"Stop being polite. Have you had breakfast? If not, go and have breakfast first. I'll be watching over your father here." Principal Xu was impatient to hear the polite words. Given their friendship, there was no need to be polite.
Gan Maojun forced a smile and said, "I won't go. I'll just ask the second brother to buy it back."
"That's fine." Principal Xu nodded, pulled a stool over to the bedside and sat down, talking to his old friend. "You old man, you used to be in better health than me. How are you now? People should accept their age. If you're sick, you should go get checked out earlier. Look at you now, you look like you're dying. It's really unbearable to watch."
Gan Maojun led his younger brothers and sisters out, leaving the space to the two elderly people.
Hearing the door close, Principal Xu glanced at them calmly and continued, "Your three children are all good people. At least they are filial. They never left you even when things got tough, preferring to share the good and the bad with you. You're really lucky. Even though you've been sent down for a few years and your health has been ruined, you've met my apprentice. You're really lucky."
"Other people who get cancer can only wait to die, but you found out after my apprentice developed a drug that can cure cancer. You are really lucky."
I spoke a lot in a disjointed manner, feeling a lot of emotions in my heart.
At ten o'clock in the morning, there was a knock on the door of Ward 301. Principal Xu looked over and saw that the door was pushed open and Gan Maojun walked in.
"Uncle Xu, a few comrades came outside and said they were here to take my father for treatment."
"Please let them in." Principal Xu stood up.
Gan Maojun turned around and gestured for invitation, "Please come in."
A moment later, four men of similar height, wearing Zhongshan suits, came in. They first showed their ID to Principal Xu, Gan Maojun and others before speaking.
"Hello, comrades. We are from the Biomedical Research Institute. At the request of the Gan family, we are here to take Mr. Gan for clinical treatment. Because this is a critical biomedical facility, unauthorized access is prohibited. Therefore, you are not allowed to visit during the treatment period. If an accident occurs during the treatment, we will notify you in advance and escort the patient out so that you can see him one last time." The speaker's eyes sparkled, and he looked capable and shrewd. "In addition, patients entering the Biomedical Research Institute for treatment are required to sign a waiver."
After saying that, he took out a file from his arm and said, "I wonder which one of you should sign this?"
The Gan brothers and sisters looked at each other, and it was Gan Maojun, the eldest brother, who stepped forward and said, "I'll sign."
"Here." The file bag was handed to him, and the four of them waited quietly for the result.
Gan Maojun opened the document bag, took out the disclaimer inside, read it one by one, and signed it only after confirming that there was no problem. This statement is a kind of protection for the research institute. Generally, patients who participate in clinical trials are mostly those with terminal illnesses and those with short lifespan, so this statement is indispensable.
After signing, Gan Maojun stuffed the statement back into the document bag and handed it back to them. He then asked, "Comrade, since we can't visit, how can we find out about my father's condition?"
"Every two weeks, someone will deliver the patient's medical report to their home. Just remember to check it." The leader took the document bag, put it back in his arm, and said to the person behind him, "Take this patient away."
The four people acted decisively, saying a word to the hospital staff and taking the oxygen tube with them; the patient was so seriously ill that he needed the oxygen tube.
Gan Maojun, his two siblings, and Principal Xu watched the research institute's car drive away.
"Maojun, don't worry. You all know what the worst-case scenario could be. Once you're at the research institute, they'll do their best to treat you." Principal Xu sighed. "I have to go back to school. You should all come back soon too."
"Take care, Uncle Xu."
"Uncle Xu, how about we take you back?" said the third daughter of the Gan family.
Principal Xu shook his head. "No need. Just go about your business."
Seeing Principal Xu crossing the street to the bus stop, the second son of the Gan family asked, "Brother, we can't see our father for a day or two, but how can we be at peace for a long time?"
"Don't overthink it. Just remember, the absence of bad news is good news." Gan Maojun understood the key point, and the other two Gan siblings naturally understood it. But even though they understood, they still had to worry. It was a worry that came from the heart and could not be stopped by human power. "Go back to work."
All we can do now is wait for news.
After Mr. Gan was sent to the research institute, Xi Nian took the time to personally call Zhong Yuxiu. After Zhong Yuxiu learned about it, she abandoned him.
"Yuxiu, it's time for us to go out." Yan Rushan shouted.
Zhong Yuxiu looked up and said, "Okay, I'm coming."
The two of them had agreed to go out today, but Yan Rushan hadn't set a time. They'd go out in the morning when it was coolest, but unfortunately, Zhong Yuxiu couldn't get up. After lunch, when the sun was still high, they chose to go out in the evening, after sunset.
It was now a little after six, almost seven in the afternoon. The scorching sun was setting, and the sky was filled with the brilliant sunset, which was exceptionally beautiful.
They went out together, and Haonan and Tian Shangguo also followed; they did not borrow a car and chose to walk out of the compound.
When we arrived outside the compound, it was just after get off work and there were people and vehicles constantly coming in and out of the compound gate. It was a rare busy time.
"How is it? Can you still walk?" Yan Rushan asked with his eyes lowered, worry hidden in his eyes.
Zhong Yuxiu shook her head. "I'm not tired yet, I can walk. Let's go to the nearest stall and take a look."
"good."
Yan Rushan protected her as they walked forward, leaving the compound. It was even more lively outside; factories were getting off work, schools were out of session, and the streets were bustling with people.
It took more than ten to twenty minutes to walk along the street to the market. Yan Rushan repeatedly asked her if she was tired, but Zhong Yuxiu helplessly said no again and again.
"I'll tell you when I'm tired." Zhong Yuxiu had no choice but to say this.
"Be sure to tell me if you're tired, and we'll go back immediately." After all, he was still worried that something might happen to her; it's never as safe outside as in the compound.
Zhong Yuxiu nodded and said, "Let's go over there and take a look. Is that where they sell wood carvings?"
"Yes." He held her in his arms and led the group over there. When they arrived, Zhong Yuxiu bent over, one hand supporting her belly, and the other hand picked up a wooden hairpin. "Is this wood pear?"
The owner of the wood carving shop looked at me cheerfully, "You know what you're talking about. This is genuine pear wood. Because there's not enough wood, we can't make large pieces; we can only make small ones. Look at this hairpin. Girls in ancient times loved to use wooden hairpins to pin their hair up. Even the ladies of the upper class back then used pear wood."
"Those are girls from poor families. Girls from wealthy families all use gold, silver, and jade." The shopkeeper was quite good at talking. However, having lived through several generations of ancient life, he understood these things very well. "Ladies from wealthy families wouldn't use hairpins made of wood; it wouldn't suit their status. Pearwood is too rare, so at most it can be made into small ornaments or to play with. Large pieces of pearwood are the most important, and they are mostly used for boudoir decorations or dowry."
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