Chapter 9: Becoming a Test Subject

After two days and two nights, the tractor finally arrived at the gate of the military hospital.

During those two days and nights, they drove during the day and rested at night. While resting, the doctor gave Ning Xin IV drips of glucose and fed the baby. Because the jolting during travel was too intense and not suitable for IV drips, the time was adjusted to the evening.

Once they arrived at the military hospital, Qin Zhan asked everyone to wait while he went in to call someone. Not long after, Qin Zhan came out with Doctor Zheng. Accompanying them were medical staff from the military hospital.

Everyone worked together to lift Ning Xin onto a stretcher and quickly sent her for examination.

In this era, medical resources were limited. The required examinations were not as many as modern-day checkups. Moreover, because of Ning Xin’s special condition, only a few specific areas, such as the brain, needed to be examined.

So it only took about an hour to finish her tests.

When Ning Xin was pushed out, Widow Ji was holding the baby, Second Brother Ji and Zhang Caihua were carrying luggage, and Qin Zhan had already completed the hospital admission procedures.

“Doctor Zheng, how is she?” Qin Zhan went over to ask.

The Ji family members all perked their ears. This was what they wanted to know most.

Doctor Zheng sighed. “The results are exactly the same as the case report provided by the county hospital. From the initial examination, there’s nothing wrong with the patient’s body. Her physical condition is currently stable due to the glucose IV, and she’s not weak.

However, glucose cannot sustain her long-term. Humans and other animals need food. Glucose provides limited nutrients. If she stays like this, it could be a few days or maybe a month. At most, a year or two, and her body will no longer be able to maintain itself.”

“Then… what should we do?” Widow Ji quickly asked. From what she understood, it sounded like the military hospital couldn’t save her eldest daughter-in-law either. Didn’t that mean they could only wait for her to die?

Qin Zhan asked, “Doctor Zheng, is there any solution?”

Doctor Zheng said, “The day I talked to you on the phone, I also called my teacher. He found this case fascinating and said he would come to take a look. His train will arrive tomorrow afternoon at two. At that time, he and I will study and discuss a plan.”

This was his first time encountering such a case, and Doctor Zheng didn’t have a plan yet.

As for Ning Xin’s condition, Qin Zhan had no solution either. He could only hope the doctors would find a way. “Then we’ll count on you.”

Hearing their conversation, the Ji family’s hope turned to despair.

After they got to the ward and settled Ning Xin in, Doctor Zheng instructed the family, “Try to talk to the patient more often. We don’t know anything about her current condition. We don’t know if she has consciousness or can feel the outside world. If she can react to the outside world, then family members talking to her may be helpful. It might even wake her up.”

Widow Ji and the others quickly said, “Doctor, we understand. We’ll keep talking to her.”

Doctor Zheng nodded and continued, “While talking to her, you also need to observe her reactions. If there’s any response, call me right away. Also, pay attention to her daily physical condition. According to the report from the county hospital, the patient has had normal bodily needs. As of today, she is still urinating normally, right?”

“Yes, yes, yes. It’s normal. Every day.” Widow Ji replied. “But she hasn’t had a bowel movement.”

Ning Xin: “…” Fortunately, she hadn’t pooped. Otherwise, she’d be terribly embarrassed when she woke up.

Doctor Zheng said, “That’s normal. The glucose provides fluids, so she has urine. But she hasn’t eaten, so there’s no stool. It’s the same for healthy people too.”

Widow Ji and the others nodded in understanding. Then she said, “Doctor, on the way here, I noticed my eldest daughter-in-law’s milk supply has started to decrease.”

Doctor Zheng replied, “That’s also normal. With limited nutrition intake, you need to be prepared for her to stop lactating completely.”

Widow Ji said, “Then we’ll go buy formula.”

As for the baby’s food, Doctor Zheng didn’t concern himself. After giving instructions regarding the patient, he left.

Qin Zhan said, “Auntie, I know this place well. I’ll go buy the formula.” However, “Auntie, do you have any formula tickets with you?” He didn’t have any himself, but he remembered giving some to Widow Ji before. If Comrade Ning stopped lactating, those few tickets wouldn’t be enough. He would need to go back to the army to trade for more later.

“Yes, I brought them.” Widow Ji placed her sleeping grandson on the bed, then pulled a small cloth pouch from her neck. It held money and tickets. She handed all the formula tickets to Qin Zhan, a total of three. “Comrade Qin, buy them all.” Then she gave him thirty yuan. “Comrade Qin, I don’t know how much it costs. If this isn’t enough, I’ll give you more when you return.”

“Alright.” Qin Zhan took the money and tickets and went out.

After Qin Zhan left, Widow Ji said, “Second Brother, you and your wife go look nearby and see if there’s a guesthouse. If there is, register a room. Then go find out where to get meals in the hospital.” She took out some money as she spoke.

“Okay.” Second Brother Ji and Zhang Caihua took the money and left too.

With three people suddenly gone, the hospital room became quiet. Widow Ji’s face was full of worry. Her son had died, her daughter-in-law had suffered a difficult birth, and now she might be waiting for death. To be honest, these past few days, she hadn’t even had time to grieve. She hadn’t really processed the news of her son’s death, as if it had quietly passed by.

What would they do from now on? They had come to the military hospital hoping for good news, but what they heard from Doctor Zheng was far from that. Now, Widow Ji didn’t know what to do.

While she was lost in thought, Qin Zhan returned with three cans of formula. But he didn’t stay long before heading back to his unit.

When Second Brother Ji and his wife returned, Widow Ji had already opened the formula and asked them to fetch hot water in a thermos to prepare milk for the baby at any time.

That night, Widow Ji and Zhang Caihua slept on the other bed in the ward. Second Brother Ji stayed at the guesthouse. After several days on the road, everyone was exhausted. That night, with heavy hearts, they quickly fell asleep.

The next day.

Doctor Zheng’s teacher, Professor Yang, was a very well-known figure in the medical community. He had studied abroad and had trained many outstanding doctors for the country. Upon hearing about the case from Doctor Zheng, he put aside all his work and rushed over. This kind of condition had never been seen before. For someone who loved research, it was like opening a new door in medicine.

As soon as Professor Yang arrived at the military hospital, he went to the ward with Doctor Zheng. At that time, Qin Zhan and the Ji family were all present.

After Doctor Zheng introduced Professor Yang to everyone, the professor began to examine Ning Xin’s condition. As for the case details, he had already heard them in detail from Doctor Zheng during their meeting.

After his observation, Professor Yang kept shaking his head and furrowing his brows. In the end, he said to the people in the ward, “Her condition has only two possible outcomes. One, she wakes up on her own. Two, when the glucose can no longer sustain her body, her organs will begin to fail, and eventually, she will die.”

Even though Doctor Zheng had already said this the day before, hearing it again from Professor Yang made Widow Ji unable to bear it. Her body wobbled, and her eyes instantly turned red.

Professor Yang did not drag things out and continued, “However, there is still one hope we can try.”

“What hope?” Qin Zhan asked.

In fact, when Doctor Zheng called a few days ago, Professor Yang had already come up with a plan based on the situation. However, since he had not met the patient in person, he could not confirm it. “Use her as a test subject and form a medical research team.”

Ning Xin was so startled she almost jumped out of bed. Were they planning to take her away for research?