“Pediatrics, the baby isn’t crying. We’ll leave the rest to you.”
The head of pediatrics personally took the baby. Before long, a faint cry echoed through the ward.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and the atmosphere in the operating room relaxed considerably.
The head of obstetrics said, “Xiao Xu did a good job as second assistant. Her retraction was steady, and her pressure technique was spot-on.”
Xu You smiled casually.
“I’m an old hand at surgery. Before I even graduated, I was already holding retractors for my mentor. If my hands weren’t steady, I’d have been in for a scolding as soon as I stepped off the operating table.”
The head of obstetrics laughed.
“An emergency doctor serving as our second assistant, Xiao Xu, are you trying to secretly learn our specialty?”
Xu You laughed too.
“I’m an emergency doctor now. The more skills I have, the less likely I am to panic. Director, I won’t freeload off your expertise either. If the operating room ever needs an extra pair of hands, just call me. I’ll fill in.”
After the head of pediatrics finished clearing the baby’s mouth, the crying grew a little louder, and she was in the mood to joke as well.
“Xiao Xu, you can’t do this. What, are you looking down on pediatrics?”
“If pediatrics is willing to have me, just put me to work.”
“That’s more like it.”
The surgery continued smoothly until the very end.
As soon as Xu You stepped off the operating table, she immediately went to give the family the good news.
With a senior military commander present to keep things under control, the Li family gratefully accepted the news.
Xu You went to change out of her surgical gown, and Wang Shu came over as well.
Xu You asked, “Are you going home for dinner tonight?”
Wang Shu knew that Xu You was thanking her for helping her secure the position of second assistant.
“It’s already so late. My family must have finished eating by now.”
“Then let me treat you.”
“In that case, I won’t be polite. Every time I get off the operating table, I’m hungry enough to eat an entire cow. Watch your wallet.”
Xu You laughed.
“My wallet is thick. Eat as much as you want.”
Wang Shu ordered two meat dishes and one vegetable dish. Xu You ordered two identical portions to take away.
“Take these back for your mentor.”
Wang Shu couldn’t help giving her a thumbs-up.
Her best friend was truly unbeatable when it came to handling favors and social relationships.
Xu You smiled.
“I work in the emergency department. I’ll need your mentor and the other department heads to look after me in the future. Otherwise, what if I request a consultation and they refuse to come?”
“That’s true.”
Wang Shu suddenly leaned closer and lowered her voice.
“By the way, that pregnant woman was Deputy Commander Li’s sister-in-law. His first wife passed away, and his mother-in-law felt sorry for her one-year-old granddaughter, so she arranged for her second daughter to marry Deputy Commander Li.
“That pregnant woman is also a very honest person. She raised that little girl until she was eight. Only after her in-laws kept pressuring her did she decide to have a child of her own. Sigh… What kind of fate is this?”
Xu You poked at her rice.
“I hope becoming a mother will make her stronger. Otherwise, a premature baby this young might not survive if they have to go through too much.”
The two finished eating just before the cafeteria closed.
They hadn’t gone far when they ran into the head of pediatrics.
“Director, the cafeteria is already closed. I got an extra meal. Have this to tide you over.”
The head of pediatrics didn’t refuse. She was genuinely starving.
“Putting everything else aside, if anything happens in the emergency department in the future, as long as I’m at the hospital, call me.”
“Thank you, Director. I won’t be shy about asking for your help.”
Xu You returned to her office, packed up her things, and went back to her dormitory.
Ever since that surgery, she hadn’t set foot in an operating room for two years.
She had even given up working in general surgery and transferred to the emergency department.
Just now, standing in the operating room, her mind had gone blank for a moment. She had broken out in a cold sweat, and only afterward did she realize that her legs were trembling.
Her dormitory was in the hospital’s oldest row of bungalows. After the newer apartment buildings were constructed, the medical staff moved there.
Xu You had arrived late, and there were no vacant rooms left in the apartments, so she had been assigned this place temporarily.
She actually enjoyed the peace and quiet. The only inconvenience was getting water.
Too lazy to fetch water from the tap, Xu You simply went to the well beside the basketball court.
She lowered the bucket into the well and gave the hemp rope a swing, quickly filling the bucket.
Xu You took a deep breath and tried to lift it.
She couldn’t even get it halfway up.
Her hand began trembling uncontrollably.
She bent down and gripped the hemp rope tightly, weighing whether she should let go or gather her strength and pull it up in one go.
Just then, a pair of large hands reached over.
In her panic, they grabbed her hand.
The contact lasted only an instant.
In her dazed state, Xu You could only feel the warmth of those broad, gentle palms wrapping around her hand, just like the large hands of the man in her dreams, enveloping her and coaxing her into mischief.
Shen Xu grabbed the rope and effortlessly hauled the bucket up.
“Thank you.”
Xu You came back to her senses and hurriedly thanked him. When she looked up, she realized it was Commander Shen, Shen Xu.
Shen Xu’s tone was cold.
“With strength like that, you should just use the tap.”
Shen Xu had been on his way to play basketball with his friends. From a distance, he had seen Xu You drawing water, looking as though she was about to be dragged into the well by the bucket.
His heart had nearly jumped into his throat, and he had rushed over in just a few steps.
Fortunately, he had made it in time.
Xu You knew she had been careless.
“All right. I’ll be more careful next time.”
Shen Xu had dealt with enough rebellious troublemakers to know that Xu You had clearly listened with one ear and let it out the other.
“I’ll report this to your boyfriend, Chen Qingsong.”
Xu You frowned.
“Commander Shen, this is my personal matter. It has nothing to do with Comrade Chen Qingsong. Besides, Chen Qingsong’s mother has arrived at the base, so he’s been very busy lately.”
“You’re his girlfriend. It’s only right that he takes care of you in your daily life.”
Xu You fell silent, not knowing how to argue with him.
She hadn’t expected Shen Xu’s thinking to be so old-fashioned, actually treating having a girlfriend as a personal responsibility.
How could someone like this possibly be the reckless man from her dreams?
Shen Xu helped Xu You carry the water back.
“Is this enough?”
Xu You said nothing and simply shook her head.
Shen Xu had only been asking out of courtesy. He hadn’t expected Xu You to take him seriously.
“Do you have any empty buckets? I’ll fetch a few more.”
Shen Xu stood at the doorway and glanced inside. There wasn’t even a water jar in the living room.
“I only have this one bucket. I’ll pour the water out first.”
Xu You picked up the bucket and took one step.
The full bucket of water sloshed and spilled over the edge.
“I’ll do it. Just tell me where to pour it.”
Xu You dragged a small bathing tub out of the room.
Shen Xu’s ears immediately turned bright red.
He poured in the water and left.
After Shen Xu had carried three buckets of water, Xu You stopped him.
“All right, that’s enough. I’ll leave now.”
Shen Xu took two or three steps toward the door. After the wind blew over him, the heat in his ears and face finally faded.
She was just a young woman. Was she really going to bathe with cold water in weather this cold? Wasn’t she afraid of freezing herself sick?
Shen Xu turned around.
To Xu You’s astonishment, he picked up the bucket again and walked away.
Xu You was stunned.
He had helped carry four buckets of water, and now he wanted to take the bucket as payment?
But she only had one bucket!
Xu You hurried after him, but there was no one around the well anymore.
When Xu You returned home and pulled the curtains shut, she was just about to take off her clothes and bathe when someone knocked on the door again.
When she opened it, Shen Xu had returned.
He was carrying a bucket of water that was steaming hot.
“Move aside.”
Xu You quickly stepped out of the way and watched as Shen Xu poured the hot water into the small bathing tub. The room immediately filled with billowing steam.
“Check the temperature.”
“Oh.”
Xu You tested the water.
“It’s perfect. Thank you, Commander Shen.”
Shen Xu shook his head and said in a strictly businesslike tone,
“I’ll remind Chen Qingsong to take better care of you from now on.”