Chapter 287: Uncovering Truths, Healing the Heart

After the interview, she smoothly brought up a ‘small request,’ pretty sure Zhou Can wouldn’t turn her down.

That was exactly where her cleverness showed.

There’s no way she could handle asking for someone’s phone number this skillfully without plenty of practice.

“Here’s my number. If you ever have medical questions, feel free to call me, Reporter Mu. If I can’t pick up, it just means I’m busy saving a patient, but I’ll return your call as soon as I can.”

Zhou Can scribbled down his number and handed it over.

Taking this interview not only helped spread awareness about lymphoma and EB virus prevention, but also earned him a generous pathology reward. On top of it all, he picked up a unique medical skill. The gains were honestly beyond his wildest expectations.

So, naturally, Zhou Can was more than happy to support the news article.

“Alright, I’m heading out! See you!”

She waved at Zhou Can and Deputy Director Shi as she left.

Deputy Director Shi had been sitting nearby the whole time, just there as a bystander, not really involved.

Once the female reporter left, Deputy Director Shi shot Zhou Can a mischievous look, lowering his voice, “Dr. Zhou, looks like you’ve got some luck with the ladies! That reporter seemed to have an interest in you.”

When it comes to romance, few men ever keep things completely serious.

Men only behave when you hang them up on the wall—then they’ve got no choice.

Shi and Zhou Can got along well, and Zhou Can’s special role in the Gastroenterology Department meant they usually talked as equals. That’s probably why Shi felt comfortable joking around like this.

“Don’t start! She was just here for an interview, that’s all!”

Romance never even crossed Zhou Can’s mind.

This was the first time he’d seen this side of Deputy Director Shi.

Goes to show you, if you want to truly understand someone, you need to spend real time together.

Most days at Tuyu Hospital, Zhou Can and Shi just exchanged greetings or talked about work. Every conversation was all business.

They were all incredibly busy anyway.

He’d always thought Shi was a proper, serious guy. Who knew there was such a playful troublemaker beneath the surface?

“Don’t believe me? I was young once too, you know. I’ve got some experience with women. The way that reporter looked at you, there was something different—almost a sparkle in her eye. Not the way strangers look at each other.”

Deputy Director Shi said this with a straight face, sticking to his point.

“Well, you certainly surprise me, Director Shi! Who knew you weren’t just good at treating patients, but also an expert on romance? I bet you had your fair share of girlfriends when you were young.”

Zhou Can joked, steering the conversation away.

There’s no way he really believed that reporter had a crush on him.

These days, young attractive women are sharp as tacks. Winning over someone like that isn’t easy.

They’re incredibly choosy when it comes to picking a partner.

“Heh, not to brag, but I wasn’t half bad-looking when I was young—tall, decently handsome, and I’d gotten into a top university. Started dating from my freshman year on. After I became a doctor at Tuyu Hospital, my number of girlfriends hit double digits.”

He held up his huge hands for effect.

Zhou Can nearly did a double take hearing Shi had been with over ten girlfriends in his youth.

“Guess you really can’t judge a book by its cover! You’re incredible. Respect!”

Zhou Can gave him a thumbs up.

Just then, the young couple—the girl who’d come in with abdominal pain and a lump—came back after their exams.

They looked a little shy and inexperienced, obviously still young.

The girl’s boyfriend handed the test results to Deputy Director Shi.

“Doctor, we’re done with the tests. Can you tell us what’s wrong with my girlfriend?”

Deputy Director Shi took the exams, eyebrows furrowing as he studied them. “This definitely isn’t a hernia—looks a bit like a tumor. She needs to see a gastrointestinal surgeon. Most likely will need surgery.”

Then he remembered Zhou Can had worked in General Surgery and had performed well.

“Dr. Zhou, take a look at the mass! And her abdominal scan is odd too—there’s no sign of a uterus in the images.”

Zhou Can wasn’t a master at reading scans, but his surgical experience gave him an edge. After looking, he was still puzzled. “Having a mass in that location is extremely rare. The size is strange too.”

If it was malignant, bloodwork might reveal some abnormalities.

He carefully reviewed her blood test, focusing on several key indicators.

Especially certain critical data points.

“This doesn’t look like a tumor either! Tumors usually grow in the uterus or ovaries. Intestinal tumors exist, but they never bulge out from under the skin near the thigh.”

Plus, the mass wasn’t exactly big, nor especially small.

There was something off about the whole situation.

Zhou Can couldn’t help examining the girl. Delicate features, smooth hair partly covering her face, pain furrowing her brow. She looked like the kind of gentle beauty anyone would want to protect.

“Are you sure this lump appeared overnight?”

Zhou Can fixed her with a serious look.

Doctors fear nothing more than patients hiding the truth—it’s how misdiagnoses happen.

“I’m certain,” she replied firmly.

Her eyes were sincere and clear—she didn’t seem the type to lie.

Zhou Can hesitated a moment, then asked, “Did you two sleep together last night?”

“Yeah.”

The girl’s face flushed red as she nodded, eyes downcast.

“Was last night your first time?”

“No, we’ve been together almost four years now!”

Her boyfriend stepped in to answer when he realized she was embarrassed by the sensitive question.

“Yang Chan, can you take a look at this patient’s abdominal scan? I can’t see a uterus, and the features on both ovaries aren’t clear either. That lump is awfully strange too.”

Zhou Can decided to consult a doctor from the Obstetrics Department.

Director Zhang was busy, so her apprentice came over first.

Yang Chan hurried over.

One look at the scan, and her expression turned just as odd.

“There’s really no uterus here! The images have a somewhat masculine look—pretty different from the usual female abdominal scans. And there’s even a tube connected to the mass. It looks a bit like the vas deferens.”

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The female patient instantly looked lost.

How could her uterus just be gone out of nowhere?

“Have you ever had your period?”

Yang Chan asked the girl.

“Never.”

The girl shook her head.

“That makes sense. You most likely have androgen insensitivity syndrome. Once my mentor is free, we’ll have her take a look too.” As Director Zhang’s top apprentice, Yang Chan quickly identified the likely condition after seeing the scan.

When Zhou Can heard ‘androgen insensitivity syndrome,’ a look of realization spread across his face.

He watched the girl now with a mix of curiosity and real sympathy.

“Doctor, what exactly is androgen insensitivity syndrome? That technical term means nothing to us.”

Her boyfriend asked.

“If your girlfriend really has this, you probably can’t marry. At best, you’ll just be brothers,” Deputy Director Shi answered.

This disease is incredibly rare.

It occurs in just a few out of every ten thousand births, usually due to genetic mutations.

Some women eat all sorts of things during pregnancy, not bothering to restrict their diet. Or old-fashioned mother-in-laws obsessed with having grandsons come up with folk remedies, making their pregnant daughters-in-law take strange concoctions.

All of that can lead to such conditions in newborns.

Many affected babies seem normal at first, but as they age and secondary sexual characteristics develop, the differences become obvious.

Take this girl, for example: she’s never had a period.

Usually, girls get their first period around age thirteen.

Zhou Can picked up the scan again. Sure enough, the mass was connected to a tiny, barely noticeable tube. Tracing it, his expression grew even more peculiar.

A theory began to form in his mind about the nature of this mass.

If he was right, this was a shrunken testicle.

She was likely genetically XY, developing into someone who looked like a woman but couldn’t have children. Her testicles usually stayed in the abdomen, without producing sperm.

The couple had been together for four years, even living together, yet nothing unusual had surfaced.

Which meant the rest of her body was almost exactly like a typical woman’s.

For example, her breast development and outer genitalia.

Director Zhang managed to finish examining her own patient. Yang Chan hurried over with the test results.

“Mentor, take a look at these results. There’s no uterus and it really looks like androgen insensitivity syndrome.”

Director Zhang reviewed everything thoroughly, then called the girl into a small room for a physical exam.

Yang Chan went in with them.

They were probably checking the girl’s physical features and overall development.

It didn’t take long for the three to emerge again.

The boyfriend rushed to steady his girlfriend, but she pulled away without thinking.

“Doctor, what’s really happening with my girlfriend?”

The change in her attitude worried him.

Even though the doctors had already explained things before, getting an official diagnosis shattered any hope he had left. Now, he faced a tough decision.

The patient herself had an even bigger psychological and physical challenge: finding an answer she could live with and starting over.

“She has complete androgen insensitivity syndrome. Usually, patients like her, even as infants, live as girls. Sometimes, they’re brought in as babies because of a lump in the abdomen or groin. Occasionally, they discover a hidden testicle during hernia surgery. That mass is probably not a tumor at all—but an atrophic testicle.”

Director Zhang paused, giving the young couple a moment to process everything.

“I checked her physical development—she’s missing some typical features, but in most respects, she’s just like any other female. Now, since her testicle has shriveled, I recommend surgery to complete her transition to a female body. But because there’s no uterus, she’ll never be able to have children.”

For women, the ability to have kids is seen as hugely important.

Being unable to conceive can present major challenges for married life.

“Of course, technically, she should have been a male. If you want, you could undergo surgery to transition into a man instead. Take a couple of days, maybe stay in the hospital to think it over carefully. Talk it out with your parents as much as you need to—whatever you decide, I’m sure they’ll support you.”

Though Director Zhang didn’t spell it out, her advice was clear.

In a situation like this, even an engaged couple might not hold together.

Even in marriage, sometimes a man won’t stick around.

But your parents—they’ll always be there.

No matter what happens, parents are the ones who care the most.

“Xiaoyan, no matter what, I’ll stay by your side.” Her boyfriend tried to comfort her but she instinctively withdrew.

Learning the truth about herself—a male body—was a huge psychological blow.

She needed time to adjust.

“Doctor, how much will the surgery cost?” The girl’s first worry was the procedure’s price.

“Hard to say—you’re probably looking at around ten thousand yuan. Removing just the atrophied testicle would be a few thousand. If you want surgery to become male again, it’s more complex and costs more. But either way, fertility isn’t possible.”

Director Zhang gave her a ballpark estimate.

In androgen insensitivity syndrome, some people have a male social identity and can undergo reconstructive surgery for things like repairing hypospadias, building a male urethra.

But fertility can’t be restored.

Even sexual function isn’t normal.

Medically, it’s generally advised to transition fully to female post-surgery. Aside from infertility, patients live almost the same as other women, and it’s best for their long-term wellbeing.

“I don’t have enough money right now. Can I call my mom, save up, and then get admitted for treatment?”

“Absolutely. This is a major decision—take your time, talk everything over, and only move forward once you’re confident.”

Director Zhang’s tone was warm and gentle.

“Xiaoyan, I’ll pay whatever the surgery costs.” Her boyfriend offered quietly.

“I need some space. Could you leave me alone for now?” The patient was cold, distancing herself from him.

Zhou Can wondered silently—maybe she was considering transitioning to a male body?

In the end, it’s her decision to make. No one can interfere.

Still, being faced with such a unique patient had opened Zhou Can’s eyes.

Once she’d gone, Zhou Can was back to relaxing. To be honest, expert clinics like this didn’t attract crowds—Deputy Director Shi wasn’t famous or skilled enough to wow everyone, so slow days were the norm.

Meanwhile, across the courtyard, the reporter Mu Qing was in high spirits, having dug up a solid scoop.

This assignment was clearly meant to help promote Xinxiang Maternity and Child Hospital.

That lymphoma patient’s story was perfect for publicity.

She thought it carried a strong warning message.

“Old Qin, did you get the info on Dr. Zhou like I asked?” Mu Qing asked the photographer.

“When have I ever let you down? Got all the details, just sent them to you. Oh, and while I was at it, I looked into Dr. Du as well. Guess what I found?”

“Spill it already!”

Mu Qing urged impatiently.

“I was going to wrangle a midnight snack out of you for this, but never mind—we’re old partners, after all. So here’s the deal: Dr. Du’s overseas PhD sounds impressive, but he’s not nearly as good as everyone thinks at Tuyu Hospital. He mainly gets attention because of his degree, but his real specialty seems to be academic research. In less than two years at Tuyu, he’s published multiple SCI medical papers, including one on digital surgery that had some real influence.”

Old Qin laid out everything he’d learned about Du Leng.

“So, he’s talented but mostly academic, right?”

Mu Qing summarized.

“That’s about it. Also, I heard he got into an argument with a patient’s family here yesterday during consultations. He failed to diagnose several difficult cases and kept ordering more and more tests. Eventually, the family lost it—accused him of being a fake doctor with a bought diploma.”

Old Qin dropped his voice for this.

“No wonder Section Chief Tang from Xinxiang tried to keep me away from him earlier.” Mu Qing finally understood.

She looked at Du Leng now with far less admiration than before.

People are like that—it’s too easy to let rumors change your view of someone.

That’s why people say rumors can destroy reputations.

The old saying goes: better to offend a gentleman than a petty man.

Because if you make a petty enemy, they’ll badmouth you everywhere, which can ruin your reputation and social circle.

Especially in small workplaces or tight industries—a little gossip can have big consequences.

It takes sharp wit and real skill to deal with folks like that.

And those types are masters of sneak attacks—you never know where to guard.

“But the juiciest news is about Dr. Zhou! Yesterday, the tricky cases Du Leng couldn’t diagnose? Dr. Zhou figured out two of them. And that little boy with bronchitis the hospital saved? Rumor has it it was Dr. Zhou who cleared the blockage and saved his life.”

Old Qin’s ability to dig up information really was something else.

He’d managed to uncover a ton of inside info in no time at all.

“Makes sense now. I always wondered how a mere trainee was ranked along with two chief physicians in the hospital promos. I thought maybe he was some official’s son. But it turns out, he’s just a genuinely skilled young doctor.”

Mu Qing was definitely more interested in Zhou Can now.

“Heh, you think that’s all there is? Not even close!”

Old Qin grinned with satisfaction.

“Out with it then—or I’m not treating you to dinner!” Mu Qing demanded again.