Xu Ze lay on his bed with his eyes slightly closed, focusing his mind on the energy center located three centimeters below his navel. He could feel the warm flow of energy there and began to guide it slowly through his body.
Under his guidance, the energy in his dantian (energy center) started to circulate through the Ren and Du meridians, moving downward to the perineum, then turning upward along the spine, passing through the top of his head at the Baihui point, and finally flowing back into the dantian.
As the energy circulated, subtle, invisible energy particles in the surrounding space began to gather around Xu Ze’s body. These particles were absorbed through his skin, muscles, and bones, merging into the energy flow within his meridians.
After completing three cycles in a little over an hour, Xu Ze got up and went for a run by the North Lake. He worked up a light sweat, feeling refreshed by the time he returned to his dorm. That afternoon, he had another radiology class, and his main concern was how to remind Professor Li to get a chest X-ray. This matter couldn’t be delayed any longer—every day that passed increased the risk.
During the morning diagnostics class, Xu Ze found it hard to concentrate. After much thought, he decided to find an opportunity to talk to Professor Li that afternoon. If that didn’t work, he would resort to calling him anonymously to remind him.
During his lunch break, Xu Ze completed six more cycles of energy circulation. When he opened his eyes, he noticed that this session had taken slightly less time than the previous one. This was a good sign—the shorter the time, the more likely he was to reach the goal of nine cycles. It seemed that with consistent effort, he was making progress.
After getting up, Xu Ze grabbed his radiology textbook and headed to the classroom, determined to remind Professor Li no matter what.
The last radiology class had covered pneumonia and tuberculosis, and today’s topic was lung tumors. Xu Ze’s eyes lit up—this seemed like the perfect opportunity to bring up the subject.
Professor Li’s lecture was excellent, at least in Xu Ze’s opinion. He explained the topic clearly, using several chest X-rays of lung tumors to illustrate his points. Xu Ze nodded inwardly, thinking, If anyone still doesn’t understand after this, they must not have been paying attention.
During the break, Professor Li, as expected, sat down next to Xu Ze with his water cup and asked with a smile, “So, did you understand everything?”
“Yes, Professor. Your explanations are very clear and easy to follow,” Xu Ze replied with a smile.
Professor Li nodded in satisfaction. “Good. But remember, if there’s anything you don’t understand, you must ask. Accumulating knowledge requires asking questions. Otherwise, small misunderstandings can pile up and lead to confusion later.”
“Mhm, mhm,” Xu Ze nodded, his mind racing. He seized the opportunity to ask, “Professor, you mentioned lung tumors today. What are the main causes?”
“There are many causes of lung tumors, but most are related to respiratory factors. The primary cause is smoking, followed by exposure to certain chemicals…”
“I see,” Xu Ze said, glancing at the professor. “It seems smoking is the biggest risk. Professor, you should really cut back.”
Professor Li laughed heartily. “Haha, it’s too late for that. I’ve been smoking for decades. It’s a habit now—I feel uncomfortable if I don’t have a few cigarettes a day. I can’t quit.”
Xu Ze sighed softly and changed the subject. “Professor, after smoking for so many years, haven’t you experienced any health issues?”
Professor Li looked at Xu Ze with slight surprise. He wasn’t sure why Xu Ze was bringing this up so bluntly, but he didn’t mind. He smiled and said, “Not really. Just an occasional cough in the winter, but nothing serious.”
“Oh,” Xu Ze’s eyes shifted, and he suddenly asked, “Professor, how often does the school arrange health checkups for the faculty?”
“Checkups?” Professor Li thought for a moment. “Once a year.”
“When was your last one?” Xu Ze pressed, looking at the professor seriously.
Professor Li frowned, puzzled by Xu Ze’s persistence. “Why do you ask?”
After a pause, seeing Xu Ze’s earnest expression, he answered, “Last June. Why do you ask?”
Xu Ze hesitated. Should he continue? If he did, it might come off as too direct, and he wouldn’t have a good explanation if Professor Li asked how he knew. But he couldn’t bear the thought of Professor Li delaying treatment because of his hesitation.
After all, if peripheral lung cancer was detected early, surgery could significantly improve survival rates. But if it was delayed for two months until the next checkup, it might be too late.
Looking at Professor Li’s thin, kind face and remembering his care and guidance, Xu Ze gritted his teeth and continued, “Professor, haven’t you been feeling unwell lately?”
“Unwell?” Professor Li frowned, his eyes filled with confusion. “What do you mean?”
“Have you been coughing or experiencing any other discomfort recently?” Xu Ze asked, staring at the professor intently.
Seeing Xu Ze’s serious expression, Professor Li’s demeanor also became more solemn. He looked at Xu Ze and said, “I have been coughing a little lately, but it’s not severe. Why do you ask?”
“Professor… I suggest you get a chest X-ray when you have time. Your… complexion doesn’t look great,” Xu Ze finally blurted out, biting his lip.
As soon as Xu Ze finished speaking, the bell for the next class rang. Professor Li looked at Xu Ze, meeting his clear, earnest gaze. He didn’t say anything but nodded and stood up, walking back to the podium.
Xu Ze watched the professor, who still seemed energetic and lively, and sighed inwardly. He had done all he could. Whether Professor Li believed him or not was now up to him. After class, Xu Ze stood up and walked out of the classroom, feeling the professor’s gaze on his back but not turning around.
In the evening, the clinic was as busy as ever. Although Dr. Zhang had told him he could reduce his time in the injection room, Xu Ze still went to help Nurse Luo with the injections. The clinic was short-staffed, and he wanted to do his part.
Watching Xu Ze work diligently in the injection room, Dr. Zhang’s eyes showed a hint of approval. This kid is really something. So responsible…
After quickly helping Nurse Luo with all the IVs, Xu Ze returned to the consultation room. Dr. Zhang was seeing a patient and smiled at Xu Ze, waving him over. “Xu Ze, come here. Take a look at this patient…”
Under Dr. Zhang’s detailed explanations, Xu Ze gained a thorough understanding of the patients who came in that evening. He asked questions about things he didn’t fully grasp and couldn’t help but marvel at how much easier it was to learn with a teacher guiding him. His understanding of certain concepts deepened significantly.
The night followed its usual routine of studying. Xiao Dao’s explanations were fast-paced, but Xu Ze’s learning mainly involved retrieving knowledge buried deep in his memory. It was straightforward, but Xu Ze often found himself struggling with certain issues.
There seemed to be a gap between modern knowledge and future knowledge, and the clash between the two often gave Xu Ze a headache. He had to spend a lot of mental energy categorizing and distinguishing between the two to avoid confusion. After all, exams were still based on modern knowledge.
Xiao Dao, however, seemed particularly interested in testing Xu Ze’s willpower. Xu Ze was subjected to another grueling four-hour basketball training session with Bond. Every time Xu Ze was completely exhausted and didn’t want to move, he was rewarded with a strong, tingling electric shock. This continued until the four hours were up, and Xu Ze collapsed on the floor, unable to move.
Xu Ze had mixed feelings about Xiao Dao. On one hand, he hated the suffering he had to endure—something he had never experienced before. On the other hand, his basketball skills were improving rapidly. Despite only two training sessions, the intense, hellish practice had unlocked basketball experience buried deep in his memory. Although he wasn’t entirely comfortable with it yet, Xu Ze was confident that his skills wouldn’t embarrass him on the court anymore.
