Dr. Pan received an injection, and since there weren’t many patients during the day, she slept in a daze for most of the afternoon. By evening, she was feeling much better.
“I’ll take the night shift tonight. Xiao Xu, you go back and get some sleep.”
Xu You’s mind was a mess. “Okay. Then I’ll come early tomorrow to take over your shift and let you get some extra sleep.”
“Okay.”
Xu You returned to the dormitory. After washing up, she lay down on the bed.
In order to be able to dream, Xu You deliberately didn’t take her medicine.
She plunged straight into a dream.
A large palm wrapped around her hand.
The scorching warmth of his palm pressed against the back of her hand.
“Don’t take the medicine, okay?”
“I’ll listen to everything you say. Like this, with my hand wrapped around yours. Is that right?”
Xu You was so shocked that her heart trembled.
That feeling was exactly like Shen Xu’s hand around hers during the day—scorching hot, domineering yet powerful, with a thin layer of calluses.
Chen Qingsong had held her hand before, too. His palm had been warm, but his grip had been gentle and restrained.
“Are you still angry?”
Xu You nodded perfunctorily.
“From now on, I’ll behave and listen to you, okay?”
The man’s voice sounded aggrieved, his final words curling upward and making her heart tremble.
Xu You continued to respond perfunctorily. “We’ll see how you behave.”
Xu You’s mind was in a complete muddle.
“Then tonight, let me coax you, okay?”
The man’s voice carried a seductive undertone, his unsteady breathing drawing her into the same descent.
Xu You swallowed. “How do you want to coax me?”
“You’ll like it.”
In the blink of an eye, the man was crouching in front of her, his kiss gently landing on her fingertips.
Xu You nervously grabbed his hair. Amid the haze, she caught sight of a birthmark on the man’s back…
Xu You opened her misty eyes, and there was only one thought in her mind.
This man was far too good at this. She couldn’t handle him.
Xu You scooped some cold water from the bucket and wiped her body with it. The shock of the cold water jolted her awake, making her mind exceptionally clear.
She would have to find time to get a few more doses of medicine. These dreams were too mentally exhausting. She should know when to stop.
After another three busy days, the physical examinations for the entire army finally came to an end.
Director Yang knew that the medical staff had been exhausted during this period, so he arranged for them to take turns having time off.
Xu You swapped a night shift with Dr. Pan. With Sunday added to it, she would have two consecutive days off, giving her enough time to go into the city and send money to the Liang family.
On Friday, after finishing her day shift, Xu You continued on with the night shift.
During a lull when there were no patients, Xu You quickly ate dinner.
As soon as she finished eating, Xu You and the nurse on duty became busy again. Most of the cases were minor problems.
It wasn’t until around eight-thirty.
“Doctor, help! My friend’s stomach hurts so badly!”
Xu You and the nurse hurried over, only to see Chu Ying supporting a young woman as they entered the emergency room.
Without needing to be told, the young nurse brought over a gurney. The young woman was placed on the bed, clutching her abdomen and moaning in agony.
“Name, age, and where does it hurt?”
The young woman was in too much pain to speak, so Chu Ying hurriedly answered, “Zhang Yan, twenty-three years old. Her stomach started hurting suddenly tonight.”
“Where does it hurt? Around the navel, or lower down?”
Zhang Yan covered the area below her navel, drenched in cold sweat from the pain.
Xu You gestured for the young nurse to perform the routine examinations first, then continued asking questions.
“How long has it been since your last period?”
Zhang Yan held up three fingers. Xu You quickly recorded it.
“Where is her family? Considering that the patient may be having a miscarriage, we need a family member to sign the consent form.”
Chu Ying hurriedly exchanged a glance with Zhang Yan.
“Her husband went for training. I’m Yan Yan’s best friend. I’m no different from a family member.”
Nurse Xie said, “Dr. Xu, the patient’s heart rate is increasing.”
Nurse Liu added, “Her blood pressure has also dropped slightly.”
Xu You frowned slightly and forced Zhang Yan’s tightly clenched legs apart. There was already some blood staining the crotch of her pants.
Xu You immediately ordered, “Xiao Li, have the security officers go to the base and find Zhang Yan’s family.”
“Move her into the resuscitation room. Start with miscarriage-prevention treatment, and go get someone from the obstetrics and gynecology department.”
By the time the obstetrician on duty arrived, the bleeding had basically stopped. Xu You followed the obstetrician and performed the examination together.
In the end, Dr. Jin from the obstetrics and gynecology department confirmed, “It’s a mild miscarriage. She needs to stay in bed and rest for the next few days. I’ll give you an injection to prevent miscarriage. There’s still a chance we can save the baby.”
Xu You frowned beside her.
“Dr. Jin, I just noticed that the patient’s cervix is already slightly dilated. Could this be an incomplete miscarriage?”
Dr. Jin glanced at Xu You.
“Dr. Xu, you’re a surgeon, yet you know about incomplete miscarriages? An incomplete miscarriage requires the discharge of tissue that looks like blisters. The patient has only had slight bleeding.”
Dr. Jin turned to Chu Ying.
“Have you secretly taken any abortion medication?”
Zhang Yan’s face turned deathly pale as she shook her head.
“No. I’ve been married to my husband for three years, and we’ve never had a child. How could I have taken abortion medication?”
“You hear that? The patient says she didn’t.”
Dr. Jin put her hands into her pockets and lectured Xu You.
“Usually, it’s unmarried young girls who secretly take abortion medication. Married women rarely use such harsh drugs.”
Xu You remembered the symptoms described in the book. Clearly, six or seven out of ten of them matched Chu Ying’s case.
“Comrade Zhang Yan, are you absolutely certain you haven’t secretly taken any abortion medication? Or perhaps had a miscarriage without realizing it and passed any pieces of tissue? An incomplete miscarriage can very easily cause massive bleeding. You could lose your life.”
Fine beads of sweat appeared on Zhang Yan’s forehead. She spoke weakly.
“Doctor, how many times do I have to tell you? My husband and I have been longing for this child for three years. I only beg you to help me save my baby. I’ll do anything for you.”
Dr. Jin was also displeased that Xu You questioned her.
“I’ve been practicing medicine for twelve years. This is the first time I’ve been questioned about my professional expertise by someone from surgery. If you don’t believe me, you can ask the traditional Chinese medicine department to come and consult.”
“Little Xie, since Dr. Jin suggested calling the traditional Chinese medicine department for a consultation, go get them.”
There was no doctor on duty in the traditional Chinese medicine department, so Nurse Xie went to the family housing compound to find one.
After taking Zhang Yan’s pulse, the traditional Chinese medicine doctor said, “It is indeed a slippery pulse, but the pulse is unstable, indicating a risk of threatened miscarriage.”
Just then, Nurse Xiao Liu brought over Zhang Yan’s urine test report.
“It’s positive.”
Dr. Jin shot Xu You a sideways glance.
“Dr. Xu, do you have anything else to say?”
“I’m sorry. I’ve always had rather bad luck. When I was working at a local hospital, I encountered several patients every year who concealed their medical histories, so I tend to be extra cautious.”
Dr. Jin sneered.
“Dr. Xu, do you have a persecution complex? How could any patient conceal their condition? Don’t they care about their own lives?”
Xu You keenly noticed that Zhang Yan’s moaning suddenly stopped for a moment.
“When I worked at the local hospital, many women seemed to think that their reputation was more important than their lives. They would instinctively conceal their conditions.”
Dr. Jin impatiently interrupted her.
“Dr. Xu, this is a military hospital! How can you compare a local hospital with this place?”
The traditional Chinese medicine doctor tried to smooth things over.
“There’s no harm in Dr. Xu being cautious.”
Xu You handed the medical chart to Dr. Jin. Both of them wrote down their diagnoses and signed their names.
Dr. Jin casually tossed the chart back to Xu You.
“Tomorrow morning, our obstetrics and gynecology department will come and transfer her to the inpatient department for miscarriage prevention. For tonight, she’ll stay in the emergency department.”
Xu You pushed open the door of the resuscitation room and walked out, only to see Zhang Yan’s family member, Regiment Commander Peng from the First Regiment, anxiously waiting outside.
Regiment Commander Peng was dark-skinned and burly. He had rushed over from the training field after receiving the news, wearing only a military-green undershirt.
“Doctor, how is my wife?”
Xu You asked, “Did you know Comrade Zhang Yan was three months pregnant?”
Regiment Commander Peng scratched his head remorsefully.
“I knew. I’ve been busy preparing for the military competition these past few days and left my wife to take care of the household alone. She must have overworked herself. Doctor, I’m begging you, you have to save my wife. Save my child.”
Xu You asked, “Did your wife have any bleeding a few days ago—”