Shen Qingli’s long lashes trembled lightly, her heart pounding wildly.
Hold a commendation ceremony for her?
She wondered if she’d heard wrong. Why would Director Liu Youjun go as far as arranging a ceremony for a newcomer who’d only been here a few days, all because she received a banner of gratitude?
Seeing her stunned expression, Liu Youjun chuckled, took the banner from her, and said,
“Dr. Shen, I’ll keep this safe for you. We’ll formally present it to you at the commendation ceremony later. Go get some rest for now.”
Realizing she hadn’t misheard, Shen Qingli’s breath stalled. She forced down her racing heartbeat and immediately curved her lips into a grateful smile.
“Thank you, Director Liu.”
The wrinkles on Liu Youjun’s face deepened with an even kinder smile. Without lingering, he carried the banner back to his office.
Even after his figure disappeared completely, Shen Qingli still couldn’t calm her heartbeat.
She increasingly felt that her life was going surprisingly well. It was true what they said — if you’re trapped in love, you might never get what you want from someone else. But if you put that effort into your work instead, life becomes astonishingly good.
She couldn’t help but feel a hint of excitement about the upcoming ceremony. Even when she returned to her consultation room, her mood was nervous yet elated.
The voices from their earlier conversation hadn’t been heard by the staff on the second floor. Though many envied or begrudged Shen Qingli for receiving the banner, they only gossiped briefly before moving on.
But soon, a notification sounded from the loudspeaker:
“All medical staff from the surgical department, please proceed to the conference room.”
In an instant, the entire second floor erupted in chatter.
“No way, no way, don’t tell me it’s what I think it is.”
“What else could it be? Everything was normal, then just a moment ago, Director Liu left with Dr. Shen’s banner like it was some huge achievement, and now there’s suddenly a meeting? It’s definitely related.”
“A commendation ceremony already? She’s only been here a few days. Even if she did get a banner, that was just luck — running into a grateful patient — and now they’re making such a big deal?”
“You don’t get it. Dr. Shen has the dean backing her. It only looks like they’re praising her, but really, it’s for the dean to see — a show of how much they value the person he brought in. Every move in this hospital is about politics and relationships.”
With those words, the chatter abruptly died down. Faces shifted as people nodded, someone adding:
“Sounds about right.”
“Where there are people, relationships rule.”
Shen Qingli didn’t hear any of this. But hearing the announcement, she headed to the conference room with cheerful anticipation.
Still, when she reached the door, nervousness crept in again. She feared hearing unfriendly voices — though she knew she couldn’t avoid it.
Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open. As the doors slowly parted, she saw rows of medical staff all turning to stare at her.
Shen Qingli had never been valued growing up, always overlooked by both sides of her family.
She had always been the girl sitting in the corner, watching others with envy. Being met with so many gazes all at once left her unexpectedly unsettled.
She pressed her lips together.
Liu Youjun, however, greeted her with a warm smile.
“Dr. Shen, don’t be nervous. Come on over.”
She forced a smile, trying her best to ignore the stares, and walked to his side.
“Thank you.”
Liu Youjun nodded, growing more appreciative of her. In this hospital, anyone with the slightest connections strutted around with their noses in the air — but she was almost too modest.
He didn’t chat further. Instead, he addressed the room.
“Dr. Shen has performed exceptionally. In conduct and in character, she exemplifies the spirit of benevolence and virtue that our profession demands. The patient’s family has spoken very highly of her. Let’s give Dr. Shen a round of applause. Please, say a few words for us.”
Some applauded sincerely. Others clapped lazily, barely bothering. Still, the room rang with applause.
Shen Qingli had never received this kind of recognition before. Looking out at the applauding crowd — mostly strangers, many eyes filled with malice — in this moment, she finally understood what she wanted.
She wanted to rise so high that one day, they would respect her from the bottom of their hearts.
Standing beside Liu Youjun to receive applause, Liu Shicheng didn’t so much as glance at them. Even so, he maintained a neutral expression — he knew better than to show discontent publicly.
Wang Yuncheng, however, couldn’t hide his displeasure. He didn’t even clap. He had been the assisting surgeon, the second pair of hands in that operation, yet his name wasn’t mentioned, and he wasn’t acknowledged on the banner. Who wouldn’t feel bitter?
And what could she possibly say? This was supposed to be a chance to express political awareness, to show preparedness for future leadership roles. She barely spoke in morning meetings — what could she offer now?
Surely, she’d just waste everyone’s time.
But then, Shen Qingli accepted the banner, having already composed herself. She spoke calmly and clearly:
“I’m deeply honored to stand here today. This banner is weighty, but I don’t believe it belongs to me alone. It belongs to our entire surgical team — to the Party organization that nurtures and trusts me — and even more so, to our great socialist motherland and to our great leader, Chairman Mao! As a surgeon, my scalpel is not just a tool for treating illness and saving lives — it is a weapon with which I uphold the highest principle of ‘Serving the People.’ Any small achievement I’ve made is thanks first to the Party’s correct leadership, and to the guiding light of Chairman Mao’s revolutionary healthcare policies. The Party has taught me to ‘heal the sick and save the dying, and to practice revolutionary humanitarianism.’ From now on, I will hold ‘selflessness and service to others’ as the core principle guiding my actions.”