“Really?!”
Zhu Xiuyun looked at her excitedly, and even the hand holding her son’s trembled slightly.
“Mm. From here on, he just needs to recover and recuperate.”
Huo Yuan, who had been watching her closely the entire time, wiped the sweat from her forehead again.
“Are you thirsty? I’ll get you some water.”
“Okay.”
Qian Xing was indeed a little thirsty. Not only thirsty, but hungry too.
This body was simply too weak. After administering one full acupuncture treatment, she had nearly exhausted all her strength.
Fortunately, when Huo Yuan returned, he brought not only a cup of water but also a piece of pastry from somewhere.
“Eat this first to fill your stomach a little.”
The warm water going down her throat made Qian Xing’s entire body feel warmer. She glanced at the gradually brightening sky and said to Huo Yuan:
“Aren’t you almost due for training? You should go first. I’m fine here.”
“Okay. I’ll bring you breakfast later.”
Huo Yuan went out and said goodbye to Qian Xuefeng before quickly leaving.
Inside the ward, the doctor finished checking Baogen’s pulse before speaking.
“Your prescription is very good.”
Seeing Qian Xing look at him in confusion, he suddenly remembered that he hadn’t introduced himself.
“I’m the one responsible for dispensing medicine in the traditional medicine department. My name is Xi Yi. Didn’t they stop you from coming in?”
Qian Xing answered casually, “They did. I had them thrown out.”
Xi Yi froze for a moment before bursting into laughter.
“Good! Those people have learned a bit of Western medicine and suddenly think they’re so great. They don’t take us seriously at all.”
“Really? I heard the country places great importance on traditional medicine.”
Xi Yi scoffed.
“It does place importance on it. They’ve established traditional medicine departments in major hospitals, but from the hospital directors all the way down to the nurses, they’re all trained in Western medicine. If they want to sideline you, what can you do?”
“There are plenty of ways for them to push you aside.”
After saying that, Xi Yi suddenly looked at Qian Xing.
“Your medical skills are this good. Why didn’t you go work at a major hospital? Why did you come here to follow your husband instead?”
Qian Xing thought seriously for a moment before smiling.
“Maybe… I just want someone who can always stay by my side.”
“Besides, I can practice medicine here too. I was actually planning to take the entrance exam.”
“You mean the medical assistant exam? That makes sense. If you want to get into the hospital, that’s pretty much the only way.”
As the two were talking, Qian Xuefeng came in carrying a bowl filled to the brim with medicinal soup. He carefully placed it on the table beside the bed.
The moment he put the bowl down, Zhu Xiuyun began crying and laughing at the same time.
“Xuefeng, our Baogen is okay now!”
“Really?!”
Qian Xuefeng immediately turned to Qian Xing for confirmation. When she nodded, the worried expression he had been wearing finally relaxed.
“Thank you, Comrade Song! You saved my Baogen’s life. If it weren’t for you, I really don’t dare to imagine…”
Qian Xing waved her hand.
“I’ll remove the needles first, and then you can give him the medicine. He needs to take this prescription for three days. After three days, I’ll check on him again and change the prescription.”
“Oh, and I’ll come every day over the next few days to administer acupuncture.”
“Of course. Sorry to trouble you. Once Baogen gets better, we’ll personally come to your home to thank you.”
After Qian Xing removed the needles, Baogen’s complexion had visibly become rosier, and his eyes were bright as he looked at Qian Xing.
“Baogen, be a good boy and take your medicine. Then you’ll get better, understand?”
The little boy on the bed gave the tiniest nod.
“Baogen can understand what we’re saying!”
Zhu Xiuyun shouted excitedly.
“Baogen, I’m Mommy. Look at Mommy.”
At those words, the light in Baogen’s eyes dimmed slightly.
Qian Xing noticed it but simply said, “His internal organs were injured, so speaking will be very tiring at first. Don’t force him to talk. As long as he’s conscious, there’s no problem.”
Qian Xuefeng had been so worried about his son these past two days that he suddenly realized he still didn’t know exactly how Baogen had gotten injured.
He looked at Zhu Xiuyun, his voice turning stern.
“How did Baogen get injured this badly? Did someone bully him?”
Zhu Xiuyun’s expression stiffened. She stammered for a long while without saying a word.
“Why are you hesitating? Was it the regiment commander’s children? Just tell me! No matter how powerful their parents are, I’ll still demand justice for my son!”
Zhu Xiuyun continued to keep silent.
“If you won’t tell me, I’ll go ask them myself.”
He turned as if to leave.
Zhu Xiuyun hurriedly grabbed him.
“No—don’t go. It has nothing to do with them…”
After being married for several years, Qian Xuefeng considered himself to understand Zhu Xiuyun fairly well. Seeing the guilty look on her face, he immediately had a terrible suspicion.
“His injuries… were you the one who hit him?!”
Zhu Xiuyun lowered her head without saying a word.
That was essentially an admission.
“Slap!”
Qian Xuefeng, furious, slapped her across the face.
“How could you be so cruel?! Even a stepmother wouldn’t beat a child like that! He’s your own son!”
After being slapped, Zhu Xiuyun instead became indignant and returned to her usual shouting.
“How was I supposed to know he was so fragile?! I didn’t even use that much force! How would I know it would turn out like this?!”
Qian Xing didn’t want to listen to their argument. After packing up her medicine box and saying goodbye to Xi Yi, she left.
…
Meanwhile, in the surgical office.
“He really saved him?”
“Yeah!”
Fang Wei still looked incredulous.
“I even secretly went to check outside the ward just now. Baogen can already drink his medicine!”
Outsiders might not understand how difficult it had been to save Qian Baogen, but everyone who had participated in the surgery knew exactly how serious the situation had been.
It was practically miraculous.
After recovering from the shock, Fang Wei became worried.
“主任, what if they go around telling people that our doctors were useless and that the child was only saved by that woman?”
The man opposite him let out a contemptuous snort.
“Who can prove she was the one who saved him?”
Fang Wei couldn’t quite figure out what his superior meant.
“But… quite a few people know that woman came to the hospital. The family will tell everyone about it too.”
It wasn’t something they could simply deny.
“Outsiders don’t understand medicine. But you personally performed the surgery. Surely you understand?”
“Qian Baogen was saved because we operated on him. That woman merely happened to get lucky. Tell me, which was actually effective—the few needles she used, or our surgical instruments?”
Fang Wei mulled over his superior’s words and suddenly understood the brilliance behind them.
“I understand, Director. I’ll have someone take good care of him.”
…
Back at the workers’ apartment building.
Qian Xing had been woken up early in the morning, and the acupuncture treatment had completely drained what little energy she had left.
So as soon as she returned home, she gulped down more than half a cup of pure spiritual liquid before going back to bed for some extra sleep.
When she woke again, it was already almost noon.
The pot still contained the porridge and cornmeal buns Huo Yuan had left warming for her.
Qian Xing wasn’t particularly hungry. She first entered the space to check on the herbs.
The herbs she had planted in the dedicated medicinal field and watered with spiritual liquid were growing vigorously. In just one day, dozens of plants had already grown significantly taller.
Judging by their growth, they should mature in a few more days.
Qian Xing left the space, and just then, Zhou Maishu’s voice came from outside.
She opened the door, and Zhou Maishu immediately asked with concern:
“I heard you went to the hospital to save Baogen? How is he now?”