Chapter 602: Chapter 602: Someone I Can’t Lose
Du Shaoheng is ill.
He’s got a terminal illness.
When Li Yufei learned of this, it felt like a thorn had pierced her heart.
Du Ruo said that when the doctors explained Shaoheng’s condition to her, they also explained the cause of his illness.
Generally, this disease is mostly genetic, but the Du Family’s genes don’t carry this disease. It might have been caused by brain tissue and nerve cell damage due to a brain injury.
This is a probabilistic event and since it’s a rare disease, there is currently no cure for it.
Li Yufei suddenly thought of someone.
…
The next day.
Li Yufei canceled her morning meeting and, through her secretary, arranged to meet with the president of the Lu Family.
Lu Li.
She met him while studying abroad; he graduated from Hopkins University, majoring in critical care medicine. The Lu Family wholly owns several private hospitals, and Lu Li also established his own research lab.
Lu Family, in the meeting room.
The secretary arranged for her to sit and wait for Lu Li to arrive at the company.
Lu Li’s schedule is usually very busy; on one hand, he needs to manage the medical research lab, and on the other, he manages the vast Lu Family. Thus, he is always busy.
Half an hour later.
Lu Li finally arrived.
He opened the door. Upon seeing Li Yufei, he smiled slightly: “Yufei?”
He walked over to her and reached out, hugging her tightly: “Yufei, long time no see. The last time I saw you was in Los Angeles.”
Li Yufei returned the hug slightly, “Indeed, it’s been a long time. How have you been lately?”
Lu Li: “Still the same, very busy. How about you?”
Li Yufei: “Same here.”
She raised her wrist and checked the time, then asked: “Do you have time at noon? I’ll treat you to lunch.”
Lu Li gave her a slightly skeptical glance: “It’s rare for you to reach out to me so proactively; is there something going on?”
Li Yufei couldn’t help but chuckle: “Mr. Lu, you know me well, you guessed it right.”
Lu Li said: “Alright then, since it’s rare for you to treat me to a meal, I graciously accept.”
Li Yufei had already reserved the restaurant.
The two of them went into the private room; after Li Yufei ordered the dishes and the waiter left the room, she finally got to the main point.
“Lu Li, you graduated from Hopkins University, under Professor Guan Xiangdong. I have a medical condition to consult with you; do you know about Spinal Cerebellar Atrophy?”
Lu Li said: “I know it, why?”
Li Yufei: “I want to know if there’s a one in ten thousand chance of curing this disease? Even if it’s one in a hundred thousand, a million?”
A long time ago, many cancers were also terminal.
But with the progress of modern medical science, many cancers have been conquered.
Capital controls medicine.
The medical industry is a rigid need for humanity.
Hospitals and pharmaceuticals constitute a large market and a highly profitable industry.
Therefore, capitalists, to earn money, will invest in establishing research labs for specific diseases to research and develop.
Moreover, both doctors and professors need research funding, and capital investment can meet their research development needs.
For this reason, many illnesses that were once hopeless are now slowly being conquered by modern medicine.
Money makes the world go round.
Some terminal diseases are not due to the inadequacy of modern science but because they are rare diseases, causing capitalists to be unwilling to invest in research costs for rare diseases.
The fewer the patients, the smaller the profit margin.
Other diseases might affect millions of people annually, allowing capitalists to earn from these millions’ medical expenses.
But some diseases have an incidence rate of one in a hundred thousand or one in a million, which is too rare, making it unprofitable for capitalists to invest in research and development.
Li Yufei thought it over the entire night, and she didn’t want to give up on Du Shaoheng.
She thought about the medical research lab under Lu Li’s name and considered investing, even if it takes billions or tens of billions, she wouldn’t mind.
Lu Li: “Spinal Cerebellar Atrophy…”
He frowned slightly: “How did you know about this disease?”
It’s a rare disease; common people might never have heard of it.
Li Yufei said: “My…”
She paused, “A friend of mine has this disease and was told it’s incurable. I don’t believe it. Lu Li, didn’t you once tell me that modern medicine is very advanced, and with willingness to invest in research and development costs, many diseases can be conquered. I remember you established a medical research lab and managed a very capable research team.”
Lu Li pondered for a moment, then reluctantly interrupted her: “Yufei, do you know that nerve cells are permanent cells?”
Li Yufei: “I don’t know…”
She wasn’t a medical major, so she didn’t know what permanent cells were.
Lu Li explained: “So-called permanent cells are non-dividing cells. Our bodies have many cells, most of which can regenerate and divide and replicate. However, permanent cells, once damaged, are lost forever, and cannot regenerate. Neural cells, once dead, will not regenerate to replace. Spinal Cerebellar Atrophy is a degenerative disease of nerve cells. The earlier the onset, the more severe the symptoms.”
Li Yufei found it somewhat difficult to understand: “I don’t quite understand. What do you mean by irreplaceable?”
Lu Li: “This disease is a terminal illness, in the truest sense.”
He paused, then said: “Unless you do cell cloning. But cloning is illegal in many countries.”
Many medical organizations around the world are against cloning, imposing extremely strict regulations on cloning technology. Many research items are explicitly prohibited by law in various countries.
Lu Li said: “You know, twenty years ago, a professor in Country M successfully cloned dopamine nerve cells. But cell cloning involves many complex regulations, and… this technology is still within a conservative range. Anyway, this disease currently has no hope of a cure.”
He paused and asked: “Is that friend very important to you?”
Li Yufei slightly pursed her red lips.
She looked up and into Lu Li’s eyes: “Important, very important… someone I cannot lose.”
Lu Li suspected: “Is it… Du Shaoheng?”
Li Yufei remained silent.
Lu Li rubbed his forehead: “Sorry, that really is bad news.”
He knew about Li Yufei and Du Shaoheng’s past, and also knew how irreplaceable a position Du Shaoheng had in Li Yufei’s heart.
Even though the two had broken up awhile ago, he didn’t know the reason why and never asked.
Li Yufei said: “Is there really no way to cure it?”
Lu Li shook his head.
Li Yufei: “The cloning technology you just mentioned, can it target this condition?”