A short while later, Ding Furong returned with the others.
Huang Xue’er was carrying a medical kit in her hand, with Dean Ji following closely behind her.
As Huang Xue’er entered the room, she immediately spotted Ruan Yingying standing outside the door and looked rather surprised.
“Sister in law?”
As she spoke, she noticed the wallet in Ruan Yingying’s hand, which she had not yet had the chance to return to Ding Furong. Her expression immediately became considerate as she changed her tone.
“Sister in law, if you need to buy something, just tell me. It’s freezing outside, and it’s dangerous for you to come out here!”
Ruan Yingying, however, had no interest in exchanging such superficial pleasantries with her.
Although she had been unable to enter while Ding Furong was away, she had been observing the situation the entire time. Now, the child’s face had turned a frightening shade of purple, and his breathing had become even weaker. The situation looked extremely serious.
Ruan Yingying looked past Huang Xue’er and directly at Dean Ji.
“Dean Ji, saving the child is what matters right now.”
Huang Xue’er was momentarily speechless at being completely ignored, but she quickly returned to normal.
Yes, saving the child was what mattered.
The last time, Huang Xue’er was upstaged by Ruan Yingying in front of her godfather. This time, as soon as she heard that Ding Furong’s child was suffering another asthma attack, she had immediately asked Dean Ji to come along.
She had studied emergency treatment for asthma and had dealt with several cases before. This time, she had to perform well in front of Dean Ji and restore the good impression she had lost.
With that thought, Huang Xue’er straightened her back.
As soon as they entered the room, they saw Ermao’s tiny body slumped beside a chair. His face had taken on a terrifying purple hue, and his chest was barely moving.
Ding Furong was so frightened that she could barely speak.
“Dean, Xue’er… What happened to my Ermao?”
Huang Xue’er, however, remained calm.
“Sister in law, don’t panic. I’ll give him some simple treatment, and he should be fine. Come and help me lift him.”
As she spoke, the two of them carefully laid Ermao flat on the floor.
Huang Xue’er took a deep breath and crouched down. Recalling the emergency procedures she had learned from her textbooks, she placed one hand over the other and began pressing down on Ermao’s thin chest.
“One, two, three…”
She counted silently as she applied force.
Once, twice, three times…
Huang Xue’er repeated the compressions countless times. Her breathing became increasingly rapid, and both of her hands began to ache.
Yet Ermao’s eyes remained tightly shut, his face had turned almost black with purple, and there was not the slightest sign of improvement.
Huang Xue’er continued the compressions, but the confidence in her heart was gradually disappearing.
Ermao had suffered from asthma since childhood. Whenever autumn and winter came around, going to the clinic had practically become a routine for him. Usually, after some simple treatment, he would recover.
Why wasn’t he responding this time?
Time passed second by second, and the people gathered around were beginning to grow anxious as well.
“Can he really be saved? What if he’s already stopped breathing?”
At those words, Huang Xue’er’s hands paused almost imperceptibly, and a chill ran down her back.
She had originally thought this was merely an ordinary asthma attack and had even considered it a perfect opportunity to demonstrate her professional abilities in front of Dean Ji.
But now…
This was not an opportunity to show off at all. It was clearly a hot potato that had landed in her hands.
Ji Shaohui immediately noticed the hesitation in Huang Xue’er’s movements and frowned slightly.
“What’s wrong?”
Seeing the grave expression on Dean Ji’s face, Ding Furong panicked as well. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
“Dean, what’s wrong with my Ermao? Why won’t he get up?”
“Dean, you have to save my Ermao! He’s my whole life!”
The sight made everyone present anxious.
Meanwhile, Ruan Yingying had quietly squeezed her way into the room and reached Ermao’s side.
When Huang Xue’er saw Ruan Yingying approaching, she could not help speaking.
“Sister in law, you…”
Before she could finish, Ding Furong’s attention was drawn back to Ruan Yingying.
“You, what are you doing? Don’t touch my Ermao…”
“If you want to save the child, let Comrade Ruan give it a try.”
Ji Shaohui interrupted her before she could finish.
Since Dean Ji had spoken, Ding Furong could not object any further, no matter how reluctant she was.
Ruan Yingying crouched beside Ermao and helped him into a half sitting position. She then unbuttoned his collar.
“Find a pillow and put it behind his back.”
Her expression was calm, and her voice was steady.
For the moment, Ding Furong forgot her doubts and hurriedly did as she was told.
Ruan Yingying took the pillow and positioned it properly, then began pressing several acupoints on Ermao’s chest one by one.
At the same time, she instructed Ding Furong, “Open the window and keep the air circulating. Then get a basin of hot water and wring out a hot towel for me.”
Ding Furong was completely overwhelmed at this point. She simply did whatever Ruan Yingying told her to do.
More and more people gathered outside the room, all holding their breath as they watched.
Someone whispered, “Look at her technique. She really seems to know what she’s doing.”
“Will it work? Ermao has had this illness for quite a few years.”
“Let’s wait and see… Sister in law Furong dotes on her Ermao the most. If something goes wrong because she treats him, there’s going to be trouble.”
Ruan Yingying heard the remarks, but she had no time to pay attention to them. She simply continued pressing the acupoints again and again.
After approximately fifteen minutes of continuous acupoint stimulation and treatment, Ermao’s breathing finally began to steady, and the bluish purple color on his face faded somewhat.
He was still wheezing, but he was no longer in that terrifying state of suffocation.
Ruan Yingying did not let her guard down. She took the hot towel Ding Furong handed her and gently placed it against the child’s chest while softly reassuring him.
“Ermao, don’t be afraid. Breathe slowly. That’s right, take it slowly…”
The child finally recovered enough strength to let out a loud cry.
Ding Furong burst into tears as well and rushed over to embrace her son.
“Ermao, my Ermao…”
Ruan Yingying finally breathed a sigh of relief. Only then did she realize that her back was already soaked with cold sweat.
Now that the child had recovered, the atmosphere was no longer as heavy as before.
Only then did everyone dare to speak more loudly.
“Wow, she really is amazing. She actually managed to save him.”
“Judging by her technique, it looks quite similar to Miss Xue’er’s.”
Hearing this, Huang Xue’er, who had been pushed aside by the crowd, changed color.
This Ruan Yingying… had actually saved someone again?
The last time, although Huang Xue’er had been upset, she had assumed that Ruan Yingying had simply gotten lucky and happened to save the person. She had never considered that Ruan Yingying might actually know medicine.
How could a pampered young lady with such a terrible reputation possibly know medicine?
Yet the reality before her was like a resounding slap across her face.
Not only had Ruan Yingying saved someone again, she had also completely outshone her in front of Dean Ji.
Embarrassment, unwillingness, and shock tightened around Huang Xue’er like vines.
However, with so many people watching and Dean Ji still present, she had to maintain her image and could not afford to lose her composure.
Now that things had reached this point, the most important thing was to recover from the situation.
With that thought, Huang Xue’er composed herself and walked over to Ruan Yingying with an expression of surprise.
“Sister in law, you’re truly amazing! I was so anxious just now. I never expected you to stabilize Ermao so quickly. It seems I really need to learn more from you when it comes to emergency treatment.”
Ruan Yingying was focused on Ermao. Upon hearing this, she merely glanced at Huang Xue’er indifferently. She had no interest in such superficial flattery and casually replied, “It’s not as impressive as you make it sound. I just happened to know a little about it.”
At that moment, Ji Shaohui spoke up. A look of approval appeared on his face as his gaze lingered on Ruan Yingying for a moment before turning toward Huang Xue’er.
His tone was calm but carried a deeper meaning.
“Miss Xue’er, when it comes to practical skills, you really should learn more from Comrade Ruan. Theory is the foundation, but when faced with actual problems, experience and judgment are equally important.”
Huang Xue’er had intended to use her self-deprecating words to smooth things over, but she had never expected Dean Ji to say something like this.
She had graduated from a proper medical school, yet Dean Ji was actually telling her to learn from a pampered young lady?
How was that any different from publicly humiliating her?
Huang Xue’er had never been this embarrassed before.
But she could not openly contradict Dean Ji.
Therefore, Huang Xue’er suppressed her emotions and responded humbly.
“Dean Ji is right. I should learn more from my sister in law.”
“However, I really didn’t know when you learned such excellent medical skills, Sister in law. When you were at home before, I never heard you mention any of this.”
As soon as she said this, the previously noisy room instantly fell silent.
Her question happened to voice the doubts in many people’s hearts, including Dean Ji.
Although he admired Ruan Yingying’s excellent medical skills, he was also curious about where she had learned them.
After all, they had only ever heard that the wife of Regiment Commander Huo liked drinking coffee, watching movies, and doing ballet. They had never heard that she knew medicine.
Everyone’s eyes once again turned toward Ruan Yingying as they waited for her answer.
Huang Xue’er’s smiling question seemed gentle and harmless, but it was actually a soft net filled with hidden thorns.
Ruan Yingying pressed her lips together, unsure how she could answer in a way that would convince everyone.
She absolutely could not reveal the secret that she had entered this world through a book. Yet the original owner had been a pampered young lady who had never lifted a finger and knew nothing except romance and leisure. Where could she possibly have learned medical skills?
But on both occasions, she had been too focused on saving people to think about the consequences.
She lowered her eyelashes to avoid Huang Xue’er’s scrutinizing gaze and deliberately made her voice sound more relaxed.
“Miss Xue’er, you’re joking. I never specifically studied it. I was just bored at home before, so I read a few medical books and remembered a little of what I learned.”
At this point, this was the only explanation she could come up with. Otherwise, there was indeed no way to explain where these medical skills, which surpassed the knowledge of this era, had come from.
However, Huang Xue’er had no intention of letting her off so easily.
The smile on her face became even more gentle and considerate, but her words continued to press Ruan Yingying.
“Sister in law, you’re being far too modest. The technique you used just now isn’t something you could master simply by reading a few medical books. In my opinion, you must have studied under some renowned master and simply kept your abilities hidden!”
She deliberately raised her voice, praising Ruan Yingying to an exceptionally high level where everyone’s attention would be drawn to her.
After hearing this, the crowd became even more curious, with a hint of anticipation appearing in their eyes.
How could Ruan Yingying fail to recognize that Huang Xue’er was deliberately praising her in order to set her up?
She tightened her fingertips and was just about to carefully formulate another answer when Ji Shaohui cleared his throat.
He spoke at exactly the right moment.
“Cough.”
He wore the slightly teasing smile of an elder, and his words easily eased the tense atmosphere.
“Miss Xue’er, that isn’t quite right. A doctor’s heart should be devoted to helping people. What matters in medicine is the ability to save lives and relieve suffering. Why insist on tracing everything back to a famous master? The knowledge passed down by our ancestors depends on both talent and hard work.”
“Comrade Ruan has talent and is willing to study hard. That is a good thing.
If we let prejudice about schools and lineages dictate everything, wouldn’t all those folk experts and self taught doctors be left without a place? Thinking that way would be rather shallow.”
Hearing this, the smug satisfaction Huang Xue’er had been waiting to enjoy disappeared completely, leaving only embarrassment and awkwardness.
In truth, Ji Shaohui knew perfectly well that Ruan Yingying’s explanation was not the truth.
These medical skills were simply impossible to achieve through self study alone. As for where she had learned them and from whom, that was her own privacy.
There was no need to pursue the matter.
Regardless of where her medical skills came from, if they could be used to treat illness and save lives, then they were good medical skills. Moreover, after witnessing her save people twice in succession, Ji Shaohui genuinely admired the courage and determination of this young woman.
Ding Furong listened from the side as Dean Ji, Huang Xue’er, and Ruan Yingying exchanged words that she could not fully understand, leaving her mind in a complete mess.
She was barely literate, so the professional terms sounded like complete nonsense to her, but she knew how to read people’s expressions and understand the meaning behind their words.
What kind of person was Dean Ji?
He was the head of the military district hospital, a man who had seen countless things and possessed exceptional medical skills. Yet the way he had looked at Ruan Yingying just now, along with his tone of voice, had clearly carried genuine praise and approval. He had even told the highly regarded Miss Xue’er to learn from Ruan Yingying.
What did that mean?
It meant Ruan Yingying truly had ability. She had not simply guessed her way through it.
Even Dean Ji acknowledged her skills.
The last bit of discomfort and prejudice Ding Furong had been holding onto melted away like snow beneath the sun, leaving behind nothing but overwhelming gratitude.
She secretly raised her eyes and glanced at Ruan Yingying, who was still examining Ermao’s condition with her head lowered.
That face was still as fair and delicate as ever, but at this moment, in Ding Furong’s eyes, Ruan Yingying looked almost like a Bodhisattva who had come to save those in suffering.
Ding Furong had always been outspoken and hot-tempered, sometimes speaking before she had time to think. She had indeed disliked Ruan Yingying’s pampered young lady attitude in the past and had said many unpleasant things about her. Her attitude at the beginning today had been especially harsh.
But one thing was one thing.
Ruan Yingying had put aside all their past grievances and endured her cold attitude, yet she had still fought to save her son’s life.
That was an enormous kindness.
Thinking about this, Ding Furong felt deeply ashamed.
But she was not the sort of person who would hesitate once she realized she had done something wrong. A kindness was a kindness, and a mistake had to be acknowledged.
She took a deep breath, gathered her courage, and moved two steps closer to Ruan Yingying.
“Sis…”
Her voice was much gentler than usual and carried a hint of awkwardness.
She did not dare look directly at Ruan Yingying, instead staring at the hem of her padded jacket.
“Well… today… I really have to thank you!”
She scratched her head. It seemed that simply saying thank you was not enough, so she hurriedly added with complete sincerity, “I was wrong before. I was narrow minded and said a lot of foolish things. You saved Ermao today, which means you saved my life too! I’ll remember this kindness for the rest of my life!”
After saying this, she seemed as though she had finally accomplished something important and let out a long breath, although the redness on her face became even more obvious.
Ruan Yingying was somewhat unaccustomed to such a drastic change in the woman’s attitude. She waved her hand.
“You’re being too polite. I…”
Before she could finish, Ding Furong saw Ruan Yingying suddenly furrow her brows. The last trace of color drained from her face at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Her entire body swayed uncontrollably, and she looked as though she was about to collapse forward.
“Oh my!”
Ding Furong was terrified out of her wits. She rushed forward and caught Ruan Yingying, only to feel how cold her arm was beneath her hand. Her heart immediately leapt into her throat.
This was bad!
It must be because Ruan Yingying had crouched for too long and exerted herself while saving Ermao, causing trouble with her pregnancy.
There were all kinds of rumors about Regiment Commander Huo’s physical condition after the injuries he had suffered during the war in his early years.
Ding Furong had heard people privately say things like his health had been permanently damaged and that he might never be able to have children.
Now that Ruan Yingying had finally become pregnant, the child was precious beyond words.
If something happened to her while she was in Ding Furong’s home because of her son…
Ding Furong did not even dare imagine what would happen next. Her scalp went numb with fear.
“What are you all standing there for?! Are your eyes just decorations?!”
Ding Furong shouted at the stunned women who were still gathered at the doorway.
“Hurry up! Go get Regiment Commander Huo! Quickly!”