Chapter 19 : Sudden Decisions (2)

Chi Yuqin arrived at the hospital before dawn.
She had been called in for an emergency surgery and had just finished.

As soon as she came out, she was called to a meeting.

When she reached the meeting room door, before she even went in, she heard Liu Renzong’s voice through the door—

“What did I say back then? I said we shouldn’t admit him. He’s eighty-three years old. Is this a joke? All of you are experts in our cardiology center. Do I even need to talk about the risk rate? After eighty is a forbidden zone for heart surgery. You dare to do it, but can the patient withstand it? Can the family withstand it? Don’t we need to consider all this? Those who know, know that we’re trying to save a life. Those who don’t will think someone is trying to show off. The former is fine, but if the latter gets out, how bad will it sound? I don’t need to spell it out for you.”

When Chi Yuqin came in, Liu Renzong had just finished speaking.

He looked at Chi Yuqin, his gaze disdainful. “Just in time, Deputy Director Chi is here.”

The meeting was like a criticism session aimed at Chi Yuqin.
The prestige Liu Renzong had lost before was all regained today.

Chi Yuqin didn’t say a word throughout the entire meeting, until it ended.

Wang Qiugin understood Chi Yuqin.
She wasn’t the type of person who would decide on a surgery just to have a special case.
Whether it was for the patient or for herself, she was the most responsible person there could be.

“Don’t take Liu Renzong’s words to heart.”

“I won’t.”

“It’s time to get off work. Go get something to eat. It would be best if you can take a nap.”

“Mm.”

She agreed verbally, but Chi Yuqin didn’t go anywhere.
She left the small meeting room and went back to her office.

She leaned back in her chair, her eyes closed.
Footsteps passed by outside one after another.
Occasionally, she could hear someone making some indifferent remarks, some of which were about her—’In the end, Dr. Chi is still too young.’

Chi Yuqin still didn’t care.
What others said was their business.
She couldn’t control their mouths anyway.
Besides… if she took such words to heart, would there ever be an end to it?

She rolled her sore neck and continued to sleep.

The door wasn’t completely closed, just a small crack open.

A small head peered through the crack.
It was hard to tell if it was the wind or if the door itself was just wobbly, but with a creak, the small crack… swung half open.

Tang Zhen quickly reached out to stop it, but just as her hand gripped the doorknob, before she could close it… she was caught by the person resting in the chair inside.

Chi Yuqin hadn’t been asleep, just resting with her eyes closed.
Her hearing was incredibly sharp.
As soon as she heard a sound, she opened her eyes and saw Tang Zhen’s flustered face, and her hand on the doorknob.

“Looking for me?”

It was no wonder Chi Yuqin would ask this.
Mainly because of Tang Zhen’s current posture, one hand on the doorknob, half her body leaning into the door.
If you said she wasn’t the one who pushed the door open, who would believe it?

Rather than being awkward, it was better to be open.

She had been seen.
An explanation would only make it weirder.
Tang Zhen was afraid that Chi Yuqin would think she had come specifically to ‘peek’ at her again.

Staring at someone in person wasn’t enough, she had to come to the office to stare too.

Tang Zhen felt that her image in Chi Yuqin’s mind was already ‘bad’ enough.
She didn’t want to deepen it on top of that.

She immediately straightened her shoulders—

“I’m here to deliver the case histories.”

Chi Yuqin leaned back in her chair, showing no intention of getting up.
She hadn’t rested well… her voice was a little nasal—

“Mm, anything else?”

Tang Zhen thought for a moment. “No.”

“Then close the door for me on your way out.”

After Chi Yuqin finished speaking, she closed her eyes again.

Tang Zhen had wanted to leave, but her legs felt a little stuck.
She saw Chi Yuqin’s pale face, her lips paler than usual, and the dark circles under her eyes were a bit heavy.
She thought of that day in the hospital corridor, when the old lady knelt down to her, begging her to save her husband.
This person was just like that then, her expression unable to hide her fatigue and exhaustion…

For no reason, her heart ached.

With a click, the door closed.

Chi Yuqin thought Tang Zhen had left, but when she opened her eyes, that person was standing right in front of her.

‘Is this person a cat? She walks without a sound?’

“Do you have something else?”

“Are you… are you not feeling well?”

Tang Zhen was very sincere, especially her eyes, which were crystal clear when she looked at people.

Chi Yuqin saw her own face in this person’s eyes.
The words she had been about to say to shoo her away… were already on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed them back down.

“Headache.”

“A migraine?”

“Mm.”

Chi Yuqin was telling the truth.
She had always had this problem.
She didn’t remember exactly when it started, but by the time she noticed it, it had already taken root.

“Have you taken any medication?”

“I have.”

“It’s not good to always take medication.”

Chi Yuqin found this girl strange.
She wasn’t the same person who was scared to death of her before.
Now she was actually coming to tell a doctor that taking medication wasn’t good?

Tang Zhen automatically ignored the impatience in Chi Yuqin’s eyes and said—

“My dad also has migraines.”

“So?”

“If you trust me, I can give you a massage. I often do it for my dad at home.”

Of course, Chi Yuqin trusted her.
How could she not trust her?
This person was like a rabbit, tiptoeing around like a cat when she walked.
What was there not to trust—

“Then go ahead.”

Tang Zhen felt she had eaten a leopard’s gall to dare to make such a request.
But… Chi Yuqin hadn’t refused, had she?

She walked around behind the chair, her fingers resting on Chi Yuqin’s temples, and began to massage gently.

It was hard to say if it was because Tang Zhen’s massage was too comfortable, or if Chi Yuqin was too tired, but she actually fell asleep.

Tang Zhen took her hands away from her temples.
She accidentally touched Chi Yuqin’s ear, and her heart skipped a beat, pounding wildly.

She was terrified of waking Chi Yuqin up, but luckily, this person was sleeping soundly.

Tang Zhen looked down.
A pleasant scent wafted up to her nose, making her thoughts wander again.

She looked at Chi Yuqin’s face, wanting to look… but not daring to look too much.
Not daring to look too much… but unable to resist looking.

This face was too attractive to Tang Zhen.

She didn’t like to smile, would rebut people as soon as she opened her mouth, and loved to use rhetorical questions.
But she also taught you things in a real and practical way.
Such a person… how could you possibly hate her?

She didn’t dare to stay any longer, afraid she would start overthinking things again.
She quickly pulled a nearby coat and covered Chi Yuqin with it, then fled the scene, both cautiously and with great urgency.

Tang Zhen heard her own heart pounding wildly.

She didn’t understand what was happening.

It was as if she had suddenly been invaded by something.
But she clearly felt that it wasn’t fear.
It was an indescribable palpitation, more intense than eight years ago.

Tang Zhen, who had never been in a relationship, had no experience with matters of the heart.

Like a blank sheet of paper, it was suddenly colored.

The sun outside shone on the girl’s face, a golden light shining, as if a heart… had been opened.

…

When Chi Yuqin woke up, Tang Zhen was long gone.
Only the coat was covering her.

‘This is ridiculous, how did I fall asleep?’

She shook her head again.
Her headache was actually gone.

Although the family of the old man in bed six had backed out of the surgery, he still couldn’t leave the hospital.
He had just experienced heart failure last night, and this morning, his angina started acting up again.

This kind of pain, even a young person with a strong constitution might not be able to bear, let alone a frail old man.

When Tang Zhen went over, his daughter ran out of the ward, squatted in a corner, and desperately covered her mouth with her hands, but she still couldn’t suppress her sobs.

“Are you okay?”

Tang Zhen’s voice was very light.
Her face was still young.
Compared to the people in the hospital who were used to life and death, some words coming from her mouth were easier for others to accept.

“I’m fine.”

Tang Zhen had brought tissues and took them out to hand to her.

“Thank you.”

“It’s okay. Crying will make you feel better.”

The woman shook her head, but Tang Zhen’s words still broke her defenses.

After a good cry, the woman’s emotions were relieved, though it was limited.
But it was clearly much better than when she had rushed out of the ward just now.

Through the glass of the ward, the old man was lying on the hospital bed.
The old woman was holding his hand, staying with him.

“My parents have a very good relationship. Ever since my dad got this illness, my mom has never left his sight.”

“I can tell. The two of them are very much in love.”

“With my father’s condition, we went to many hospitals, but none of them would take him. We only came to Renhua because we had no other choice. I know Dr. Chi is a good person because she was the only one willing to take him. But we have our own difficulties. They said that with my father’s condition, he might not even make it off the operating table. I don’t want to see him suffer like that, but… compared to him suffering like this, I’m more afraid of losing my dad.”

“I understand.”

“You don’t understand… you wouldn’t understand…”

The woman shook her head, her tears flowing endlessly.

“My maternal grandfather also passed away from an illness.”

“Was it a heart condition too?”

“No, he had lung cancer. By the time it was discovered, it was already in the late stages. The whole family kept it from him. No one dared to tell him. He thought it was just a common illness, at most a little difficult to treat, and that as long as he went to a big hospital, it would be fine.”

“And then?”

“There was no ‘and then.’ Late-stage lung cancer progresses very quickly, not even a week from start to finish.”

Tang Zhen took a deep breath and looked at the woman—

“Perhaps what I’m about to say won’t be pleasant to hear, but I still want to tell you. You’re afraid that the old man’s body can’t handle the trauma of surgery, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be fine without it. Do you know what the coming days will be like?”

“What will they be like?”

“Even more frequent attacks than now—angina, headaches, heart failure… whether he can survive each time will depend on emergency treatment.”

Tang Zhen was also a little choked up.
When a loved one is tormented by illness, it’s difficult not only for the patient but also for the family.
Tang Zhen still remembered the last few days of her maternal grandfather’s life.
He was covered in tubes, his consciousness was low, his gaze was unfocused.
He wanted to speak… but he couldn’t anymore.
He couldn’t even breathe on his own.

“I’m very envious of your father. Compared to my maternal grandfather, at least he still has a choice. My maternal grandfather didn’t even have a choice.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the old woman came out of the ward.
The woman quickly wiped the tears from her face—

“Mom—”

“Your father has something to say. He wants you to go over.”

In the ward, the old man had difficulty speaking, but at this moment, he raised his hand, his arm held high.

“None of you try to persuade me! I’ve made up my mind—I want to have this surgery!”

“Dad!”

“I really can’t take it anymore. It’s draining you and torturing me. I don’t want to suffer this for another day!”

The old man was gasping for breath, his words intermittent but firm—

“I’ve lived for eighty-three years. I’ve seen enough. If Death wants to take me, I’ll accept it. But what if it’s a success? Whether it’s one day or one year, it’s a gain for me!”