Chapter 22: Seeing Off Old Mrs. Song (Two Chapters Combined)

Song Jianshe had almost forgotten about the bicycle. It was true that Lu Meiqin had brazenly snatched the bicycle voucher, but she hadn’t had enough money, so he had chipped in twenty yuan himself.

Thinking of how Lu Meiqin had used the factory director to pressure him into giving up so many things, and wishing for the old lady to return home with peace of mind, he shouted, "Wen Ran, come here!"

Wen Ran knew they were eyeing the bicycle again, but she wasn't afraid of them. Knowing Song Jianshe couldn't stir up much trouble at the entrance of the family compound, she rode the bicycle over.

"What is it?"

Song Jianshe ordered, "Give me the bicycle!"

"This bicycle was bought by my mother!" Wen Ran sat on the saddle, one foot on the pedal and the other on the ground.

Song Jianshe’s face darkened. "I put money into it too!"

Wen Ran retorted, "How much did you contribute?"

Song Jianshe said righteously, "I put in twenty!"

Old Mrs. Song also chimed in confidently, "Give the bicycle back to my son. It belongs to my son; you are not allowed to ride it!"

Wen Ran laughed in anger. "You have the nerve to bring up twenty yuan? Do you know how much a bicycle costs, or how hard it is to get a voucher? This bike has been ridden for years; considering how often you’ve ridden it and how many times you’ve crashed it, that twenty yuan was used up long ago!"

Passersby cast strange looks their way, and Song Jianshe felt them like blades stabbing into his face.

"Song Wen Ran, even if we are divorced, I am still your father! Just tell me, are you going to give me the bike or not!"

"No. If you have the ability, go and complain to the factory director!" Wen Ran rode off on the bicycle!

Song Jianshe knew the factory director wouldn't favor him, so his initial bravado vanished instantly. Old Mrs. Song tried to chase after Wen Ran but couldn't keep up and fell to the ground.

When Song Jianshe went to help her up, she slapped him hard across the face. "You useless thing! She bought this, she bought that—what about the things you bought? Where has your money gone all these years?"

Song Jianshe was filled with grievances. "Half of my money was sent back to our hometown, and half went to my younger brother. I also have to support Wenxin. Money doesn't just grow on trees!"

"Don't give me that nonsense. I never had to suffer such indignities back in the village, but here in the city, I'm boiling with rage!" Because of Song Jianshe’s monthly remittances, Old Mrs. Song had lived more comfortably than others in the village over the years, and she had plenty of confidence. Her third son's family had always tried to coax her and never dared to anger her.

In the past, she had manipulated Lu Meiqin and her daughter however she pleased, and she had never thought her son was this spineless!

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She added, "You are my son, the eldest of the family. If you don't give me money for my old age and don't take care of your brothers, are you even human? You’re the one feeling aggrieved? What is there to be aggrieved about!"

Song Jianshe realized that arguing further would get him nowhere. Estimating that it was getting late, he urged, "Let's not talk about this anymore. Let's go to the station first, or we'll miss the train!"

"So eager to get rid of me, you unfilial son!" Old Mrs. Song ranted and raved, finding fault with everything he did.

Seeing that Wen Ran had already ridden far away, she felt dizzy with frustration. She sat heavily on the ground and began to curse Song Jianshe, completely disregarding his dignity.

Song Jianshe couldn't handle her and pulled at her forcefully. "Mom, please, have some mercy on me! If you keep causing a scene like this, how will I be able to stay in the factory? If I can't keep my job, do you think your life will be any better?"

What Old Mrs. Song cared about most was her own comfort. She brushed the dirt off her backside and said, "Then go find me a bicycle. I'm not leaving without one!"

Song Jianshe: "..."

Left with no choice, Song Jianshe had to brace himself and go borrow a bicycle. He had never had to borrow money or items himself before. He hadn't expected that on the very first day after his divorce, he would already be dealing with the word "borrow."

His pride had been trampled into the dirt and ground underfoot. After seeing his mother off, he felt mentally drained. He took a half-day leave and locked himself at home, searching for his missing stash of private money.

Lu Meiqin had taken everything she could carry, but he was certain he hadn't touched the place where he hid his savings. He searched for a long time but found nothing. Thinking of how Wenxin was still waiting for money in the countryside, he began to worry and downed the rest of the bottle of liquor in one gulp.

By this time, Wen Ran had fully immersed herself in her work, striving to learn and integrate into her new environment. A hospital is a place that never lacks patients, especially the East City Hospital, the largest in the area. Medical science was not yet highly advanced, so there were only a few common medications, and the special drugs were easy to memorize. Once she found the pattern, her work became twice as effective with half the effort.

Under her guidance, Ruan Ling also made rapid progress. In truth, as the female lead, Ruan Ling had the benefit of a "protagonist halo." Luck was one factor, but her intelligence was the main one. Unless she didn't want to learn, she could easily surpass others once she applied herself. Of course, she was also driven by the conviction of becoming a permanent staff member sooner so she could work directly with patients, which would give her a chance to be closer to He Jinyan.

Jin Baoli was not so lucky. Unlike Ruan Ling, she didn't have memories of a past life or a protagonist halo; all she had was her pampered nature. Every day, she was overwhelmed by the task of memorizing medications, never finding the right method.

After nearly twenty days of adjustment, Head Nurse Liu decided to hold an assessment in ten days' time. Passing the exam would lead to the next stage of arrangements.

Jin Baoli felt the time was too tight. "Head Nurse, is the exam really in just one month?"

Head Nurse Liu looked at her sharply. "Is one month not enough? Letting the three of you in without any formal training was already an exception made by the hospital. If you want to stay, study more and talk less. The hospital doesn't keep idlers! The exam covers what you've been taught during this period. Pass, and you move to the next stage; fail, and you’ll be cleaning the toilets for a month! I don't care how you got here—if you can't learn the basics, leave early. Don't ruin things for yourself and others!"

Jin Baoli’s mind went blank. She hadn't remembered much of what was taught lately and was falling behind. She said weakly, "Maybe I should just go clean the toilets instead!"

Head Nurse Liu, despite her sharp tongue and soft heart, was both annoyed and amused by her attitude. "There are still ten days left. Learn from Wen Ran and Ruan Ling; stop trying to do everything on your own!"

Jin Baoli: "..."

Jin Baoli opened her mouth but couldn't find the words. To be honest, she didn't like Wen Ran and Ruan Ling. They were too close. When it came to learning ability, she had to admit she wasn't as capable as Wen Ran. Asking them for help was something she couldn't bring herself to do.

Ruan Ling couldn't be bothered with her, and Wen Ran wasn't going to go out of her way to be helpful. However, seeing her hovering around them, wanting to speak but hesitating, they found it amusing.

During lunch, just as they were enjoying their meal, she approached them and placed the braised pork she had just bought in front of them. "I bought too much and can't finish it!"

Ruan Ling, a spoiled princess, rolled her eyes. "If you can't finish it, throw it away. Do you think we're beggars?"

"You..." Jin Baoli was so angry she picked up her lunch box and walked away.

Ruan Ling scoffed, "She’s got quite a temper. Wants help but can't swallow her pride!"

"She's just not desperate enough yet. If she were, she'd swallow it," Wen Ran analyzed objectively. "If cleaning toilets meant getting kicked out, she’d be panicked to death right now!"

This was only the first exam, and they were still a long way from being permanent staff or working with patients. Eventually, she would have to lower her pride. Between her job and her ego, she would eventually have to sacrifice one.

Ruan Ling agreed with Wen Ran and shared the meat from her bowl with her. She was someone who couldn't enjoy a meal without meat and bought meat dishes two or three times a week. Her three brothers and her parents doted on her, so she always had plenty of meat. As Wen Ran was her best friend, she would never leave her out.

The two were chatting while eating when suddenly someone shouted, "Dr. He, an emergency patient is here!"

He Jinyan, who had been eating, stood up abruptly and rushed over. In the days she had been at the hospital, Ruan Ling had hovered around Dr. He quite a bit, trying to awaken the few remaining impressions he might have had of her. She pulled Wen Ran along: "Quick, let's go see too."

Wen Ran: "..."

Wen Ran hadn't even finished her last bite before she was dragged away by Ruan Ling.

The patient was a child, clutching his throat, breathing with great difficulty, his voice hoarse and accompanied by a barking cough. He was crying in agony. The adults didn't know what was happening and were crying in fear. Regardless of the severity, the scene was alarming.

As soon as He Jinyan arrived, a nurse reported the child's condition. After getting the gist and performing a preliminary examination, he concluded: "Acute laryngitis with edema."

Wen Ran was shocked. Generally, acute laryngitis with edema could lead to death by suffocation within four to five hours, and it was often misdiagnosed. The fact that He Jinyan reached a conclusion so quickly showed he had extensive experience.

...

Next, she watched him administer antibiotics, inject glucocorticoids intravenously, and start oxygen therapy, all before explaining the condition to the family. His entire procedure was fluid and calm, showing the demeanor of a true leader.

This only made Ruan Ling, who was already smitten, admire him even more. Listening to the praise around them, she said excitedly, "See? Dr. He is amazing."

"Yes, Dr. He is amazing, and you are too." Wen Ran pulled her hand away, blew on her palm, and said, "Look, you’ve squeezed my hand red."

Ruan Ling, who hadn't noticed, held her hand apologetically. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I was just too nervous!"

"Let's go out first," Wen Ran said as she walked out, with Ruan Ling following.

Just as the two left, Shen Nanzheng appeared at the hospital. The woman saw him and immediately wiped her tears, stepping forward. "Nanzheng, this doctor said Xiaozhi has acute laryngitis with edema. He just gave him an injection and started an IV. I was so panicked that I went to the military district to find you first. I didn't cause you any trouble, did I?"

"In the future, if you encounter something like this, come to the hospital first, or find other comrades." Shen Nanzheng was displeased that she addressed him by his given name again. He had corrected her many times, but it was no use. He maintained the necessary distance and respect for the widow of a comrade. It was only because he happened to be at the hospital for business that he came in person; otherwise, he would have just sent an orderly.

Without waiting for her to speak, he went straight to check on the child. The woman stood stunned for a moment before following him.

When Shen Nanzheng got closer, he realized the attending physician was He Jinyan. He Jinyan had lost his mother at a young age, and Shen Nanzheng's mother had become He Jinyan's stepmother. This complex relationship was a knot they had never been able to untie.

If he hadn't been reborn, he might still have disliked He Jinyan at this age, but he had lived for decades in his previous life. He Jinyan was a good doctor and a man of integrity. Taking the opportunity, he was the first to speak: "Is the child's condition serious?"

Hearing that Shen Nanzheng’s tone wasn't as icy as before, He Jinyan replied, "It's alright, it won't be life-threatening."

Shen Nanzheng nodded. "How long does he need to stay?"

He Jinyan replied, "At least seven days."

Shen Nanzheng: "..."

He didn't ask further, as there wasn't much left to say. He had even less to say to Wu Xiumin, so he went to attend to his business.

As soon as he finished, he was called over by Dean He, who had seen him from afar. Dean He, He Changshan, was his stepfather. After a simple greeting, he asked, "Nanzheng, how is your injury recovering?"

Shen Nanzheng stood straight, his expression serious. "It's no longer an issue."

He Changshan nodded. "I heard from your mother that you were getting married, but then there was no news. Your mother prepared quite a few things and was worried because she couldn't reach you, thinking you didn't want what she had prepared."

"I just returned from a mission and haven't gone to propose yet." Shen Nanzheng was concise, explaining why he couldn't be reached and addressing the marriage. When he had mentioned getting married, it was just to prepare in advance; he didn't want to wrong his wife, and it served to discourage them from trying to introduce him to other people.

He Changshan understood and let out a long sigh of relief. "Do you need any help?"

"Not for now." Shen Nanzheng was more anxious than they were. He hadn't even seen his wife yet! And even if he had, she didn't know him, so he had to hurry and get to know her first.

He Changshan, however, took the "not for now" as a polite excuse and thought he didn't want his help, feeling a bit disappointed. He couldn't force himself to help, but he couldn't stop being concerned. He added, "Don't be a stranger. Since I married your mother, I've always treated you like my own son, just like Jinyan. Both of you are role models for your younger siblings, and they miss you very much."

Shen Nanzheng had forgotten how long it had been since he visited his mother's home. Not wanting her to overthink things, he pondered for a moment and said, "I'll find time to go back in the next two days."

"Good, good, good. The house is always open for you." A smile appeared on He Changshan's face.

Just then, someone shouted, "Wen Ran—"

He Changshan didn't react, but Shen Nanzheng looked over instinctively.