When Director Qi heard what Wang Dani said, he stopped in his tracks and turned around. His gaze slowly shifted from Wang Dani’s face to Qi Yuqing.
“What’s going on? What did you do to make her threaten you like this?”
At his age, how could he fail to understand? Every word Wang Dani had said was an unmistakable threat—and she was using him to threaten his daughter.
She had actually dared to say such things right in front of him. Did she think he was already dead?
And that Zhang Chenghui, who was always so attentive and solicitous, didn’t even dare say a word at a time like this?
Zhang Chenghui’s face went white with fright. He had never expected Wang Dani to be so stupid. He had been practically begging for their help, yet she still wanted to threaten them—and in front of Qi Yuqing’s father, no less. She wasn’t threatening Qi Yuqing; she was threatening him.
Zhang Chenghui hurried over, grabbed Wang Dani by the arm, and lowered his voice.
“You idiot, have you lost your mind? What kind of nonsense are you spouting?”
“Dad, don’t listen to this woman’s rubbish. She’s not right in the head. She’s an uneducated country woman who never makes any sense when she talks.”
Wang Dani staggered when he yanked her, and all the anger she had accumulated over the years erupted at once. She flung his hand away.
“Why are you pulling me? Am I wrong? I just want to stay at your house for a few nights. I’m her mother—I’m worried because my daughter’s nose is bleeding. What’s wrong with that? Besides, isn’t he a doctor? Isn’t it a doctor’s duty to take care of his patient? What’s wrong with me saying that my daughter is his daughter too?”
She knew Qi Yuqing’s weakness. Qi Yuqing cared about her reputation and had to consider her father’s dignity. Even back then, when she had miscarried, she hadn’t dared tell the truth. That meant Wang Dani would have leverage over her for the rest of her life.
For all these years, Wang Dani had fawned over her, played the victim, and coaxed her into drinking those medicines for one reason only: as long as Qi Yuqing couldn’t have children, Zhang Chenghui’s heart, his job, and everything he owned would eventually belong to her Yanyan.
She had even planned to register Yanyan under Qi Yuqing’s name so that her daughter could become a city resident. But that wretched woman had refused.
When she had first learned that Zhang Chenghui had married a city woman, she had made a scene and cried. Later, though, she had come to her senses. As long as she had money, she could live comfortably on her own.
Her in-laws were afraid she would cause trouble and constantly placated her. Zhang Chenghui sent her money every month without fail, and whenever he came home, he treated her with gentle affection.
Everything had clearly been going according to plan, yet suddenly her Yanyan had fallen ill. Yanyan was the child Wang Dani had raised all by herself—the result of more than ten years of plotting.
Her Yanyan could not be allowed to die. She could not lose.
Director Qi stared at Wang Dani, his gaze deep and unreadable.
“I don’t know what you’re using to threaten my daughter, but I can tell you this clearly: as far as I’m concerned, nothing—not even my reputation, not even my life—is more important than my daughter.”
Those words were meant for Wang Dani, but they were also meant for Qi Yuqing. Director Qi cared deeply about his reputation, but that depended on the situation.
He was telling his daughter that nothing mattered more to him than she did, and that she shouldn’t worry so much about other people’s opinions. She should do what she wanted to do.
At that moment, Qi Yuqing’s eyes reddened when she heard her father’s words. She knew that her father cared more about her than anything else, but she hadn’t wanted him to be humiliated or become the subject of gossip. That was why she had kept the truth hidden all this time.
Now that Wang Dani had said such things in front of her father, there was no way to keep it hidden any longer. And she couldn’t avoid telling him that she wanted a divorce, either. Since that was the case, she might as well tell him in advance and give him time to prepare himself.
She sniffed and tugged at her father’s sleeve.
“Dad, let’s go. I’ll tell you everything when we get home.”
Director Qi’s expression was dark and difficult to read. He gave Zhang Chenghui a deep look, then turned and left with Qi Yuqing.
Wang Dani still wanted to say something, but Zhang Chenghui hurriedly covered her mouth.
Xiao Mandong did not leave the hospital with Director Qi. After all, he had family matters to deal with.
Just then, Xiao Mandong saw a familiar figure. It was Director Liu from the cotton mill, who had helped her many times in her previous life. Not long ago, she had even been thinking about visiting Director Liu to see whether Jialiang had adjusted well to his job as a statistician.
Then she saw someone carrying Director Liu’s son, Jialiang, rushing into the hospital.
Xiao Mandong quickly stepped forward and called out to Director Liu.
“Sister Liu, what happened to Jialiang?”
“Mandong, hurry and help me find a doctor! Jialiang fainted.”
Jialiang’s face was deathly pale, his eyes tightly closed as he lay sprawled across the person’s back.
Just then, a nurse hurried over after hearing the commotion.
“Quick, follow me to the emergency room.”
The nurse rushed ahead, and the person carrying Jialiang quickly followed. Sister Liu was so frantic that she could barely walk steadily, tears streaming down her face.
“Jialiang, don’t scare your mother! My poor Jialiang…”
Xiao Mandong followed close behind. Jialiang was placed on a bed in the emergency room. His condition did not look good, and she was starting to feel anxious as well. She had just begun to ask about his condition when a figure shoved her aside.
Tang Jing pushed her way to the front of the bed and reached out to take Jialiang’s pulse. She deliberately positioned herself in the middle, blocking half of Xiao Mandong’s view. It was obvious that she did not want Xiao Mandong interfering.
Standing to the side, Xiao Mandong immediately noticed that Jialiang’s lips were turning blue and that he was having difficulty breathing. She also remembered that Jialiang had always been in poor health.
“Sister Liu, does Jialiang often suffer from palpitations or tightness in his chest?”
Before Sister Liu could answer, Tang Jing’s expression darkened. Her voice was dripping with sarcasm.
“I’m examining the patient. Why are you butting in? We won’t know whether it’s heart disease until we run some tests.”
Ever since Xiao Mandong had secured a permanent position, Tang Jing had been seething with resentment. She had assumed that, with her uncle’s connections, the position would certainly be hers. And from what she knew, Xiao Mandong’s village brigade was short of barefoot doctors. Tang Jing had thought Xiao Mandong would definitely be sent back to the countryside, so she had never taken her seriously.
She had never imagined that Xiao Mandong would somehow snatch the position away from her. The more Tang Jing thought about it, the angrier she became.
And now Xiao Mandong wanted to steal the credit from her too? How could she allow that?
If she managed to save this man, she would have made a contribution. The hospital might even give her a permanent position.
Xiao Mandong tried twice to take Jialiang’s pulse, but Tang Jing blocked her both times.
“Tang Jing, are you sick? His lips are turning blue, and he can barely breathe. This is a heart attack. If we delay any longer, something could happen.”
If it weren’t a matter of life and death, Xiao Mandong would have been too lazy to bother with this lunatic.
“You’re the one who’s sick! I’m the doctor on duty today. Who do you think you are? You’re interfering with my treatment of the patient. If something happens, are you going to take responsibility?” Tang Jing refused to back down. If Xiao Mandong dared to interfere again, Tang Jing would simply put all the blame on her.
Sister Liu had never expected Xiao Mandong to be working at the hospital now. She knew Xiao Mandong had previously worked at their factory, but she had no idea that she knew medicine as well.
Sister Liu could stand up for Xiao Mandong and help her, but when it came to her son’s life or death, she had to choose the doctor with more experience. She didn’t dare take the risk.
Sister Liu took Xiao Mandong by the hand and motioned for her not to act rashly. She believed that Xiao Mandong meant well.
