Chapter 55: Stomach Cancer

’These hands shouldn’t be soaked in water.’

The plate in her hands was suddenly taken away. Amanda Vance looked up at Samuel Ford and heard him say, "I’ll wash these. You go out and talk with the headmaster and his wife."

His tone was firm. Figuring it wasn’t a big deal, Amanda nodded and said politely, "Then I’ll have to trouble you, President Ford."

Samuel Ford’s brow furrowed slightly. He didn’t say anything, just gave a soft "Mm."

Seeing her come out, the headmaster’s wife enthusiastically waved for her to come sit, taking her hand. "Leave the dishwashing to the men," she said. "Don’t worry, Samuel helps us with the dishes every time he comes. You just relax and chat with us. Where were we this morning? Oh, right! Jean went to a competition. What happened next? Did he beat all the adults?"

"He did..."

The kitchen was open-plan, so their conversation carried over without obstruction.

He could almost picture the gentle expression on her face as she spoke about her son.

His thin lips pressed into a straight line. He rinsed the bowls clean, arranged them neatly, and walked out, wiping his hands.

The headmaster’s wife glanced at him and gestured for him to sit down as well, then continued asking Amanda about what happened next.

Samuel Ford didn’t feel neglected. He simply sat to the side and listened quietly.

After chatting for a while, Amanda Vance suddenly said, "Teacher, how about I play a game of chess with you?"

Hearing this, the old headmaster looked a little surprised and waved his hand. "No, no, you should play with Samuel. I’m not very good."

"It’s alright. We’re just playing for fun. As long as we enjoy it."

The old headmaster had often pulled her into games of chess on her previous visits, so his wife didn’t think anything of it. She even teased him, "You were always making Megan play with you before. Now it’s time to pay her back. Go on, go settle your debt."

The headmaster couldn’t help but chuckle and stopped refusing. "Alright, then. Let me pay you back today. Come on, let’s have a proper game."

"Okay." Amanda Vance stood up and glanced at Samuel Ford.

"I won’t join you," Samuel Ford said before she could speak. "I’ll stay and chat with the headmaster’s wife."

"Fine, you two go ahead. Samuel can keep me company."

"Okay." Amanda Vance nodded and led the old headmaster toward the study.

She let him take the black pieces while she took the white. As they played, she made small talk. "Teacher, how has your health been recently?"

"Not bad. I haven’t missed a day of my exercises."

"I see. I noticed you didn’t eat much earlier, Teacher. Was the food not to your liking?"

As soon as she said that, the old headmaster quickly glanced at the door and lowered his voice. "Careful, she might hear you. Otherwise, she’ll think I’m complaining about her cooking again."

A hint of a smile flashed in Amanda Vance’s eyes. "Her cooking is delicious."

"That’s now. She practiced after retiring. Before..." He clicked his tongue, not finishing the sentence.

Even as he said it, what seemed like a complaint was delivered with a constant smile on his face.

They had spent half a lifetime together. Whether the cooking was good or not hardly mattered anymore; he had never really cared.

’The teacher and his wife are still so in love.’

Amanda Vance smiled, a little envious.

But then she thought of something, and her smile faded slightly.

The old headmaster glanced at her, a little suspicious. "Megan, what is it? Is there something you want to say?"

’Why is she so distracted?’

"It’s nothing." Amanda Vance shook her head. "I was just thinking about Jean. He hasn’t been eating well lately either. I was thinking of asking the headmaster’s wife for some cooking advice, to learn a few dishes."

The old headmaster laughed heartily. "What’s the big deal? With technology these days, you can just call her whenever you want to learn something. She can teach you over video."

Amanda Vance managed a small smile.

Watching her, the smile on the old headmaster’s face slowly faded. He paused, put down the game piece in his hand, and thought back on her earlier words. After a moment of contemplation, he asked, "What is it, Megan? Is there something wrong with my health?"

He wasn’t a fool, and he knew her well. Connecting her request to play chess with the questions she had just asked, he could put two and two together.

Seeing that he had figured it out, Amanda Vance also put down her game piece. "It’s nothing, just a few minor issues. Nothing serious."

The old headmaster looked at her and smiled. "If it were really nothing, you would have said so directly. It’s fine. You know me. I’ve lived this long, there’s nothing I haven’t seen. If there’s an illness, we treat it. If it can’t be treated..."

He glanced toward the door, a worried look on his face.

He wasn’t afraid of dying, only worried about his wife.

"It can be cured," Amanda Vance said suddenly. "I just don’t know if you’ll believe me, Teacher."

The moment she finished speaking, she got a light tap on the head.

The old headmaster put on a stern face, displeased. "Who would I believe if not you? Don’t worry, I can handle it. I have to pull through, if only for her."

Amanda Vance rubbed her head, a smile slowly blossoming in her eyes. ’I really underestimated my teacher.’

"Good, as long as you believe me, Teacher. You know me, I don’t make empty promises. If I say it can be cured, then it absolutely can be."

"Alright. So what is it that I have?"

After a moment of silence, Amanda Vance slowly said two words. "Stomach cancer."

The old headmaster’s hand paused. ’No wonder she didn’t want me to drink tea earlier.’

Once he knew, his mindset suddenly became calm. "I have been feeling some discomfort in my stomach lately, and I haven’t had much of an appetite. I thought it was just summer lethargy. Your teacher’s wife has been nagging me to get a check-up, but I kept putting it off."

"It’s okay. Everyone gets sick. As long as it’s cured, it’ll be fine."

"Yes." The old headmaster let out a long breath. "Megan, how long will the treatment take?"

"It will take a while. Possibly more than half a year."

’Then there’s no way to hide it from my wife.’

After a moment’s thought, the old headmaster smiled again. "It’s fine. I’ll talk to her. The truth is, she’s stronger than I am."

It was true. Although his wife was a woman, she was strong-willed. She had been by the headmaster’s side through thick and thin; she would be fine.

Hearing him say that, Amanda Vance felt relieved.

After they came out of the study, it was getting late, so Amanda Vance got up to leave.

The headmaster’s wife was a little reluctant to see her go. She held Amanda’s hand and said, "Megan, you have to come visit us when you have time. Bring Jean with you. We’d love to meet him."

"Okay," Amanda Vance agreed with a smile. "I’ll be heading back now."

"Alright. Be careful on your way."

Samuel Ford also said, "We’ll come see you and the headmaster again next time."

"Okay."

The two of them left at almost the same time. There was only one road back. Once they turned a corner and the old headmaster and his wife were out of sight, Samuel Ford fell into step beside Amanda Vance. "Miss Vance, do you have a moment to talk?"

Amanda Vance glanced at him and didn’t refuse.

Samuel Ford then led the way, stopping in front of a restaurant.

He led her to a private room. Only after the waiter had left did he ask, "Is there something wrong with the teacher’s health?"

Amanda Vance looked at him, surprised. ’How did he know?’

Samuel Ford explained, "When you were helping the teacher earlier, Miss Vance, you happened to feel his pulse."

He didn’t finish, but Amanda Vance understood. She figured he must have guessed from the look on her face.

’His powers of observation are really sharp.’

Amanda Vance nodded, not hiding it from him. "Yes. The teacher has stomach cancer."

Hearing this, Samuel Ford’s brow furrowed deeply, but it relaxed a second later. He looked up at Amanda Vance. "And you can cure it, Miss Vance?"