Chapter 168

Chapter 168

Ao Tian hesitated, wondering whether to reveal the true number to Chen Zui. A zero was quite disheartening, and he feared it might crush Chen Zui's spirit.

But Chen Zui needed the accurate figure to formulate a proper plan.

Ao Tian's silence made Chen Zui guess: "Is it very low?"

Ao Tian: "It's zero."

Though the truth was harsh, he trusted Chen Zui was resilient enough to handle it.

Chen Zui's eyelashes fluttered slightly as he watched Shen Que, who had magically produced a bucket hat and plopped it onto his head.

"Found this outside, still brand new. Pretty cool of Brother Shen, huh?"

Shen Que treated him so well, and after everything that had transpired between them, his romantic interest in Chen Zui was actually zero.

Chen Zui: "Are you sure there's no mistake?"

Ao Tian: "No mistake."

Ao Tian: "Don't lose heart. While progress is slow in this area, we're on the verge of success in another!"

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

Shen Que leaned closer to Chen Zui, who had been staring at him, and pinched his own chin: "Speechless by my good looks?"

He looked quite pleased with himself.

This time, Chen Zui was truly baffled by the straight man. Even he hadn't expected Shen Que to have not a shred of romantic interest in him.

"Yeah."

He replied.

His dark eyes, like twin stars in the night, gazed at Shen Que: "Brother Shen is the most handsome man I've ever seen."

Shen Que's reaction was a hearty laugh, and he clapped Chen Zui on the shoulder: "You've got good taste, kid."

Chen Zui managed a weak smile.

How to turn a straight man became the question Chen Zui needed to ponder.

That night, he replayed their entire interaction. Their physical intimacy had reached such a level, yet Shen Que still showed no romantic inclination.

This meant the likelihood of "bending" him through sexual acts was quite low. Even if Chen Zui went all the way, Shen Que might still believe he was simply providing medical treatment.

Oh.

There was the problem.

Chen Zui watched the sleeping Shen Que in the darkness, like a hunter observing his prey. Using the excuse of medical treatment had quickly broken down physical barriers, but it had also planted a seed in Shen Que's mind: all these interactions were for medical purposes, so he wouldn't overthink them.

Not overthinking meant no ambiguity, no shyness, and no developing feelings.

That was the drawback of this approach.

Chen Zui thought of two methods. First, he could interact with someone else to see if it would make Shen Que jealous. If it did, Chen Zui could slowly guide him to understand that jealousy was a sign of liking, or even love.

If Shen Que showed no jealousy, then he truly had no romantic feelings for him at all.

But Chen Zui found this hard to believe. He didn't think Shen Que would go to such lengths purely for medical reasons.

As for the second method...

Chen Zui's gaze at Shen Que took on a dangerous edge.

—

Around midnight, someone pounded urgently on the clinic door, yelling, "Doctor Chen! Doctor Chen!"

Chen Zui and Shen Que snapped awake immediately, exchanged a glance, then hurried downstairs—one turning on the lights, the other opening the door.

They saw Lao Xu, drenched in sweat, carrying a pale Xiao Xu on his back: "Doctor Chen, please take a look at Xu Nuo quickly. His stomach's killing him."

Shen Que had already taken Xiao Xu from his back and looked at Chen Zui.

Chen Zui: "Next door."

Xiao Xu, sweating and pale, was laid on the sickbed by Shen Que.

Chen Zui lifted his shirt and felt his stomach: "Where does it hurt?"

Xiao Xu struggled to endure the pain, moving his hand with effort to the lower right side of his abdomen.

"H-here hurts the most."

Chen Zui pressed there: "Here?"

Xiao Xu winced and nodded. Chen Zui moved his hand around the area: "Does it hurt here?"

Xiao Xu hesitated. The pain had numbed him, and he wasn't entirely sure where it hurt or didn't hurt. His whole stomach seemed to ache, but perhaps not to that extreme.

Lao Xu: "He started complaining of stomach pain after dinner. We didn't think much of it, but it got worse and worse in the middle of the night."

"Doctor Chen, what's wrong with Xu Nuo?"

Chen Zui: "It's appendicitis."

They knew about appendicitis. People in the town had suffered from it before. Several had died from it when there were no doctors around. Later, when West Town got a doctor, a few years ago, someone in the town had appendicitis. Shen Que had taken him to West Town and traded a cow and two pigs for a chance at surgery, saving his life.

Lao Xu asked nervously, "Can you treat it, Doctor Chen?"

Chen Zui nodded: "Don't worry."

Lao Xu's face regained a bit of color.

Chen Zui swiftly began preoperative preparations. The medicine here wasn't comprehensive, so he had to use substitutes for some things and mix his own solutions.

As for surgical facilities, there were naturally no professional instruments. All he could do now was ensure cleanliness.

Shen Que watched Chen Zui, busy but orderly: "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Chen Zui pushed the syringe in his hand slightly to expel the air, not even glancing at him: "Brother Xu, take off Xiao Wu's clothes. Brother Shen, go get Song Luo."

They both acknowledged and went to their tasks.

Chen Zui ushered Xiao Wu into the operating room: "Brother Xu, you can wait outside."

Shen Que had quickly brought Song Luo over. Though nervous, Song Luo remained calm as he put on his surgical scrubs, washed his hands, and appeared in the operating room.

Chen Zui washed his hands again and returned: "Brother Shen, could you help me close the door?"

Before closing the door, Shen Que glanced at Chen Zui, who was dressed in a surgical gown, cap, and mask.

Calmly, Chen Zui walked to the operating table: "Xiao Xu, don't be nervous. I'll give you anesthesia, and you'll be fine after you wake up."

Xiao Xu nodded.

Chen Zui: "Song Luo, you're responsible for passing me the instruments."

His tone was calm, carrying a reassuring quality that made everyone feel everything would be resolved with him there.

Shen Que closed the door of the makeshift operating room.

This version of Chen Zui felt somewhat unfamiliar to him, yet there was also a sense of being impressed in that unfamiliarity. In reality, Chen Zui was not weak at all—he was demonstrating calm and strength in his field.

Shen Que handed a bottle of water to Lao Xu: "Don't worry, with Chen Zui here, Xu Nuo won't have any problems."

Inside the operating room, lacking the conditions for minimally invasive surgery, they had to perform a traditional open abdominal surgery.

Only Chen Zui's voice could be heard from time to time, explaining the procedure to Song Luo as he operated. Given the urgency, it wasn't possible to call all the students over, so he had chosen the oldest student, Song Luo.

The surgery ended an hour and a half later.

Lao Xu and Shen Que hurried over. The moment Lao Xu saw Xiao Xu with his eyes closed, he stumbled, and Shen Que caught him.

He tentatively called out, "Xiao Nuo?"

"The anesthesia hasn't worn off yet. He'll wake up in about 15 minutes."

As he spoke, Chen Zui removed his blood-stained medical gloves: "The appendix has been removed. Once he wakes up, have him urinate first."

Song Luo and Lao Xu could only nod in response.

Chen Zui took off his surgical gown, which was also stained with some blood: "Brother Xu, don't worry. I'll stay with him the whole time. Let's move him to the ward first."

Lao Xu: "Alright!"

Shen Que gently pushed Lao Xu aside: "Take a breather. I'll handle moving him."

Lao Xu was indeed frightened—in this world, illness could be fatal.

Xiao Xu woke up 15 minutes later, still a bit dazed as the anesthesia hadn't fully worn off.

Surrounded by everyone telling him to pee, he couldn't do it...

Shen Que came up with an idea. He asked Song Luo to bring a basin of water and then made water sounds while whistling beside it.

Xiao Xu finally managed to urinate.

Chen Zui suggested everyone else leave, saying he would stay and keep watch. Lao Xu, worried about his son, refused to leave. In the end, only Song Luo was sent back by Shen Que.

The three of them remained, gathered around Xiao Xu, who was sound asleep on the hospital bed.

Ao Tian: "There's some good news."

Chen Zui: "Let's hear it."

Ao Tian: "The favorability has increased to 1%."

Chen Zui glanced at Shen Que and immediately met his gaze, indicating that Shen Que had been watching him earlier.

His eyes held a questioning look.

A 1% increase—likely due to his performance earlier. It seemed that a man focused on his work was indeed attractive, enough to make even a straight man feel a 1% attraction.

But the number was too low. After performing a surgery, it only increased by 1%. He couldn't perform surgeries every day. He truly hoped everyone in town would stay healthy, and he'd never have to perform another surgery.

Facing Chen Zui's questioning gaze, Shen Que realized he had been staring for too long.

He stood up: "I'm going for a smoke."

Shen Que squatted outside the clinic door, exhaling smoke, still pondering why he had stared at Chen Zui for so long.

There didn't seem to be a reason. His gaze had unconsciously drifted to Chen Zui and then lingered, without ever feeling bored. He felt he could watch Chen Zui forever.

"Brother Shen."

Chen Zui squatted down beside Shen Que.

Shen Que stubbed out his cigarette on the ground. Lately, Chen Zui had been sneaking quite a few smokes from him.

"Thank you for today," Shen Que said gratefully, looking at Chen Zui. "If it weren't for you, things would have been troublesome."

Though he was willing to trade ten or even a hundred pigs to save Xiao Xu's life—and he believed everyone in town would agree—the doctor in West Town was too old to perform such surgeries anymore.

"It's what I should do, Brother Shen. There's something else I need to tell you."

Shen Que waited for him to continue.

"Someone else in town has the same condition as you, Brother Shen. He came to see me during the day."

"Who is it?" Shen Que was quite surprised. He hadn't expected to have a comrade in misfortune in this regard!

"Sorry, Brother Shen. I promised him I'd keep it confidential."

Shen Que understood. He himself had asked Chen Zui not to disclose his condition—it was a matter of male dignity.

Chen Zui continued slowly: "So I thought, since the massage therapy I've been doing for you works, it should work for him too."

Shen Que's expression froze. He hadn't considered that. He stared at Chen Zui, who was sitting on the doorstep, chin in hand, gazing at the moon.

Chen Zui would be touching another man...

His eyes fell on Chen Zui's hands, propping up his chin.

"No!"

The word burst out almost like a growl before he could even process the thought.

Chen Zui was "startled" by his outburst and looked at him in confusion.

"What's wrong, Brother Shen?"

"Brother Shen, don't worry. I'll treat him with the same care as I do you. I'll make sure he gets good treatment. So from now on, I might come back later in the evenings. I'll go to his place to perform the daily massage therapy before returning."

Shen Que's mind flashed to their treatment methods, and how Chen Zui occasionally got aroused by it, using his leg.

Would he also borrow someone else's leg?

Just the thought of that scene made him feel like…

His fists clenched.

Chen Zui took in his reaction—seems he cared.

Straight?

Not necessarily.

"I think oral massage should be scheduled too. After all, the mouth is also a human erogenous zone. Couples love kissing."

He felt a bit embarrassed.

"But I've never kissed anyone before. Still, to cure Brother Shen and his illness, I'll do my best. He's shyer than Brother Shen, so I plan to start with oral massage for him first—meaning kissing."