“Get in!”
Pei Jiran leaned out of the car window, smiling warmly at Jiang Ci like sunshine breaking through the clouds.
“Ah.”
Jiang Ci was almost lost in his smile, dazedly agreeing before quickly opening the car door and getting in.
“Comrade Jiang Ci.”
“Huh?”
As soon as Jiang Ci sat down, Pei Jiran suddenly called her name, leaving her completely bewildered.
“We met three years ago. I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you at the hospital today.”
He only recognized her now because of Mother Jiang’s words, which reminded him that Jiang Ci seemed to work at the hospital.
Combined with the familiar feeling he had when seeing Jiang Ci, he confirmed it was indeed her.
“Haha, it’s fine. I don’t blame you, no need to apologize. But about your leg—if I said I have a way to cure it, would you believe me?”
“…”
Believe her or not?
Was there still hope for his leg?
The smile at the corner of Pei Jiran’s lips slowly faded as he lowered his gaze to his numb legs. In truth, he had already spent a month in the military hospital at his mission location.
There, they had issued a death sentence for his legs, declaring he would never stand again.
It was the Political Commissar in his military unit who refused to accept this outcome and insisted he transfer to Nancheng Hospital. Unexpectedly, Director Wang said the same thing.
But he phrased it more tactfully, offering a glimmer of hope by suggesting he try the military hospital in Jingdu.
To reassure his concerned comrades and superiors, even though he had already resigned himself to his fate, he agreed to give it a try.
“I want to try in Jingdu.” He didn’t want to worry his comrades in the unit. “Thank you, Comrade Jiang. Of course, I believe in your medical skills.
If you don’t mind, I’d like to go to Jingdu first and seek your treatment when I return.”
This?
“Alright, I’ll wait for you. It’s settled then.”
“Mhm.”
A smile returned to the corners of his lips, warm and comforting like spring blossoms.
In the book, there wasn’t much description of this Cannon Fodder character. She hadn’t expected his personal charm to be so great. Jiang Ci was almost mesmerized by his smile again.
Dazed, she got out of the car.
Back in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Department, all the doctors were discussing the impending cancellation of the department.
Jiang Ci didn’t join the discussion. She picked up her aluminum lunchbox and headed to the cafeteria.
“Doctor Jiang, how can you be so unconcerned!”
Dr. Su from the same department stopped her. “Our jobs are about to disappear, and you still have the mood to eat.”
Jiang Ci replied, “What else can I do? Will skipping a meal make this situation any less real?”
“Forget it! Doctor Jiang’s father is a high-ranking officer. The hospital must have arrangements for her. It’s people like us, with no connections or backing, who are most likely to be kicked out.”
The speaker was Doctor Fang.
Her tone was dripping with sarcasm, accompanied by constant eye-rolling.
Jiang Ci sneered, “Why hasn’t misfortune struck you yet? Oh, right! You bought your way in through connections. With money, you can even make ghosts turn millstones.
No wonder your luck hasn’t run out yet!”
“Jiang Ci…”
Doctor Fang stomped her foot angrily. “What have I ever done to you for you to curse me like this? Is having a high-ranking officer as a father so great? You’re just an adopted daughter anyway.”
“That’s right! Having a high-ranking officer as a father is indeed great. If you have the ability, go find one for yourself!”
“Jiang Ci, you… you’re bullying me.”
Doctor Fang was only around twenty years old, proud and sensitive. Jiang Ci’s retort left her so furious she burst into tears.
Stomping her feet and crying, she didn’t notice the water someone had spilled on the floor. She slipped and landed squarely on her backside.
“Ah!” A sharp scream rang out, instantly turning her face deathly pale.
“What’s wrong? What’s wrong?”
“Xiao Fang, are you okay!”
“Xiao Fang…”
Doctor Fang, her face white, tried to stand up but slumped back down, immediately panicking and not knowing what to do.
She burst into loud sobs, “Wah wah wah… I, I’m in so much pain, I, I can’t get up…”
Wah wah wah
Everyone panicked, never expecting a simple fall to be so serious.
They all reached out to help her up, but as soon as they touched her, Doctor Fang cried even louder, like a pig being slaughtered, screaming in pain.
Everyone grew even more frantic.
“Why can’t she get up?”
“What should we do?”
“How could it be this serious? Call the director!”
Jiang Ci was speechless. “What’s all the panic about? It’s probably a fractured tailbone. Just carry her to the surgical department!”
Only after Jiang Ci’s reminder did the others snap out of it.
Doctor Su glared at Jiang Ci and said, “Why send her to surgery? Are you trying to make it seem like our Traditional Chinese Medicine Department has no one capable?
Carry her to the examination bed. Bone-setting is our department’s specialty.”
After saying this, he even shot Jiang Ci a disdainful glance.
Jiang Ci retorted, “Why are you glaring at me? She fell on her own. What does that have to do with me?
Also, Doctor Su, hearing her scream like that, I’m kindly reminding you—she might have a fracture. If you try to massage and set the bone, I’m afraid…”
“What do you know? You’ve only been here a few days.” Challenged on his medical skills, the seasoned Doctor Su grew agitated.
He commanded the others, “What are you all standing around for? Get moving!”
Unable to persuade him, there was no other choice.
It’s hard to talk sense into someone determined to court disaster.
Jiang Ci could only lean against the doorframe, watching as everyone scrambled to lift Doctor Fang onto the examination bed.
Doctor Su personally took charge of massaging and setting the bone.
Ah!
With just one move.
Doctor Fang let out a blood-curdling scream before immediately passing out.
Doctor Su was stunned into silence.
Director Cai, hearing the commotion from next door, hurried over to find a group of Traditional Chinese Medicine Department doctors gathered together.
He shouted, “What are you all crowding around for?”
Startled by the director’s yell, everyone scattered, revealing Doctor Fang unconscious on the examination bed.
Jiang Ci explained, “Doctor Fang just fractured her tailbone. I told them to send her to the surgical department.
But Doctor Su insisted on setting the bone himself, and then Doctor Fang passed out from the pain.”
“That’s bullshit! It was you who made Doctor Fang so angry she fell and passed out!”
Seeing the situation turning sour, Doctor Su quickly shifted the blame.
Jiang Ci straightened up and sneered in rebuttal, “Were you raised on bullshit? All you do is talk nonsense. Everyone saw how Doctor Fang passed out. Do you think we’re all blind?”
“Jiang Ci, you…”
Unable to argue back.
Doctor Su narrowed his eyes menacingly.
“Enough, stop arguing. Doctor Fang’s fracture is severely displaced. Get her to the surgical department for corrective surgery immediately…”
Director Cai spoke up.
The other doctors quickly carried Doctor Fang to the orthopedic surgery department.
The remaining doctors watched as Doctor Fang was carried away, and their gazes toward Jiang Ci shifted.
One of them whispered, “Doctor Jiang, did you… did you have your mouth blessed or something? You said Doctor Fang would have bad luck, and it actually came true.”
Jiang Ci:…
Heh heh
“It was probably just a coincidence.”
“Doctor Su, come here.”
Director Cai, his face stern, took a few steps inside and said with suppressed anger, “What’s going on with you? Can’t you even tell if it’s a fracture? Doctor Fang already had a fracture, and your massage caused the broken bone to displace even further.”
“If there’s no nerve compression, it’s manageable, but if nerves are compressed, have you considered the consequences?”
“Director, I, I…”
Dr. Su panicked.
He hadn’t thought about it that much at the time; he simply couldn’t stand Jiang Ci calmly directing everyone.
And she outright declared that Doctor Fang had a fracture.
Why should her diagnosis be accepted as fact? She clearly has less experience than me.
He was resentful.