Faced with Miao Ran’s mocking tone, Li Runyu simply let out a faint scoff.
Yan Qiao quickly added, “That’s exactly my concern. Letting someone like Gao-Yuan treat a war hero just doesn’t seem appropriate to me.”
Before the officer could respond, the county hospital staff reacted like a hive stirred into chaos.
Dr. Qiao Zheng frowned. “Medical treatment is about saving lives—nothing else should matter. If there’s a more skilled doctor available, why wouldn’t we want the patient to receive the best care possible?”
Li Runyu retorted, “It’s not just about skill; character is more important. Someone with a questionable reputation like him—do you think he’ll genuinely try his best? I’m worried he might even sabotage the treatment.”
Miao Ran sneered, “Oh, you’re so noble. So where were you when Huo Township needed help? If you’re so noble, why didn’t you stay up all week, travelling hundreds of miles to save patients? And where were you when that critically ill child needed treatment?”
Li Runyu was left speechless.
Yan Qiao was about to say something, but the other doctors all chimed in, openly criticising Li Runyu, forcing Yan Qiao to swallow his words.
Li Runyu and Yan Qiao were stunned. Hadn’t the relationship between Western and traditional medicine been tense all this time? How could a simple mention of Gao-Yuan provoke such a reaction?
Had the relationship between Chinese and Western medicine really improved? Or... was it just these doctors standing together against the two of them?
Both Li Runyu and Yan Qiao were left at a loss.
“What’s going on here? Why the commotion? Do you think this is a marketplace?” Wang Hanzhang’s booming voice silenced the room.
He glared at the gathered crowd, feeling exhausted. Turning to the officer, he said, “Sir, about Dr. Gao.”
The officer raised his hand to interrupt. “We’ll discuss other matters later. First, tell me—did this doctor really save that critical patient discharged from the provincial hospital?”
Wang Hanzhang looked over at Miao Ran.
Miao Ran immediately confirmed, “Yes, we all witnessed it and can testify. That child was just discharged two days ago. If you need proof, I can bring the family here.”
The officer nodded. “No need. Xiao Wu, drive to Zhangzhuang and bring this doctor here.”
“Yes, sir!” Xiao Wu responded loudly.
Miao Ran quickly added, “I’ll go along and show the way—and I can brief Dr. Gao-Yuan on the patient’s condition.”
“Good,” the officer agreed.
Miao Ran eagerly dashed out.
This left Yan Qiao and Li Runyu standing there, both looking complexed.
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ZHANGZHUANG JOINT CLINIC
Yang Xiuying and Yang Degui had already left, upset that Gao-Yuan hadn’t accepted their bag of steamed buns. As they left, Yang Xiuying began to tear up.
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Yang Degui, fuming, muttered threats about giving Gao-Yuan a piece of his mind; if only he could actually fight him, he’d go back and confront him!
Meanwhile, Wen Hui and her brother were still there, having come from afar to deliver some wine. Zhao Huanzhang politely served them tea.
Wen Hui curiously looked around the clinic and said, “Dr. Zhao, your clinic has so many books—way more than the Huichun Clinic where we’re from. It’s like a library here.”
Zhao Huanzhang set a teacup in front of her. “These have been here a long time—I bought them years ago.”
Li Shengli added with a grin, “Bought with money exploited from the poor.”
Zhao Huanzhang, though visibly uncomfortable, let it slide. Despite improved relations after the recent flu outbreak, Li Shengli still couldn’t resist poking at him on touchy subjects.
Wen Hui, tactfully changing the subject, reached for a medical text nearby. “I wish I knew medicine too. Then, back then, I could have saved my mother myself. Ancient wisdom says, ‘If one cannot be a wise minister, let him be a great physician. Physicians are more easily made than ministers. However, I disagree. Great ministers are found in every generation, while truly great physicians are rare.’”
She held up Correcting the Errors in the Forest of Medicine and read it aloud.
“You can read?” Zhao Huanzhang asked, slightly surprised.
Wen Hui chuckled, “Dr. Zhao, don’t underestimate me.”
Her brother beamed with pride. “My sister’s always been smart! She went to high school, the best student in our area, and now she teaches in our township.”
Zhao Huanzhang nodded, impressed. “That’s rare! They say women can be as capable as men—you’re more educated than many men out there.”
Wen Hui’s eyes crinkled with a smile.
Li Shengli, however, sensed a slight dig. “High school? That’s nothing! Our Dr. Gao is a university student—from Beiping, no less!”
Wen Hui looked over at Gao-Yuan in surprise.
But Gao-Yuan couldn’t meet her eyes, his heart heavy. In this time, a rural girl managing to complete high school showed both her intelligence and her family’s support. Without him, she would’ve had a better future, a promising career, a happier life—instead of abandoning everything to follow him into hardship.
Gao-Yuan’s expression grew even darker.
Wen Hui looked at him with a hint of puzzlement, sensing an unexpected sadness in Dr. Gao.
At that moment, a military vehicle pulled up outside the clinic. Xiao Wu stepped out and called, “Is there a Dr. Gao-Yuan here?”
The people in the clinic exchanged surprised glances.
Gao-Yuan stood up. “I’m Gao-Yuan.”
Xiao Wu said, “Dr. Gao, I’m under orders from our commander to take you to the county hospital to treat a patient.”
Gao-Yuan froze for a moment.
Then Miao Ran climbed out of the vehicle. “Instructor Gao, we need you urgently; the patient’s condition is critical. Your help is needed.”
Gao-Yuan understood immediately—war hero Su Pingchuan had returned. He nodded. “I’ll be right there.”
Turning to Li Shengli, he said, “Shengli, come with me.”
“Yes, sir!” Seeing the military vehicle, Li Shengli perked up, grabbing a medical kit and rushing to the car.
Zhao Huanzhang asked, “Should I come along?”
“No need.” Gao-Yuan shook his head, slinging his medicine bag over his shoulder and striding towards the door. At the doorway, however, he paused.
The people behind him all watched his back.
Gao-Yuan stood in silence for a few seconds before turning to look directly at Wen Hui.
Wen Hui felt a shiver. She’d never seen that look in his eyes before.
“Honk… honk…” Xiao Wu tapped the horn, urging him on.
Gao-Yuan clenched his fists tightly, then decisively turned, got into the vehicle, and left.
Though he’d been gone for some time, Wen Hui hadn’t moved. The look in his eyes when he left felt like a nail driven into her heart, filled with things she couldn’t understand.
"He...” she stammered, struggling for words. "How... did he end up becoming a doctor?”
Since it involved Gao-Yuan’s past, Zhao Huanzhang hesitated to answer.
Just then, Shen Congyun returned, having just stepped out for a moment. Looking around, he asked, “Hey, where did Dr. Gao and Li Shengli go?”
Liu Sanquan replied, “A car came and took them. They said there was an emergency case.”
“A car!” Shen Congyun was stunned. Cars were a rare sight in these rural parts. He immediately asked, “Is it someone important?”
Liu Sanquan nodded. “Probably.”
“Ah!” Shen Congyun nearly slapped himself in frustration. Why’d he step away at a crucial moment? He bolted for the door, shouting, “Dr. Gao, you left something behind!”
Hearing this, Zhao Huanzhang genuinely thought Gao-Yuan had forgotten something and hurried after Shen Congyun. But all he saw was Shen, running off with surprising speed, shouting, “Dr. Gao, you forgot me!”