Xu Zhiheng stood at the other end of the corridor, with Director Zhao beside him.
He walked over, each step neither hurried nor slow. His leather shoes struck the floor tiles with crisp sounds.
Director Zhang’s expression changed.
“Di—Director Xu, what are you doing here…”
“I signed it.” Xu Zhiheng stopped in front of him. “Unauthorized procedures? Are you talking about me?”
The smile on Director Zhang’s face froze.
“No, Director Xu, that’s not what I meant. I didn’t know you…”
“Didn’t know?” Xu Zhiheng looked at him. “The Medical Affairs Office’s investigation results aren’t even out yet, and you brought people here to pass judgment. Director Zhang, when you say you ‘didn’t know,’ are you saying you neglected your duty, or are you saying you did it deliberately?”
A thin layer of sweat beaded on Director Zhang’s forehead.
“Director Xu, I was just following procedure…”
“Following procedure?” Xu Zhiheng’s voice was not loud, but every word was perfectly clear. “First, before the investigation results are released, Doctor Sheng Nianxi’s medical license has no issues whatsoever.
“Second, an operation form signed by a department director does not require subsequent approval from the Medical Affairs Office.
“Third, as a deputy director of the Medical Affairs Office, you have no authority to stand in the corridor and shout at a doctor who has just come out of surgery, ‘You’re done here.’”
The corridor was so quiet that the beeping of a monitor in the distance could be heard.
The few sparse strands of hair on Director Zhang’s head were damp and stuck together.
His lips moved, but he could not say a word.
Xu Zhiheng turned his head and glanced at the doctors and nurses who had gathered around.
There were already more than a dozen of them, and their numbers were still growing.
“Since everyone is here, I’ll say a few more words.”
His voice was not loud, but everyone in the corridor heard him clearly.
“First, the Health Commission has already verified Doctor Sheng Nianxi’s patient-consultation data. It is all genuine and valid. The Medical Affairs Office’s investigation will produce results today. There will be only one conclusion: there are no problems with the data.”
He paused.
“Second, starting today, Doctor Sheng Nianxi’s schedule will return to normal. Arranging seven consecutive night shifts was unreasonable, and it has been adjusted.
“Third”—his gaze swept over everyone present—“I don’t care who started the series of rumors about Doctor Sheng Nianxi. Starting today, I don’t want to hear them again. Whoever spreads them again can come to the hospital and explain themselves to me.”
The corridor fell utterly silent.
Director Zhang stood there, his face turning white, then red.
Xu Zhiheng turned to look at him.
“Director Zhang, shouldn’t you give an explanation for what you just said to Doctor Sheng Nianxi?”
Director Zhang’s Adam’s apple bobbed.
“Director Xu, I…”
“Apologize,” Xu Zhiheng said.
Director Zhang froze.
“Apologize in front of everyone.”
Everyone in the corridor turned their eyes toward Director Zhang.
He stood there, his lips moving. At last, he turned toward Sheng Nianxi, his voice as quiet as a mosquito’s hum.
“Doctor Sheng, I’m sorry. I… I made a mistake in my work. I didn’t understand the situation clearly.”
Sheng Nianxi looked at him without saying anything.
Xu Zhiheng glanced at Director Zhang.
“You may go.”
Director Zhang led his people away in disgrace.
The crowd in the corridor gradually dispersed as well, but everyone’s eyes looked different when they glanced at Sheng Nianxi.
Xu Zhiheng turned toward Sheng Nianxi, his tone softening.
“You’ve worked hard. Go get some rest.”
Sheng Nianxi looked at him.
“Thank you, Director Xu.” Her voice was flat, no different from before.
Xu Zhiheng nodded and said nothing more.
When Sheng Nianxi returned to the duty room, Zhang Xiaoyin immediately rushed over, her eyes shining like stars.
“Sister Xi! You were amazing! Director Xu personally stood up for you!”
Sheng Nianxi took off her white coat and hung it on the coat rack.
“He wasn’t standing up for me. He was just following the rules.”
“Oh, never mind the rules or no rules. Anyway, starting today, no one will dare bully you anymore.”
Zhang Xiaoyin moved closer and lowered her voice mysteriously.
“Sister Xi, do you know who Director Xu is?”
Sheng Nianxi shook her head.
“Xu Zhiheng! The youngest leader of the Health Commission’s inspection team. He’s about to be promoted to vice president of our hospital! His family has been in the medical system for three generations. His father used to be the president of our hospital and has now been transferred to the city. He’s incredibly impressive!”
Sheng Nianxi’s hand paused.
“And…” Zhang Xiaoyin lowered her voice even further. “He’s especially close to the Fu family. You know the Fu family, right? Fu Corporation in Jingbei—their business started with aircraft machinery, and they’re unbelievably rich. I heard he and the Second Young Master Fu have been friends since they were kids, so close they practically grew up in the same pair of pants.”
Sheng Nianxi’s fingers paused on the coat rack for an instant.
Then she hung up her white coat and turned around.
“It has nothing to do with me,” she said.
Zhang Xiaoyin stuck out her tongue and tactfully said nothing more.
Sheng Nianxi sat down beside the desk and picked up her water cup for a sip.
The water was cold, cooling her throat all the way down to her stomach.
So Director Xu was good friends with Fu Shennian.
No wonder she had seen them together in Director Zhao’s office today.
So all of this today…
She shook her head. No. Director Xu had only been following the rules.
She forced herself not to think any further.
At the corner of the corridor, Fu Shennian leaned against the wall.
He had stood there the entire time without taking a single step out.
He had watched as Director Zhang pointed at Sheng Nianxi’s face and berated her. He had watched her stand there alone, so helpless.
She was like a tree growing in a place exposed to the wind. Gusts blew in from every direction, making her branches and leaves tremble wildly, but her roots were anchored in the earth, without shifting even an inch.
His chest ached with suffocating pain.
He wished he could rush out and tear apart, one by one, everyone who had bullied her.
But his feet seemed nailed to the ground, unable to take even a single step.
Because he knew very well that she would not want his help.
Yesterday, he had delivered food he had cooked himself to Sheng Nianxi. She had not eaten a single bite. She had even given it to someone else.
In the past, she had loved the food he made most of all.
She would sit at the table and use her chopsticks to pierce the yolk of a soft-boiled egg, watching it spill out before mixing it into the rice. Then she would look up and smile at him.
Now, she was unwilling even to look at it.
The pain in his chest was like countless needle pricks, dense and unrelenting, leaving him so weak that he could only lean against the wall for support.
She had thanked Xu Zhiheng.
Xu Zhiheng could stand openly in front of her and solve her problems for her.
But he could only stand in a corner and watch her in secret.
On her way home after work, Sheng Nianxi’s phone vibrated.
A friend request popped up on WeChat.
The profile picture was a side-view portrait, with excellent lighting. The note read: Lin Jie’s friend.
A second one appeared a moment later.
Before she had time to open it, her phone vibrated again.
A second friend request.
The profile picture was a cat.
Immediately afterward, Lin Jie called.
“Did he add you?”
“Who?”
“Didn’t you say you wanted a handsome guy from the film and television acting program? This one is the most handsome of all. I carefully handpicked him for you. He’s about on par with that ex-boyfriend of yours. How is he? I took what you said seriously and made it happen.”
Sheng Nianxi’s finger hovered over the screen.
“I can’t exactly get to know two people at once, can I?”
There was a second of silence on the other end.
“Two? What two?” Lin Jie laughed. “I only introduced one person to you. You’re pretty greedy, wanting to date two at once?”
Sheng Nianxi froze. She brought the phone closer and looked again at the two requests.