Around noon.
Nowadays, the hospital operated under the principle that whoever admitted a patient was responsible for their care. Since Shen Qingli had admitted Li Tieye, it was naturally her duty to check on his recovery. Taking advantage of a break during lunch, she prepared to go see him. Just as she stepped out of her clinic, Liu Shicheng had finished seeing a patient and was opening the door to send them off. Shen Qingli didn’t comment.
Liu Shicheng, however, couldn’t resist a sarcastic remark:
“Dr. Shen is really lucky—successful surgery, and the patient’s family is even cooperative afterward.”
Shen Qingli exhaled slowly through her nose. Talking had begun to feel exhausting—at home, Lin Meiyun picked fights with her, and here Liu Shicheng was causing trouble again.
Her cold gaze fixed on him:
“Dr. Liu, you’ve done countless surgeries. Do you really care about this one?”
A faint, condescending smile spread across Liu Shicheng’s lips. He didn’t care. His surgeries were numerous, with success rates among the highest in the hospital. Why would he bother about Shen Qingli’s? In fact, he secretly hoped she would continue like this. With her reckless “save at all costs” approach, she was bound to run into trouble eventually. And since there was no real reward—saving lives was her duty, after all—he could just sit back and watch.
But before he could return to his clinic, a sudden commotion came from down the corridor. He froze and turned his head. It was Li Tieye’s sons, banging drums.
Li Jianguo carried a ceremonial banner that read: “Saving Lives, Benevolence as Heavy as a Mountain – Presented to Dr. Shen Qingli, General Surgery, Ning’an Hospital.”
Liu Shicheng blinked, incredulous, scanning the banner with a mixture of disbelief and irritation.
Li Jianguo deliberately raised his voice:
“Thanks to Dr. Shen Qingli in General Surgery! My father was in excruciating pain from appendicitis, and Dr. Liu refused to help. Only Dr. Shen showed such noble medical ethics!”
Li Jianmin and Li Jianjia chimed in:
“Dr. Shen truly has a compassionate heart.”
Many nearby staff and waiting patients turned to look.
Liu Shicheng’s face darkened. His chest ached with frustration. How dare they praise Shen Qingli in front of him? He had only been following regulations. Yet he realized that if he argued, it would be tantamount to admitting that he had refused care—a complete self-embarrassment. He remained silent.
Li Jianguo, undeterred, approached him and grinned mischievously:
“You must be Dr. Liu, right?”
Liu Shicheng neither confirmed nor denied. He suppressed his anger:
“This hospital has rules. Even if you want to thank Dr. Shen, you must consider the consequences. Causing a scene could land you in jail.”
Li Jianmin, displeased, held the banner up in front of him, almost in a mocking way:
“What scene? We just want Dr. Liu to read what’s written on the banner. Being big and rough, he probably just scribbled it down. Let’s see if there’s any mistake.”
The banner was thrust before him, a clear gesture of humiliation. Liu Shicheng felt his blood pressure spike, but seeing the banner also sparked envy. While it carried no material reward, it could be used for future accolades or promotions. He had received a few banners before, but Shen Qingli, who had only been here a few days, had already earned one.
Angry but wary of causing trouble, he muttered:
“Take it to whoever it’s for.”
With that, he fled back to his clinic, slamming the door shut.
Li Jianjia, seeing him retreat, turned to Shen Qingli with a laugh:
“Dr. Shen, why are you just standing there? Go accept it!”
Shen Qingli looked at the three brothers in surprise, then at the banner. She had only acted based on her memory from her previous life, believing the elderly man was a good person, and had helped him. She hadn’t expected a banner.
For the first time, she felt a bit self-conscious. She took the banner, her chest swelling with a strong sense of joy, unsure how to respond, and simply said:
“Thank you.”
Li Jianmin found her awkward little reaction quite endearing—it contrasted sharply with her usually reserved demeanor. He smiled:
“We should be thanking you! If not for you, my father would have suffered even more.”
Li Jianjia added:
“Our family may be poor, but we’re not afraid of trouble. We live on Chuangye Road—if you ever need anything, Dr. Shen, just tell us. We’ll take care of it.”
Li Jianguo raised his voice toward Liu Shicheng’s clinic:
“Yeah, make sure to give him a good beating!”
Shen Qingli couldn’t help but be moved by their enthusiasm. Having always lacked any real support, she felt a soft warmth toward them—but she worked in a hospital; getting into fights would only get her punished. She smiled faintly and politely declined:
“I appreciate your kindness, but there’s no need to intervene on my behalf.”
Li Jianmin understood and said:
“Anyway, just let us know if something happens. We won’t get in the way of your work.”
Shen Qingli lifted the corners of her lips and nodded. The three brothers then left, carrying their drums and banner.
Once they disappeared, Shen Qingli paused, hardly believing it was real. The weight and texture of the banner in her hands, coupled with the envious and begrudging looks of the surrounding staff, confirmed it.
She had often envied others for receiving banners, recognizing years of hard study and effort. For a doctor, a banner like this was the highest form of recognition.
At that moment, the department head, Liu Youjun, emerged from his office:
“Congratulations, Dr. Shen.”
Shen Qingli’s smile stiffened slightly. She understood the complexity of the hospital environment—receiving a banner after just a few days, with the patient originally handled by Liu Shicheng, could invite suspicion of favoritism. She said carefully:
“Director Liu, I just did my duty. The family is overly enthusiastic, that’s all.”
Liu Youjun laughed:
“That only proves that your skills are excellent. Keep up the good work.”
Having endured long-term isolation and bullying, Shen Qingli didn’t take anyone’s words at face value. She knew that leaders often feared subordinates who might overshadow them. But she wanted to show proper respect and said, slightly awkwardly:
“That’s thanks to your guidance, sir.”
Liu Youjun immediately understood her intent and laughed heartily:
“Ha! Young Shen knows how to be modest. Don’t worry—at my age, I’m preparing for retirement. I don’t concern myself with young newcomers threatening my position. Just focus on your work. Don’t be afraid; go prepare—this afternoon we’ll hold an awards ceremony for you.”