Morning 10.30 am.
PLA General Hospital, Western building.
A person in charge, arranged by Aunt Liu, led them upstairs. Dong Xuebing pushed Zhan Rourou’s wheelchair and chatted with her.
“Rourou, stop crying. It will be fine.”
“Director Dong, I…. can I walk again?”
“Director Liu had said your injures are not that serious.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it. Your priority now is to be in your best condition for the surgery.”
Zhan Guiping and his wife followed behind. They were worried for their daughter and were curious about Dong Xuebing.
Mrs. Zhan asked softly. “Who is Xiao Dong? Is he really from your Commission for Discipline Inspection?”
Zhan Guiping shook his head. “I am not sure. It’s my first time meeting him.”
Mrs. Zhan continued. “He is not an ordinary person. He knows Deputy Hospital Director, and she was very polite to him.”
“Maybe.” Zhan Guiping replied softly. “Maybe it was his family’s elder who knows her. I had not heard anyone talking about Xiao Dong’s background in Fen Zhou City, and I only heard he is capable. I also did not hear of any City Leaders being close to him. Hmmm…. He is from Beijing, and it’s not weird for him to have connections here.”
Mrs. Zhan sighed. “I was not targeting Xiao Dong earlier. Whenever I think of Rourou’s legs, I cannot help it. What should I do now?”
Zhan Guiping grumbled. “Who asked to be so hot-tempered?”
“I just could not control myself. I will apologize to Xiao Dong later.”
“It was not Xiao Dong’s fault. Rourou had chosen to be a nurse, and it was her responsibility to evacuate the patients. You should not have vented your anger on Xiao Dong. We should thank him for saving Rourou instead. How can we blame him for what happened? What would he think about us?”
Mrs. Zhan regretted it. “I’m sorry. I will talk to him later.”
A middle-aged man in a doctor’s gown walked toward them.
The person-in-charged quickly said. “Professor Ci, this is the patient.”
The middle-aged man was Professor Ci, and he looked like he had just finished performing surgery. They could still see the sweat on his forehead. He walked over and said. “Show me the x-rays first.”
Mrs. Zhan quickly gave him the x-rays and medical records. “Here.”
Zhan Guiping and Zhan Rourou looked at Professor Ci anxiously. They were afraid he might say there was nothing he could do.
Professor Ci looked at Rourou’s medical records and x-rays and concluded the same as Deputy Hospital Director Liu. “It’s not looking good, but there’s still hope of recovery. Get ready for the surgery.”
Dong Xuebing asked. “What are the chances of recovery?”
Professor Ci looked at Dong Xuebing. “Above 60%, but she must undergo some checks first.”
Zhan Guiping and his family were overjoyed. Most doctors were conservative, and 60% chances of recovery mean it should be no problem.
Professor Ci knew Director Liu recommended this family, and he should not be a Provincial Ministerial ranked leader. He should be her friend and did not show any disrespect. He wrote a note of the list of x-rays and checks and gave it to the person in charge. “Prepare all these checks on the list. But the surgery can only be conducted the day after tomorrow. My schedule is packed tomorrow.”
Dong Xuebing heard it and asked. “Professor Ci, can the surgery be brought forward?”
Liu Xuemei said the surgery could be performed tomorrow, and Zhan Rourou’s condition had been delayed for too long. The earlier she undergoes surgery, the earlier she can be healed.
Zhan Guiping and his wife looked at Professor Ci.
Professor Ci shook his head. “My schedule for today and tomorrow is packed. The earliest is the day after tomorrow at 7 pm.”
Dong Xuebing asked. “But….”
Although Zhan Guiping wanted Rourou to have the surgery earlier, this was good enough, and he could not ask for more. “The day after tomorrow is fine. Thank you.”
Dong Xuebing was slightly unhappy with this arrangement. Liu Xuemei did not know about Professor Ci’s schedule, and it would be too much if he called her again.
Suddenly, an old man with a walking stick walked over.
Professor Ci, Zhan Guiping, and the rest quickly stepped aside to make way for that old man.
This is the Western building, and all the patients here are VIPS. Zhan Guiping and his wife knew this old man in front of them. He appeared on TV several times last year and was a Colonel-General before he retired. The country only has a few Colonel-General.
Professor Ci smiled. “Senior Wu, how is your leg?”
Senior Wu laughed heartily. “I am feeling terrific after letting you cut me up. Hahaha….”
Professor Ci wanted to continue to ask about his condition when Senior Wu looked at Dong Xuebing and laughed. “Xiao Dong.”
Professor Ci was surprised.
Zhan Guiping, his wife, and Zhan Rourou were surprised too. Senior Wu knows Xiao Dong?!
Dong Xuebing met this old man during his wedding ceremony. Senior Wu was in the same cohort as Senior Xie in the past, and they chatted at the ceremony. But Xie Huilan had told him that Senior Xie and Senior Wu had different political views and were not close. It was hard for him to understand the politics at Senior Xie and Senior Wu’s levels. At least he saw no unhappiness in Senior Wu’s eyes now.
Dong Xuebing quickly went over to help him. “Senior Wu, why are you hospitalized?”
Senior Wu laughed. “I’m old, and my legs stopped working.”
Dong Xuebing replied politely. “Huilan and I would have visited you if we knew earlier.”
“Why are you here? You are young, and you don’t look sick.” Senior Wu asked.
Dong Xuebing replied. “I came here with Huilan. She’s pregnant, and we are here for a checkup.”
Senior Wu laughed loudly. “Congratulations! You acted fast! Hahaha….”
Dong Xuebing helped Senior Wu back to his ward.
Zhan Guiping wanted to ask Dong Xuebing after he returned.
But a Finance Ministry Deputy Minister walked past them. This person was not a retired Leader. He is the current Deputy Minister.
Zhan Guiping and the rest knew this person as they often saw him on TV.
That Deputy Minister stopped and looked at Dong Xuebing. “Eh, Xiao Dong?”
Dong Xuebing quickly extended both hands for a handshake. “Ah, Uncle Zhang. You….” He had met Minister Zhang during his wedding ceremony. Xie Guoliang introduced him. Xie Huilan’s eldest Uncle, Xie Guoliang, is the current Finance Minister Executive Deputy Minister and is higher ranked than Minister Zhang.
Minister Zhang laughed. “Diabetes. I came here to recuperate for a few days. Why are you here? Are you also hospitalized?”
Dong Xuebing replied. “It’s not me. Huilan is pregnant, and we are here for a checkup. She is at the clinic doing the ultrasound.”
“Huilan is pregnant?!” Deputy Minister Zhang looked happy. “That’s great. Haha…. Your Uncle did not mention anything about her pregnancy.”
“She just got pregnant, and we still have not told our family yet.”
“Alright. I will see you again during your child’s first-month celebration.”
A middle-aged woman walked over. “Minister Zhang, are you taking a walk?”
Deputy Minister Zhang looked over and laughed. “I had been in bed the whole day and just got up for a walk. Secretary Chen, are you feeling better?”
That woman smiled. “I feel much better. Oh, Xiao Dong. You are here too.”
Dong Xuebing quickly greeted her. “Aunt Chen.”
This woman was also a high-ranking government Leader, and Dong Xuebing forgot which department she was in.
Deputy Minister Zhang said excitedly. “Xiao Dong just told me that Huilan is pregnant.”
Secretary Chen was surprised. “Is it a boy or girl?”
Secretary Chen’s first question was about the gender of Xie Huilan’s child. This showed how important the child was to them.
Dong Xuebing replied. “She is only around one month pregnant, and we still cannot tell the gender. But Huilan says it’s a boy.”
Secretary Chen laughed. “That’s great. We can be in-laws. My youngest granddaughter is one and a half years old. We can set up an arranged marriage.”
Dong Xuebing was speechless and did not know how to reply. “Err….”
Deputy Minister Zhang was amused. “Old Chen, I am speechless. Arranged marriage in this modern age?”
Secretary Chen retorted. “What’s wrong with that? I will speak to Madam Han. My granddaughter is beautiful.”
Huilan was only one month pregnant, and Secretary Chen had asked for marriage. Maybe that’s the difference between political families and ordinary families. Dong Xuebing will not allow his children to be involved in a political marriage. They have their paths, and he will not interfere.
Luckily, Secretary Chen was joking, and they left after a while.
When Dong Xuebing and them were chatting, Zhan Guiping, Professor Ci, and the rest did not dare to interrupt. They were too low-ranked to join in the conversation.
Mrs. Zhan was surprised and asked after Dong Xuebing finished talking to them. “Xiao Dong, you….”
Zhan Guiping pulled his wife and stopped her from asking, as some things cannot ask.
Zhan Rourou did not recognize those people and said curiously. “Director Dong, you know many people. You even have friends in the hospital.”
Mrs. Zhan was sweating. This was not as simple as meeting ‘friends’ in the hospital.
Those people were all Provincial Ministerial level and above.
Where did this Xiao Dong come from?
Why didn’t he use his connections in Fen Zhou City?
