Chapter 302 Leukemia

Shang Wu nodded to Fu Mingyuan, maintaining a polite smile, but her tone carried a subtle hint of reminder.

"Mr. Fu, are you here to see Sister You? It's unfortunate, she's probably quite busy lately, and besides... she and Cheng Zhou haven't officially completed the formalities yet."

At this critical juncture, Mr. Fu would be best to avoid suspicion to prevent unnecessary gossip, which would not leave a good impression on Sister You or on you.

Fu Mingyuan's smile faded slightly. He looked at Shang Wu, his tone still gentle, but his words were barbed: "Madam Lu is really concerned about Lu You, but this is between Lu You and me, so you don't need to worry about it. You think so highly of Cheng Zhou, but Cheng Zhou didn't end up with Lu You either."

Shang Wu was taken aback by these words and felt a surge of anger.

She knew that Fu Mingyuan was deliberately trying to sow discord, but she couldn't refute the fact.

She said no more, only a curt "Take care of yourself," before turning and entering the building.

When she got home that evening, Shang Wu told Lu Rang about it.

Lu Rang was already dissatisfied with Fu Mingyuan's approach to Lu You at this time, and when he heard that Fu Mingyuan dared to speak rudely to Shang Wu, his face immediately darkened.

He made a direct call to Fu Mingyuan, his voice as cold as ice.

“Fu Mingyuan, I don’t care what you think of Lu You, stay away from my wife and watch your words! Also, what you want to do with Lu You is a matter for the future, but for now, as long as I am still her brother, you can’t expect to get away with it easily.”

After saying that, he didn't give Fu Mingyuan a chance to refute and hung up the phone directly.

After being warned by the Lu siblings one after another, Fu Mingyuan didn't show anything on the surface, but he was really annoyed inside. He temporarily restrained himself and didn't appear in front of Lu You as frequently anymore.

Shang Wu was overwhelmed by all these messy things. She had to worry about Lu You and Cheng Zhou's relationship, handle the studio's affairs, and take care of Yu Wu. She felt completely exhausted.

She suggested to Lu Rang that she wanted to take the core members of the studio team, mainly A Ying and the others, out for a two-day team building trip to change the environment and give herself a break.

Seeing that she was indeed tired, Lu Rang agreed: "Go ahead and relax... Don't worry about Yu Wu, I'll take care of things."

Shang Wu nodded.

However, to her surprise, Cheng Zhou somehow found out about this and took the initiative to contact her, asking in a dejected tone, "Can I join your team building activity? I promise I won't bother you. I just want to go out for a walk and clear my head."

The dejection and despair in his voice made it impossible for Shang Wu to refuse.

She thought it would be good for him to leave this oppressive environment, so she agreed.

The team building activity was held at a scenic campsite.

During the day, we would go hiking together, and at night we would gather around a campfire to barbecue and chat.

As he had predicted, Cheng Zhou remained silent most of the time, simply following along quietly or sitting alone in the distance, gazing blankly at the lake.

Shang Wu, A Ying, and others tried their best to liven up the atmosphere, but to little avail.

The next afternoon, the weather suddenly turned cloudy and a light drizzle began to fall.

Everyone hurriedly packed their things and returned to the camp to avoid the rain.

Cheng Zhou was probably depressed, and the wind also caused him to develop a high fever that night. His face was flushed, his body was burning hot, and he was also coughing.

It's in a remote, desolate area with limited medical resources.

Shang Wu made a quick decision and, together with A Ying, drove Cheng Zhou to the nearest small clinic in the town, braving the rain.

The doctor conducted a preliminary examination, gave Cheng Zhou an antipyretic injection, and prescribed some medication, but Cheng Zhou's temperature fluctuated and his spirits became increasingly listless.

Looking at Cheng Zhou, who was still unconscious on the hospital bed with a furrowed brow and looked haggard, Shang Wu felt a pang of sadness.

She walked outside the clinic, looking at the continuous drizzle, and a thought suddenly popped into her head.

This might be the last chance to try and salvage his relationship with Lu You? After all, in the face of illness, many arguments and misunderstandings might seem less important.

Shang Wu took out her phone, went to a quieter place, dialed Lu Rang's number, and whispered to him about Cheng Zhou's illness and her thoughts.

Lu Rang was silent for a moment on the other end of the phone, then said only, "I understand. Do what you think is best. Be careful and call me anytime if anything happens."

After hanging up the phone, Shang Wu returned to the clinic and specifically sought out the seemingly experienced old doctor to inquire in detail about Cheng Zhou's condition.

She originally just wanted to use her illness as an excuse to see if she could create an opportunity for Lu You to come over.

However, after listening to her description and looking through the previous examination report, the old doctor's brows furrowed even more.

The old doctor took off his glasses, his expression more solemn than ever before.

He looked at Shang Wu and said solemnly, "This gentleman has a persistent high fever, and the fever-reducing injections are not working. I just noticed some faint bleeding spots on his body, which might be a problem. Our resources here are limited, so I strongly suggest that he be transferred to a major hospital in the city immediately for a comprehensive blood test! We can't delay any longer!"

Shang Wu immediately told those around her about this, not wanting them to take any risks.

The doctor's serious expression and words made him realize that things might be much more complicated than just a cold and fever.

She didn't dare to delay and immediately contacted Lu Rang again.

Upon hearing this, Lu Rang did not hesitate at all and immediately arranged for a vehicle and access to the emergency room of the best hospital in the city.

Braving the night rain, the group hurriedly transferred the drowsy Cheng Zhou into the car and sped towards the city hospital.

Upon arriving at the hospital, the doctors and nurses, who had already been notified, immediately took Cheng Zhou into the emergency room for a thorough examination.

The wait for the results was long and agonizing.

Shang Wu and A Ying sat on the cold bench in the corridor.

A few hours later, the emergency room door opened, and the attending physician came out with a thick stack of lab reports, his face grave.

He looked at Shang Wu, who was at the head of the group, and Lu Rang, who had rushed over, took a deep breath, and announced in a deep voice: "The test results are in. Mr. Cheng Zhou has been diagnosed with... acute lymphoblastic leukemia and needs to be hospitalized immediately for further evaluation and treatment."

leukemia?

Shang Wu's face turned deathly pale instantly, and she almost lost her balance. Lu Rang, who was standing next to her, caught her.

Aying also covered her mouth, her eyes filled with shock and fear.

In the ward, Cheng Zhou had just regained some consciousness and learned about his condition from the doctor.

He lay on the hospital bed, staring at the pale ceiling, his face expressionless, devoid of fear or excitement, only a deathly stillness.

It was as if this news was just the last straw that broke the camel's back, causing his already battered heart to sink into an abyss.

He didn't even have the interest to ask about the treatment plan; he simply closed his eyes slowly, utterly disheartened.

Shang Wu was extremely anxious seeing his utterly lifeless appearance.

She knew that at this moment, perhaps only one person could give him any strength.

She walked out of the ward, leaned against the cold wall, and dialed Lu You's number with trembling hands.

The call connected, and Lu You's slightly cold voice came from the other end: "A-Wu? What's up?"

Shang Wu took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice from trembling too much, but it still carried an undeniable heaviness and sob.

"Sister You, where are you? Something's happened! Cheng Zhou is sick, very seriously ill. The doctor said it's leukemia. Can...can you come to the hospital?"

There was a long, suffocating silence on the other end of the phone.

Shang Wu could even hear Lu You's suddenly rapid and suppressed breathing.

A few seconds later, the call was abruptly disconnected, leaving only a rapid busy tone.

Holding her phone, Shang Wu leaned against the cold wall and slowly slid down onto a bench in the corridor.

She knew that Lu You needed time to process this devastating news, and also time to struggle and make choices.

Time passed by, and only the smell of disinfectant and the occasional hurried footsteps of medical staff remained in the corridor.

After arranging the hospitalization details, Lu Rang sat down next to Shang Wu, gently put his arm around her shoulder, and offered his support silently.

With tears in her eyes, Aying went to handle all sorts of tedious procedures.

About an hour later, the sound of hurried and slightly chaotic high heels finally came from the end of the corridor.

The sound grew louder as it approached, carrying an obvious sense of panic and uncertainty, and finally stopped at the door of the ward.

Lu You has arrived.

She stood outside the ward, her face paler than the ward walls, her lips devoid of color, trembling slightly.

She had clearly rushed over from somewhere after receiving a call; her hair was a little messy, and her carefully drawn eyeliner was smudged, perhaps from wiping away tears.

Lu Rang stared at the half-closed door, looking at it several times, but he still didn't have the courage to push it open.

Those eyes, which usually sparkled with confidence, were now filled with immense bewilderment, helplessness, and a barely perceptible hint of fear.

Shang Wu stood up, walked to her side, and said softly, "He's inside. He just finished a preliminary examination, took some medication, and is awake, but he doesn't talk much."

As if startled awake, Lu You suddenly came to her senses and glanced at Shang Wu. The complexity in her eyes made Shang Wu's heart ache.

She finally took a deep breath and, as if facing death, forcefully pushed open the ward door.

The ward was dimly lit, but it still couldn't hide the cold, unpleasant atmosphere of a hospital.

Cheng Zhou lay on the hospital bed with an IV drip in his arm. His face was sickly pale, his eyes were sunken, and he had lost a lot of weight, as if all his energy had been drained away overnight.

He stared blankly at the ceiling, his eyes unfocused, showing no reaction to the noise at the doorway.

Lu You stopped at the doorway, as if nailed to the spot.

Looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar person on the hospital bed, her heart felt as if it were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, the pain almost making it hard for her to breathe.

Is this really Cheng Zhou? Is this the same Cheng Zhou who was once spirited and always teased her with a roguish smile, and who would prepare midnight snacks for her?

How could... how could it have turned out like this?

Lu You opened her mouth, but her throat felt like it was blocked by something, and she couldn't make a sound.

She slowly, step by step, moved to the bedside.

Lu You stood by the bed, looking down at Cheng Zhou, still unsure of what to say.

"What’s wrong with you?"

This question seems so pale and ridiculous.

In the end, it was Cheng Zhou who reacted first.

He seemed to sense his gaze, his eyes slowly shifting before finally landing on her face.