Sheng Nianxi immediately turned and ran toward the director’s office.
The door to the director’s office was closed.
She knocked three times. When no one answered, she pushed the door open and went in.
Because she was too anxious, she failed to notice that there were other people in the director’s office.
She went straight to the director, her voice urgent and hard:
“Director, the myocardial infarction patient in Emergency Room Bed Three needs surgery immediately. Doctor Li is in the outpatient department and will need twenty minutes to get here. I’ll do it!”
The director put down the documents and looked at her.
“Doctor Sheng, it’s not that I don’t trust your abilities. But the Medical Affairs Office is currently verifying your data. At a time like this, if you go into surgery and something happens…”
“Something happens?” Sheng Nianxi was agitated, her voice cold as winter ice. “How many myocardial infarction patients have I rescued before? And you’re still making baseless accusations here. You can target me, but you can’t treat a human life like a joke!”
The director’s expression changed.
“Doctor Sheng, watch your words. Don’t be so arrogant!”
“Someone’s life is at stake. We can’t delay any longer!” Sheng Nianxi was nearly crying from anxiety.
She had not cried when she was ostracized, nor when rumors were spread about her, nor when she was kicked off the list of core medical personnel.
But now—a living, breathing human life was at stake!
“Let her do it.”
A voice suddenly cut in from the side. It was not loud, but it was steady.
Sheng Nianxi froze for an instant, then turned her head.
A man stood by the window. He was around thirty years old, wearing a white coat over a light-blue shirt.
There was an air of righteousness between his brows, and his bearing was completely out of place in this bureaucratic office.
She had seen him before.
He had spoken at a meeting of the hospital’s mid-level officials. He was one of the leaders.
She had never asked about his exact background, nor had she cared.
What made her pupils contract even more, however, was that Fu Shennian was standing right beside him.
In a black turtleneck and a dark-gray overcoat, he possessed a distinctive air that could turn the most ordinary office into a fashion runway in an instant.
Sheng Nianxi glanced at him only once before withdrawing her gaze.
Xu Zhiheng picked up a pen from the desk and signed the surgical authorization form.
“I’ll sign for the surgery. If anything goes wrong, I’ll take responsibility.”
He handed the form to Sheng Nianxi.
As he passed it to her, his gaze rested on her face for a second. It was a remarkably clear and earnest look, as though he were looking at someone who deserved to be taken seriously.
“Go,” he said.
“Thank you.” Sheng Nianxi took the form and ran out.
The wind stirred by her white coat swept between Fu Shennian and Xu Zhiheng.
The hurried sound of footsteps echoed down the corridor, growing more and more distant until it finally disappeared.
The office fell quiet.
Xu Zhiheng turned his head and glanced at Fu Shennian.
Fu Shennian did not move.
He remained where he was, staring in the direction Sheng Nianxi had disappeared, as though something had nailed him to the spot.
His expression was perfectly calm, but the hand hanging at his side was clenched so tightly that his knuckles had gone white.
“That’s her?” Xu Zhiheng asked.
Fu Shennian said nothing.
“When you asked me for help, you didn’t say she was like this.”
Xu Zhiheng’s voice was soft, carrying a complicated emotion.
“A person had been pushed until her eyes turned red, yet what she was saying was still, ‘Someone’s life is at stake.’”
Fu Shennian closed his eyes.
“She’s always been like this.” His voice was somewhat hoarse. “She’s always been this way.”
Xu Zhiheng fell silent for a while, the scene from moments ago repeatedly surfacing in his mind.
That final silhouette was even more vivid.
Slender and straight, like a string drawn taut to its limit.
Before he knew it, the corners of his lips curved upward.
Director Zhao came over with an ingratiating smile.
“Director Xu, you know Doctor Sheng?”
“Have you checked Sheng Nianxi’s data?” Xu Zhiheng interrupted him.
Director Zhao froze.
“We have. There’s nothing wrong with the data, but the investigation is still…”
“If there’s nothing wrong with the data, why is the investigation still ongoing?” Xu Zhiheng looked at him. “Seven consecutive night shifts on the schedule, the highest number of patients seen in the entire department, and the highest rescue success rate in the entire department. Are you investigating the data, or are you persecuting someone?”
Director Zhao’s smile stiffened completely.
“The investigation will produce a result by tomorrow.”
Xu Zhiheng closed the file and tossed it back onto the desk.
“There is only one conclusion: the data is genuine and valid.”
Director Zhao opened and closed his mouth.
“All right, all right.”
Xu Zhiheng and Fu Shennian walked out of the office. In the corridor, sunlight streamed through the windows, bright enough to sting the eyes.
Xu Zhiheng turned his head.
“What’s her name?”
“Sheng Nianxi.”
Xu Zhiheng repeated the name once.
Then he turned around and patted Fu Shennian on the shoulder.
“How is it that you, an outsider, know more about the situation at our hospital than I do?”
Looking at Fu Shennian, Xu Zhiheng suddenly understood.
“When you came to me yesterday, you first brought up investigating the hospital records from four years ago, knowing I would refuse. Then you brought up her situation and had me intervene, making it awkward for me to refuse again. Right?”
The corner of Fu Shennian’s mouth twitched, but he did not deny it.
“A direct stratagem.” Xu Zhiheng shook his head and laughed. “I nearly forgot. You’re the Second Young Master Fu, a sly old fox who excels at scheming.”
“Otherwise, would you have come?” Fu Shennian’s voice was low. “As for what happened back then, I understand that you can investigate it and that you have to follow the rules. I won’t force you. But she shouldn’t have to suffer those grievances. The atmosphere at your hospital is too bad, and as one of its leaders, you bear responsibility too.”
Xu Zhiheng was silent for a while.
“I’m truly ashamed.”
Fu Shennian understood Xu Zhiheng’s character. He was upright through and through; otherwise, they would not have been friends for so many years.
“You’re a busy man of importance. You’re about to become vice president, aren’t you? The youngest vice president.”
“And you’re still the youngest Air China captain. Don’t try that mutual commercial flattery routine on me.”
In the corridor, the two men’s footsteps echoed one after the other through the spacious stairwell.
The surgery was a success.
When Sheng Nianxi came out of the operating room, her gloves were still stained with blood.
The patient’s heartbeat had stabilized, and the waveform on the monitor had once again become regular.
She removed her gloves and threw them into the trash can.
Then she leaned against the corridor wall and closed her eyes.
It felt as though all the strength had been drained from her body.
“Sheng Nianxi!”
A furious shout came from the far end of the corridor.
She opened her eyes.
Director Zhang strode toward her with two inspectors.
His face was livid, and his finger nearly poked her in the face.
“Who allowed you to enter the operating room? Did the director sign off on it? Did you follow the procedure? Don’t you know you’re currently under investigation? Who gave you the nerve to violate the rules and operate?”
Sheng Nianxi straightened.
“I didn’t violate any rules.”
“You still won’t admit it?” Director Zhang’s voice grew louder and louder, drawing the attention of the doctors and nurses nearby. “Do you have any regard for the rules at all? The Medical Affairs Office’s investigation hasn’t ended, and you dared to enter the operating room. What if there had been an accident? Could you have taken responsibility?”
“The surgery was successful.” Sheng Nianxi’s voice was flat.
“Successful?” Director Zhang sneered. “Does success conceal the fact that you violated procedure? Sheng Nianxi, putting it mildly, what you did today was a violation. Putting it more seriously, you can forget about working as a doctor for the rest of your life.”
The corridor fell silent.
Everyone’s gaze settled on Sheng Nianxi.
The entire hospital had never witnessed a reprimand of this magnitude, especially not directed at a young female doctor.
Director Zhang turned to the people behind him.
“Write up a disciplinary report and submit it. Sheng Nianxi violated surgical procedures. Suspend her from duty.”
The people around them sucked in a breath.
“Director Zhang.”
Another voice rang out.
Everyone turned their heads.