Several caregivers saw Mu Xing and quickly came to clear a path for her. Mu Xing struggled to walk inside, asking, "Why are there so many people?"
A caregiver said, "Miss, didn't you know? At the end of last month, there was a huge flood in the south, sweeping through Jiangsu and Hunan! The master and our master organized a 'relief committee' and brought over some disaster victims from nearby areas..."
Mu Xing had naturally heard about the floods in Hankou in early August, but at that time she and Bai Yan had just returned to Wenjiang and their attention was focused on funds, so they hadn't paid much attention. Today, the situation seems so dire.
Barely managing to regain his focus, Mu Xing finally broke through the crowd and made his way to the examination room where Xiao Azhen was.
Jinbao, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, was waiting in the examination room, her eyes red and swollen from crying. When she saw Mu Xing, she could only manage a sob as she greeted him, her voice hoarse.
After offering her a few words of comfort, Mu Xing opened his notebook and, in a question-and-answer session with Jin Bao, compared Xiao Azhen's recent situation.
After getting a general understanding, Mu Xing went into the examination room. When Dr. Ding saw her, he quickly waved her over.
Mu Xing walked over and first looked at Xiao Azhen lying on the hospital bed.
Little Zhen's eyes were half-closed, unsure whether she was dreaming or awake. Her face was deathly pale, and she was almost unrecognizable from being so thin. The sheets beneath her were stained with blood and reeked of a foul stench. Several nurses were changing the sheets for her.
After just one glance, Mu Xing couldn't bear to look any longer and followed Dr. Ding into the cubicle.
Without further ado, Dr. Ding got straight to the point: "This child has taken hemostatic medication, and the intestinal bleeding has been barely controlled. I just took an X-ray, and so far I can only see a fistula in the colon, but the cause of the massive bleeding is still unclear..."
While listening to Dr. Ding's explanation, Mu Xing flipped through the notebook.
Persistent abdominal pain, abdominal mass, heavy rectal bleeding…
Mu Xing's brows furrowed more and more tightly.
Her concern for Xiao Azhen's condition was not solely due to Bai Yan.
While in the United States, she learned about a research project her mentor was working on, which involved the gut. Xiao Azhen's various symptoms all pointed to this undiagnosed intestinal disease.
Because of different research interests, she knew very little about this topic. Aside from some superficial symptoms, the only thing she knew was that there were no cured cases of this disease in the United States, and that the mortality rate increased significantly once massive bleeding occurred.
This is a blind spot in modern medicine, and Xiao Zhen was the first patient she encountered.
But as a doctor, she felt so powerless.
Mu Xing briefly explained what she knew to Dr. Ding.
Dr. Ding sighed, "In my years of medical practice, I've actually encountered quite a few cases like hers." He lowered his voice, "The results aren't very optimistic."
"I just discussed this with Dr. Zhao. For now, we're afraid the only option is to try removing the fistulas in her colon and see if the situation improves. But firstly, the girl's physical condition is too poor to be operated on immediately; secondly, this surgery is not easy, and I'm afraid only Dr. Li from the Municipal Hospital can do it. But her bleeding is too severe, and even if Dr. Li is willing to perform the surgery, the Municipal Hospital may not dare to accept her."
Mu Xing hurriedly said, "Admission is not a problem. Since you think it's feasible, I'll transfer her there first and see if we can arrange surgery." After thinking for a moment, she added, "The clinic is busy these days. Once I've settled Xiao Azhen in, I'll go back to the clinic to help."
Dr. Ding looked at Mu Xing, seemingly wanting to say something. After a moment of contemplation, he simply said, "Speaking of which, I have spoken with your father before. As elders and seniors, your father and I both really hope that you can continue to make progress in the medical field. I was quite saddened for a while when you stopped coming to the clinic. Now that you are willing to come back and help, it is naturally the best thing."
Before Mu Xing could speak, Dr. Ding smiled again: "Let me say a few more words, Mu, don't find it annoying. I was young once too, so I know that venturing out into the world is more attractive to young people than staying in the lab. But at our age, we inevitably have to look further ahead. In the current situation, Nanjing doesn't need another businesswoman to pay taxes for them; but this society really needs a female doctor to provide her compatriots with a safer and more complete surgical environment, and it lacks a capable and good doctor to fill more medical gaps."
"To put it more pragmatically, with your father's legacy, how much of the fame and fortune you've gained as a medicine seller isn't due to your parents' influence? But in medicine, what you've achieved is entirely due to your own abilities. Little Mu, in this life, how much of the fame, fortune, and worldly possessions can one truly enjoy? Amidst the vicissitudes of life, how much can one truly retain? Only scholarship doesn't lie, and it doesn't cloud people's minds."
"You now have such a good opportunity and conditions, which is something that millions of people dare not even dream of. You are such a smart child, and as your senior, I really hope that you can make good use of it. In short, you should think carefully about what path you should take next." After saying that, Dr. Ding patted Mu Xing on the shoulder and walked out of the examination room.
Mu Xing was still a little confused after hearing those words. She turned her head and only saw Dr. Ding's back.
Dr. Ding was no longer young; he was slightly hunched over, and the patients crowding around him almost drowned him out. The white coat draped over him seemed to weigh him down, making it impossible for him to lift his head. But looking at the anxious patients waiting outside the door, it was clear that what was pressing down on his shoulders was more than just the white coat.
In the blink of an eye, Dr. Ding had disappeared through the door. Regaining her composure, Mu Xing also stepped out of the examination room. Bai Yan was talking to Jin Bao when she saw her come out and quickly asked, "How did it go?"
Mu Xing told Jin Bao about the results of his discussion with Dr. Ding, and then said carefully, "Dr. Li is not difficult to persuade. The most important thing now is that Xiao Azhen's body is probably not suitable for surgery. We can only transfer her to another hospital for examination first, and then discuss it further."
Jinbao nodded silently in agreement, then after thinking for a moment, he finally asked, "If the surgery can't be done, what will happen to Ah Zhen?"
Bai Yan said from the side, "No tests have been done yet, so everything is still uncertain. Don't worry, getting Xiao Azhen transferred to another hospital is the priority right now."
Jinbao felt a little relieved and went inside to pack Xiao Azhen's things in preparation for transferring her to another hospital. Mu Xing called two more caregivers to help her, and then pulled Bai Yan aside.
Finding a secluded corner, Mu Xing said, "Given Xiao Zhen's condition, whether she can have surgery is still uncertain. The hospital fees alone are a considerable sum, and Jinbao might not be able to afford them. You..." She looked at Bai Yan.
Bai Yan said, "I know what you want to say. I trust Jinbao, and I just withdrew some money for her. That money was originally deposited in the brothel. Although it's not much, it should be enough for Xiao Azhen to get through these few days."
Mu Xing nodded: "Then I'll arrange Jinbao's hospitalization first. If he can have surgery later, we can talk about the money later. Saving his life is the most important thing."
Having made up their minds, Mu Xing and the others arranged to transfer Xiao Azhen to the Municipal Hospital, where she was accepted thanks to Dr. Mu's connections.
After settling in amidst the hustle and bustle, Mu Xing said to Jin Bao, "It's too late to do the examination today. I'll ask my father tomorrow to see if we can get Dr. Li from the proctology department to examine Xiao Azhen."
Jinbao, with tears in her eyes, wanted to thank her, but Mu Xing quickly stopped her. She then prepared a meal for them to eat together and arranged a bed for Jinbao to stay with her. Only then did she leave the hospital with Bai Yan.
"Ah Xuan, what you said before... Ah Xuan?" Bai Yan was about to ask Mu Xing how the preparations for going to Beiping were going, but Mu Xing seemed not to hear her and walked straight out. Bai Yan quickly reached out and grabbed her: "Ah Xuan!"
Mu Xing then came to his senses: "Huh? You're talking to me?"
Sighing, Bai Yan reached out and pinched her cheek: "What have you been thinking about lately?"
Chapter 82
After buying two bottles of soda at the ice cream shop, Mu Xing pulled Bai Yan to sit on a nearby bench.
The soda was refreshing and invigorating, and the early autumn breeze was exceptionally gentle, blowing softly into my heart, dispelling the lingering summer heat and leaving behind a sense of tranquility.
Although she was worried, Bai Yan didn't urge Mu Xing to speak. The two of them just quietly drank their soda, looked at the sky, the scenery, and each other.
Only when the soda was almost gone, with the straw bobbing at the bottom of the bottle and making a gurgling sound, did Mu Xing slowly speak: "Shu Wan, as I told you, the reason I studied medicine was because of my aunt."
Bai Yan sat across the round table, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at her and nodded: "I know."
Not wanting to add to Bai Yan's psychological burden, Mu Xing didn't mention her own troubles. Instead, she focused on the key points and recounted the events that had happened to her in the past few days: her father's reflections after her second brother received his acceptance letter, Dr. Ding's advice at the clinic, and her aunt's initial hopes for her.
Mu Xing lowered his head and gave a listless smile: "Although they didn't say it outright, I can sense that I've probably disappointed them."
Frowning at Mu Xing, Bai Yan didn't reply, but only asked, "Ah Xuan, what do you think?"
Caught off guard by the most crucial question, Mu Xing froze, speechless for a moment.
What was she thinking?
She wanted to earn money to redeem Shu Wan, she wanted to live a stable life with Shu Wan, and she also wanted to be less passive when facing unavoidable events in the future. All of these ideas were based on money.
But didn't she want to go back to the hospital? Those tedious yet still captivating experiments and surgeries; those verbose yet story-filled and moving words and jargon; the sharp scalpels, the clean and crisp white coats that surpassed any fancy clothes, the pungent yet long-accustomed smell of ammonia... all those moments that accompanied her through her long youth—if she said she didn't miss them, she would be lying.
But how can everything in this world go as you wish?
"I don't know." In the end, Mu Xing could only say that.
Bai Yan sighed softly.
She took Mu Xing's hand and said, "You know, you just don't want to say."
Upon hearing her suggestive words, Mu Xing became anxious and hurriedly tried to explain, but Bai Yan stopped her: "Listen to me first."
"Ah Xuan," Bai Yan asked, "you didn't mention this before, were you afraid I'd overthink it? Afraid I'd think... you didn't want to redeem me from my servitude?"
Mu Xing opened his mouth, wanting to argue, but in the end he nodded slightly: "You have always been meticulous and thoughtful, able to understand ten things from one. Now that everything is not yet in place, I have inexplicably had such thoughts, which I myself find inappropriate, let alone you."
Upon hearing this, Bai Yan shook her head: "Silly Ah Xuan, you only know how I am, but don't you think I don't understand you? If you were the kind of person who would run away in the face of danger and shirk responsibility, I would never have come this far with you."
"Have you forgotten, Ah-Xuan? We are each other's lovers. If we can share joy and happiness, we should also share each other's pressures and troubles. You're just afraid I'm overthinking things, but little do you know that the more you keep it to yourself, the more worried I'll become, and the more anxieties I'll have."
Upon hearing this, Mu Xing was stunned.
She hadn't wanted to discuss this with Shu Wan, and even just now, she was secretly carefully considering how to simplify the matter so as not to add to Shu Wan's psychological burden. Only now did she suddenly realize that her worry was unnecessary.
Since they are soulmates, why create unnecessary rifts? She is willing to help Shu Wan solve her problems, so how could Shu Wan not feel the same way about her? Besides, Shu Wan is not a short-sighted person. If she had discussed her worries with Shu Wan earlier, she wouldn't have to worry about things every day and get stuck in a rut.
Thinking of this, Mu Xing suddenly understood. She lowered her head and thought for a moment, then said apologetically, "It's my fault. I meant to tell you not to worry, but I made things worse and things didn't go as planned."
Bai Yan laughed and reached out to tap Mu Xing's nose: "Silly Ah Xuan, why apologize so solemnly?"
Mu Xing suddenly reached out and grabbed her hand, gently touching it to his lips: "Because you deserve it."
Although it was just a fleeting touch, Bai Yan was still startled. She quickly withdrew her hand and peeked around nervously like a little rabbit. Mu Xing was amused by her reaction and whispered, "Don't be afraid, no one is paying attention to us."
Hearing this, Bai Yan turned around and glared at her. Before she could say anything, Mu Xing pouted and slumped onto the table: "Shu Wan scolded me, my heart aches so much..."
Bai Yan was caught between anger and annoyance, so she simply reached out and flicked Mu Xing on the forehead. Seeing Mu Xing covering his forehead with tears in his eyes and making a scene, she couldn't help but laugh.
The ice cream shop faced the street, and laughter drifted through the crowds and across the road before finally shattering into silence.
Inside the black Buick parked by the roadside, Dr. Mu stared out the window, the dim twilight casting shadows on his gold-rimmed glasses, obscuring his expression.
"Let's go."
The Buick sped off with a thud, driving into the municipal hospital. Dr. Mu got out and silently walked towards his office, his assistant, Lao Jin, carrying Dr. Mu's briefcase, also keeping his eyes down, seemingly lost in thought.
Having served the master for over a decade, Old Jin had seen all sorts of things. The way the young lady and Miss Bai acted just now was clearly the same as what his great-aunt and Miss Feng had done back then…
He didn't dare to think about it any further because Dr. Mu had already spoken.
Standing at the office door, Dr. Mu said in a deep voice, "Have Ah Xuan's maid and driver come to my study tonight to give me their report."
Old Jin quickly agreed.
After thinking for a moment, Dr. Mu added, "Also, tell the accountant at Minkang Pharmacy to bring the account book to see me tomorrow morning." With that, he lowered his head, adjusted his glasses, and said, "I'd like to rest for a bit. You can go now."
Glancing at his master's expression, Old Jin didn't dare remind him that the meeting was over. He handed his briefcase to Dr. Mu and meekly withdrew.
After a conversation at the ice cream shop, Mu Xing finally opened up to Bai Yan about his troubles. However, because Mu Xing was already overwhelmed by Xiao A Zhen and the clinic, and Bai Yan was also busy running between the bookstore and the hospital, the two had no choice but to put the matter aside for the time being.
After waiting for a day, Mu Xing finally managed to get Dr. Li from the Municipal Hospital to examine Xiao Azhen. The answer he received was almost identical to Dr. Ding's previous assessment: the colonic fistula could be removed, but Xiao Azhen's body was not suitable for surgery. Whether the surgery was performed or not, the situation was far from optimistic.
After several discussions and considerations, it was finally decided to give Xiao Azhen a few days of nutritional and hemostatic injections to see if her condition improved before considering arranging surgery.
Nutritional and hemostatic injections were expensive, but without them, Xiao Zhen wouldn't have survived until the surgery. After discussing it, Mu Xing and Bai Yan decided to lend Jin Bao some money, which allowed them to hold on for a few more days.
But Xiao Azhen's health deteriorated, and the surgery was delayed for longer and longer, until it seemed that she was beyond saving. On this day, after settling the second group of disaster victims at Minkang Clinic, Mu Xing rushed to the Municipal Hospital to visit Xiao Azhen.
In just one day, Xiao Azhen's complexion was no longer just pale, but a terrifyingly ashen one, almost unbearable to look at. She lay in her hospital bed, her hands bruised and purple from two days of injections to stop the bleeding. Seeing Mu Xing, Xiao Azhen tried to smile, but she was too weak to do so.
She whispered, "Sister Xuan, you, you've become...sister again. Didn't you play games with Sister Yan?"
Touching her forehead, Mu Xing forced a smile and said, "Yes, I am Sister Xuan now. My game with Sister Yan is over, we're not playing anymore."
Little Zhen nodded and said, "Sister Xuan looks good in a dress."
Suddenly remembering something, Mu Xing quickly rummaged through her briefcase and pulled out a glass box, handing it to Xiao Azhen. "Look, your sister gave you this kind of candy before, do you remember?"
Little Zhen nodded: "I remember, it was delicious." She frowned, "Now my sister won't let me eat it anymore, not even cookies, I can't eat it anymore."
Mu Xing handed the candy to her: "So little Zhen, you have to get better soon. When you get better, I'll take you to eat something delicious, okay?"
Having agreed to visit Xiao Azhen again tomorrow, Mu Xing walked out of the ward and looked up to see Bai Yan waiting for her outside the door.
"What do you think?" Bai Yan asked her softly.