doctor Qin, Qin Ming, is Xiaoya's attending physician. In Monkey's mind, he has always had a very good impression of this doctor. Doctor Qin is about forty years old, with his hair neatly combed and wearing gold-rimmed Glasses, and he looks very refined.
Most importantly, he was always smiling, speaking gently, and extremely patient. During the dark days after Xiaoya's diagnosis, it was Doctor Qin who encouraged them time and time again, telling them in his gentle yet firm tone that lymphoma was not incurable, that with the continuous development of medical technology, as long as they actively cooperated with the treatment, there was a great chance that it could be controlled or even cured.
He would even occasionally inquire about the Monkey's life, asking if he had enough money and if he was facing any difficulties. When the Monkey's family was overwhelmed by huge medical expenses and heavy psychological pressure, Doctor Qin's "gentleness" and "encouragement" were among their few sources of comfort and support.
When he reached the door of Doctor Qin's office, it was ajar. Monkey took a deep breath to calm his rapid breathing before gently knocking.
"Please come in." Doctor Qin's familiar and gentle voice came from inside.
Monkey pushed open the door and entered. There were several other doctors in the office, some writing medical records, and some talking quietly. Doctor Qin was sitting at his desk, writing something on a medical record. Hearing footsteps, he looked up, saw Monkey, and immediately his signature warm smile appeared on his face.
"It's Xiao Hou! Come, come, have a seat." He greeted him warmly, even putting down his pen, getting up to pick up a disposable paper cup, and going to the water dispenser to fill a cup of warm water for the Monkey. "How is Xiaoya doing today? Is she feeling unwell?"
"Thank you, Doctor Qin." The Monkey quickly accepted the water glass with both hands, feeling a slight warmth in his heart from the other's kindness. He sat down in the chair opposite Doctor Qin, his fingers unconsciously tracing the warm glass. After organizing his thoughts, he finally mustered his courage and stated his purpose directly:
"Doctor Qin, Xiaoya... she's alright today. I came here to... to discuss with you something. We're planning to transfer Xiaoya to another hospital."
"Transfer to another hospital?"
The smile on Doctor Qin's face froze almost instantly. The warm, spring-like feeling seemed to be instantly blown away by an invisible cold current. He frowned slightly and repeated the two words, his voice devoid of emotion, but the gaze he gave through his gold-rimmed Glasses made Monkey feel a sudden tightness in his chest for no reason.
The office seemed to quiet down a bit as Doctor Qin's expression changed. The doctors who had been chatting in hushed tones all lowered their voices or simply stopped talking altogether. Monkey could even feel several gazes on his back, seemingly unnoticed, carrying an indescribable sense of scrutiny.
A nameless unease, like tiny vines, quietly coiled around the Monkey's heart.
He swallowed hard, trying to remain calm, and delivered his prepared reasons, making sure his tone sound hopeful rather than questioning:
"It's like this, Doctor Qin. I... a friend of mine helped me contact a specialist in the province, someone who specializes in lymphoma. They agreed to admit Xiaoya condition. We were thinking that the hospitals in the provincial capital might have better equipment and facilities, and perhaps... perhaps they would be more helpful for Xiaoya's condition. So, we're thinking of transferring her there to try."
He finished speaking in one breath, then looked at Doctor Qin with some trepidation.
Doctor Qin didn't speak, but simply pushed up his Glasses with his index finger. His gaze behind the lenses was exceptionally serious, even carrying a coldness that the Monkey had never seen before. He just stared at the Monkey quietly for a full seven or eight seconds. This brief silence felt like an eternity to the Monkey, as if the air in the office had stopped moving.
Finally, Doctor Qin spoke, his voice low and serious, completely devoid of his usual gentleness:
"Mr. Hou, I hope you can consider this issue calmly and rationally." He used the somewhat distant form of address, "Mr. Hou," to address her. "Your sister, Hou Xiaoya, is currently in a very serious and fragile condition. Lymphoma treatment requires continuity and stability. A hasty transfer to another hospital, the long and arduous journey, the change in environment, and any slight oversight during the handover process could very likely lead to a rapid deterioration of her condition, or even... endanger her life!"
The words "endangering life" struck the Monkey like four cold hammers, making his face turn pale instantly.
Doctor Qin seemed quite satisfied with the effect of those words. He leaned forward slightly, continuing to apply pressure, his tone carrying an unquestionable professional authority:
"Furthermore, I may have heard of that provincial expert you mentioned; he does have a certain reputation in the field. But!"
He emphasized, "Being famous doesn't necessarily mean he's suitable for your sister! I'm the attending physician who has been monitoring Xiaoya's condition since Xiaoya diagnosis! I know best about her physical reactions at every stage, the effects of medication, and the potential risks! No one knows your sister's current situation better than me!"
He stared into the Monkey's eyes and asked, word by word:
"If you insist on transferring to another hospital, then all treatment will have to start from scratch. The new doctor will need time to familiarize themselves with the patient's condition and develop a treatment plan. If, during this process, the optimal treatment window is missed, leading to irreversible consequences—can you bear that responsibility?!"
The Monkey's breathing became rapid, and a fine layer of cold sweat appeared on his forehead. Doctor Qin's words were like a bucket of ice-cold water, extinguishing the flame of hope that had just been ignited in him by Lin Feng's phone call. Immense fear and hesitation, like two invisible hands, gripped his throat tightly.
Can they take responsibility?
How could he possibly bear the responsibility for Xiaoya's life?
On one side is the path Lin Feng brought, leading to better medical resources and unknown hope; on the other side is the huge risks that transferring to another hospital might bring, as described by Doctor Qin, and the firm opposition from the doctor who "knows best" her sister's condition.
He was torn apart by a fierce internal struggle, his reason and emotions clashing violently. He wanted to believe in Lin Feng, to grasp at that straw that might save his life, but Doctor Qin's words and the "life-threatening" warning were like heavy shackles, dragging down his resolve.
He remembered Xiaoya's pale yet forcedly strong face, the way she secretly hid the painkillers and said, "I can bear it," and his parents' worried and pleading eyes...
No!
This can't go on! If he stays here, the hope is slim, and... and the news the Madman brought made him instinctively uneasy about this hospital. He has to take a gamble! For Xiaoya, even if there's only a sliver of hope, he has to seize it!
Thinking this, the Monkey suddenly raised his head, his previously hesitant gaze regaining its resolve. Meeting Doctor Qin's scrutinizing, cold gaze, he gritted his teeth, almost forcing the words out:
"Doctor Qin, thank you for your reminder and for taking care of me all this time. But... I still want to transfer to another hospital. I want to... give it one last shot!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the Monkey clearly saw that the last trace of warmth on Doctor Qin's face had vanished. His President Zhang smiling face was now completely cold, as if it had been covered with a layer of ice.
Doctor Qin didn't speak, but instead used his cold eyes to scan the Monkey up and down without any emotion. His gaze was as if he were assessing an object, or looking at a disobedient and troublesome child.
The office was eerily quiet; you could hear a pin drop. Monkey could hear his heart pounding in his chest and feel the gazes behind him grow more tangible and intensely oppressive.
The suffocating silence lasted for a full half minute.
Finally, Doctor Qin slowly leaned back in his chair, placed his hands on the table, and spoke in an extremely slow, yet unquestionable, almost arrogant tone:
"You're her brother, right?"
The Monkey was taken aback by his sudden question and nodded instinctively, "Yes, I'm her brother."
A barely perceptible, almost cold smile curved Doctor Qin's lips. He stared at the Monkey and, enunciating each word clearly, uttered a sentence that carried the weight of a final verdict:
"Then—have your guardian come and talk to me!"