“This is nothing more than routine interdepartmental coordination in treating a patient. It’s an internal work arrangement, and it’s not your place as an outsider to question it!”
“You’ve obstructed us at every turn. What exactly are you up to? Are you trying to keep a military cadre here against orders, or are you deliberately refusing to comply with the military’s treatment regulations?”
The moment Zhang Shaohong finished speaking, a low, authoritative voice rang out from the doorway—stern and commanding, leaving no room for argument:
“Is that so? How come I didn’t know Division Commander Pei had such authority? The person I brought here for treatment can be transferred away without my permission?”
“Have you considered the patient’s condition? Do you know what medications Deputy Commander Shen is currently taking? What is your treatment plan?”
The Political Commissar strode into the ward in a crisp military uniform, his cold, stern gaze fixed on Zhang Shaohong.
Zhang Shaohong’s face went deathly pale. The arrogance she had displayed moments earlier vanished instantly.
“C-Commissar, hello. I… I’m from the military hospital. We were only thinking of the patient’s recovery. We wanted to transfer him back to the military hospital as soon as possible. After all, neither the medical standards nor the facilities at a local hospital can compare with those of a military hospital…”
The more she spoke, the quieter her voice became, and she kept dodging the Political Commissar’s gaze.
“You’re going back. I’ll report this matter truthfully to the military district. You took it upon yourself to come here and take the patient, didn’t you? Your hospital director personally compiled Deputy Commander Shen’s medical records. There’s no way he didn’t know that Shen Linzhou needed to continue his treatment here. You’re an internal medicine doctor—what authority did you have to take the patient without permission? Wait for your disciplinary action.”
Zhang Shaohong’s legs trembled with fear.
“I-I’m sorry, Commissar. I…”
“That’s enough. Leave. You’ve disrupted the normal work of this local hospital. The military district will decide how to deal with the consequences of your actions.”
Zhang Shaohong had never imagined that she would cause such serious trouble.
She was Pei Jiaojiao’s aunt by marriage and had only been transferred to the military hospital a little over a year ago. Over the past two days, her niece had gone home crying, saying that Shen Linzhou had been bewitched by his attending doctor and that she wanted to have him transferred back to the military hospital.
Zhang Shaohong had only wanted to curry favor with her sister-in-law, so she had tried to use the regulations to take Shen Linzhou back to the military hospital. Who could have expected the doctor to be so difficult to deal with—and for the Political Commissar to show up as well?
She had to go back and tell her sister-in-law at once. Without her brother-in-law stepping in, she would certainly be finished.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
With that, she turned and hurried out.
The other doctor was so frightened that her face had gone pale. She was an intern who had not yet officially joined the hospital. Zhang Shaohong was her supervising doctor and had ordered her to come along. What choice did she have? If she refused, Zhang Shaohong would make things difficult for her, so she had been forced to come despite her misgivings.
Still, she had not said a word from beginning to end. She didn’t know whether she would be implicated. Her family had gone to great lengths to get her this position, and she had been here for less than two months. If she were dismissed, her father would beat her to death.
The thought brought tears to the young woman’s eyes. She walked up to Shen Linzhou and bowed deeply.
“Deputy Commander Shen, I’m sorry. I was forced to come. I’m Dr. Zhang’s intern, and she made me come with her. If I hadn’t, she would have given me trouble. You saw it yourself—I didn’t say a single word from beginning to end. Please forgive me, all right?”
She apologized through her tears, looking utterly pitiful.
At that moment, Pei Jiaojiao, who had been watching from the crowd, nearly bit through her lip. She shot Xiao Mandong a vicious glare, then quickly disappeared into the crowd.
Shen Linzhou’s expression was cold and severe. He didn’t even spare the girl a glance.
“We’ll simply report the facts. How the matter is handled is up to the hospital. Pleading with me won’t help. Please leave.”
The girl turned to Xiao Mandong. She didn’t dare ask the Political Commissar for help, so she could only seek mercy from the other two. She wanted them not to mention her in their report. After all, she hadn’t said a word, so there was no reason to bring her up, was there?
“Doctor Xiao, I truly didn’t know she was lying. I thought it really was hospital policy. Please don’t mention me when you report this, all right? I’ve only been working here for a little over a month. I really need this job.”
Seeing the girl crying so pitifully—and knowing that she truly hadn’t said anything—Xiao Mandong offered her a word of advice.
“Just tell your hospital director the truth. Any report to your superiors has to be factual; no one can falsify it. You were deceived, and you didn’t know she was lying. You haven’t done anything wrong, have you?”
The girl looked as though she had suddenly understood something. She hurriedly thanked Xiao Mandong.
“Thank you, Doctor Xiao. Thank you.”
She turned back, bowed once more to Shen Linzhou, and quickly ran out.
After the crowd dispersed, only a few people remained in the ward. The Political Commissar took several sheets of paper from his briefcase and handed them to Xiao Mandong.
“Comrade Xiao Mandong, you’ve rendered outstanding service by treating Comrade Shen Linzhou. This is the recommendation for a Workers’, Peasants’, and Soldiers’ University placement that you earned through your merit. It clearly states that you voluntarily give the placement to your younger sister, Xiao Manxue, and that the army has approved it. There’s also a written pledge here. I stand by my word, so you can rest assured.”
Xiao Mandong read through the documents and carefully put them away. Her excitement was impossible to put into words.
“Thank you, Political Commissar. I’ll continue to do my best and complete my assignment as soon as possible.”
Zhao Weidong nodded. He had actually arrived some time ago and had watched the girl remain calm and composed in the face of trouble. He truly admired her.
“The army has already issued formal notice to the commune. The commune will notify the production brigade directly. The subsequent procedures—community recommendations, political vetting, and official seals—will all be carried out according to the normal process. You don’t need to worry. She’ll begin school in the spring and officially be enrolled.”
Xiao Mandong was deeply grateful. The Political Commissar had thought of every detail for her.
“Thank you, Political Commissar. Once she starts school, I’ll be able to put my mind at ease. I promise I won’t disappoint you.”
The treasures Sun Wenbin had been hoarding would definitely help the Political Commissar earn major credit. She would give him that achievement as repayment. As long as her younger sister could go to school, she would be able to act without so many scruples.
After seeing the Political Commissar off, Xiao Mandong’s face remained bright with a smile.
It looked as though Xiao Mandong would have to return to the village today. News of her recommendation to the Workers’, Peasants’, and Soldiers’ University would soon spread through the village, and she needed to go back to complete the formalities.
She hadn’t been home for several days. She wondered whether Sun Wenbin had climbed over the wall and gone into her house looking for the treasures.
If worse came to worst, she and her sister could stay at Zhou Qichuan’s place tonight, while Zhou Qichuan stayed at her house.
That felt a little immoral. Better to let someone else suffer than herself? No, perhaps she should forget it.
She had barely had a moment to rest when a nurse from the obstetrics and gynecology department came looking for her.
“Doctor Xiao, your mother—the one you severed ties with—refuses to leave the hospital. She’s already stayed here several extra days.”
“She says her letter of introduction has expired, and she just had surgery, so there’s no way she can take a train right now. We know you’ve repeatedly emphasized that you’ve cut ties with her and that she has nothing to do with you, but we really don’t know what else to do. How are we supposed to work like this?”
“The hospital can issue her a certificate so she can stay at a guesthouse for a few days. But your grandmother says a guesthouse costs one yuan and twenty cents a night, while a hospital bed costs only fifty cents. She’s treating our hospital like a guesthouse.”
“We have a lot of new mothers right now, and we’re genuinely short of beds. Could you please think of some way to deal with this?”
The little nurse rattled on for quite some time, and in the end, all she wanted was for Xiao Mandong to think of a solution.
The Wang family’s shamelessness kept surpassing her understanding. They were actually willing to stay in the hospital just to save money.
