The Little Deaf Man Decided to be Spoiled

28

Chapter 28
There was a hospital near Jing University, but with the flu rampant this season and Ji Ruan's fever not being too severe, Gu Xiu hesitated. Fearing the crowd might lead to cross-infection, he took a slightly longer route and brought Ji Ruan to their private hospital.
The VIP lounge was serene. Ji Ruan, having just had his blood drawn, leaned languidly on the sofa with a cotton swab pressing against his inner elbow.
The door was gently pushed open. Li Sui'an, specifically coming from the third floor, joined in the commotion. He noticed Ji Ruan's pale appearance.
"Why are you sick again, patient Ji Ruan?"
Gu Xiu prepared a cup of rehydration salts solution, took the cotton swab to press on Ji Ruan's inner elbow, and handed him the cup, "Take a sip."
Ji Ruan, lifting his eyelids, greeted Li Sui'an while holding the cup, "Hello, Dr. Li, we meet again."
Li Sui'an chuckled at Ji Ruan's expression, realizing that the boy wasn't too pleased to encounter him in such circumstances, his look mildly resentful.
Without even looking up, Gu Xiu gently patted Ji Ruan's head, "Ignore him, drink some water first... Feeling dizzy?"
Ji Ruan sniffled, "I'm alright, just feeling weak."
Li Sui'an stepped closer, examining Ji Ruan's inner elbow, clicking his tongue, "Your platelet count still hasn't improved, huh?"
Just a blood draw, and the cotton swab was stained red in several places.
Gu Xiu finally cast him a glance, "Why are you, an otolaryngologist, here?"
Patting his white coat, Li Sui'an replied, "Of course, I'm here to check on a former patient. A fever can affect the ears too, you know."
Gu Xiu paused for a moment, called a nurse to put a medical adhesive strip on Ji Ruan's inner elbow, then turned to Li Sui'an, "Should we come to your department for a check-up?"
"No need for now," Li Sui'an waved it off, "Let me ask him a few questions first."
Gu Xiu made some space.
Li Sui'an pulled up a chair to sit in front of Ji Ruan, extending his hand behind Ji Ruan's left ear and felt the implanted device beneath the skin.
"Does it hurt? Have you felt any stabbing or spasmodic pains inside the ear or beneath the skin here?"
"No pain. Um... I do feel a slight headache, but no sensation in the ear."
"How about tinnitus? Not necessarily a sharp ringing, but after getting a fever, have you heard anything resembling the sound of fine sand, even faintly?"
Ji Ruan pressed his lips together and concentrated, then shook his head: "No, I can hear clearly."
"Good, that's reassuring," Li Sui'an straightened up and turned to Gu Xiu, "No need to come to my department. It's nothing serious."
Gu Xiu took the empty paper cup from Ji Ruan and asked, "Then why did he experience such intense pain last time?"
Li Sui'an laughed, "Don't over-worry. Not every fever leads to neuralgia. Last time, it was likely due to the severity of the fever."
A knock sounded at the lounge door, and a slightly chubby doctor rushed in with a lab report. Spotting Li Sui'an, he exclaimed, "Oh, old Li is here too?"
Li Sui'an nodded in greeting, "Just visiting a friend."
The chubby doctor chuckled, "Perfect timing then! How about dinner tonight? There's a new hot pot place across the street."
"Sounds good."
After speaking, the chubby doctor turned his attention to Gu Xiu, switching to a professional demeanor:
"Mr. Gu, your partner is fine. We've ruled out the current flu, and it's not viral. It's just a result of getting chilled and fatigue, causing a fever due to a weaker constitution."
Gu Xiu nodded, asking, "Thank you. Is hospitalization necessary?"
"Oh, no need," the chubby doctor smiled, "Kids their age usually just need some medication and rest, and they'll recover quickly."
He glanced at the lab report, "Given your partner's unique health condition, we recommend an antipyretic injection. This will help the fever subside faster, and ensure there's no adverse effect on the ears, sparing another visit to the otolaryngologist."
Gu Xiu, preferring Ji Ruan's fever to subside as soon as possible, looked at Ji Ruan, "Should we go for the injection?"
Ji Ruan, having already been pricked once for a blood draw, didn't mind another needle, nodded and said, "Alright then."
"The antipyretic injection is typically administered in the upper arm or buttocks. Where do you prefer?" The portly doctor clapped his hands, presenting the choice.
"Most people opt for the buttock," Li Sui'an interjected with a playful smirk, "The muscles are more padded there, so it's less painful. One look at Ji Ruan's slender arm and you can tell there's not much meat on it."
He intensified his tone, teasing Ji Ruan as one would a child, "It'll really hurt if you choose the arm, you know."
"Enough," Gu Xiu shielded Ji Ruan from him.