The operating room was bathed in the harsh, daylight-like glare of the surgical lights.
The smell of disinfectant hung in the air.
Liu Yan had completed all pre-operative preparations. Wearing a light blue surgical cap and mask, only her sharp eyes were visible.
Beside the operating table, a nurse was counting surgical instruments, the metal clinking with a crisp sound.
"Why isn't the patient here yet?"
Liu Yan glanced at the wall clock; the hands were already ten minutes past the scheduled surgery time.
She was growing impatient.
Meanwhile, out in the corridor, Shen Nanchu was dawdling along.
She kept sneaking glances at the nurse behind her.
"Comrade Shen, please hurry up."
"The surgery time has already started."
The young nurse urged, her voice echoing in the empty hallway.
Just as they neared the operating room door, Shen Nanchu suddenly bent over, clutching her stomach, a pained expression on her face.
"I can't," she said weakly,
"I need to use the restroom. I must have eaten something bad yesterday."
Fine beads of sweat dotted Shen Nanchu's forehead; she genuinely looked unwell.
Before the nurse could react, Shen Nanchu quickly strode off towards the restroom at the end of the corridor.
The young nurse stood frozen, watching her figure disappear around the corner.
Shen Nanchu moved too fast for the nurse to stop her.
Pei Zhengnian stepped in, blocking the nurse's path.
He sighed, covering for Shen Nanchu,
"Yesterday, she took advantage of me not looking and ate a whole watermelon by herself. Wouldn't listen when I told her not to."
"Ah..."
Seeing the usually formidable regiment commander look so helpless, the young nurse couldn't help but feel sympathy for him.
Can't even manage his own wife. It seems in Commander Pei's household, it's the lady of the house who calls the shots.
The family hierarchy was clear as day.
"It's alright, Commander Pei. I'll go explain to Doctor Liu."
"Anyway, there are no other surgeries scheduled today."
The young nurse comforted him softly, then turned and pushed open the operating room door.
Inside, Liu Yan's irritation had been mounting from the wait.
Hearing the door open, she turned her head, a flicker of impatience in her eyes.
"Where's the patient?"
Her voice was somewhat muffled by the mask.
The young nurse approached cautiously and whispered a few words into Liu Yan's ear.
Liu Yan's eyes instantly turned sharp. She tightened her grip on the surgical forceps in her hand, her knuckles turning white from the pressure.
She took a deep breath, trying to steady her emotions, forcing a strained smile at the corners of her mouth,
"It's fine. I'll wait."
Despite her smile, her gaze was as cold as ice.
At the same time, under Pei Zhengnian's cover, Shen Nanchu successfully made her escape.
She didn't actually go to the restroom, but headed instead towards the first floor.
Over on their end, Sun Xuelin had already led Director Liu Xiaojing back to the consultation room at a brisk pace.
Xiong Lei followed closely behind them with Niu Aihua in tow.
Inside the consultation room, the smell of disinfectant was even stronger than in the corridor.
Liu Xiaojing looked around the office, finally fixing a skeptical gaze on Sun Xuelin,
"Weren't you saying there was a patient with an emergency? Where is she?"
Just as Sun Xuelin was about to fabricate an excuse,
the door swung open and Xiong Lei entered with Niu Aihua.
"She's here, right here!"
Xiong Lei's voice boomed through the consultation room.
Niu Aihua wiped the sweat from her temple. Her face was pale, and she genuinely didn't look well,
"I'm sorry, Director Liu. My stomach was hurting so badly earlier, I just had to use the restroom."
She said this without changing her expression, her eyes fixed directly on Liu Xiaojing, showing not a trace of guilt.
Lying without batting an eye, Niu Aihua truly lived up to being an experienced old army wife.
Liu Xiaojing didn't pay attention to these details; she gestured for Niu Aihua to sit down.
"What seems to be the trouble?"
"They said there's something wrong with the baby in my belly."
Prompted by Xiong Lei, Niu Aihua gave the excuse she had concocted on the way.
Liu Xiaojing's brows furrowed, forming several deep lines on her forehead.
"What's the situation?" Her voice turned serious. "Tell me properly."
Niu Aihua took a deep breath and began to make a long story short.
"I went to the city yesterday, wasn't feeling well, so I went to the city hospital for a check-up."
She paused, as if recalling the details.
"A female doctor did an ultrasound for me. She said the baby in my belly is missing an arm and a leg."
Her voice trembled slightly, sounding utterly convincing.
If Shen Nanchu were here, she would have immediately recognized this as a new story developed from the prototype of their own.
Liu Xiaojing's expression turned grave. She didn't ask many questions, simply stood up.
"Let me do an ultrasound for you."
Her voice carried calmness, along with a trace of doubt.
"Logically speaking, such a mistake shouldn't happen at the hospital."
Liu Xiaojing took Niu Aihua to the ultrasound room.
Xiong Lei and Sun Xuelin remained outside the ultrasound room. They exchanged a glance and simultaneously let out a long sigh of relief.
Fortunately, the corridor was practically empty today.
"Finally done it."
Sun Xuelin said quietly, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.
Xiong Lei nodded; the back of his military uniform was already soaked with sweat.
The operating room and the consultation room were not on the same floor. The consultation room was on the first floor, with good lighting and a view of the hospital's green belt outside the window; the operating room was on the second floor, where the entire floor was permeated with the smell of disinfectant.
Shen Nanchu ran from the second-floor operating room area to the first-floor consultation area.
As soon as she reached the first floor, Shen Nanchu saw Sun Xuelin and Xiong Lei.
"Sister-in-law, are you alright?"
Sun Xuelin was the first to spot Shen Nanchu.
"I'm fine, I'm good."
Shen Nanchu waved her hand. Her gaze turned towards the tightly closed door of the ultrasound room.
"Has Director Liu returned?"
"Yes."
Sun Xuelin nodded, lowering his voice.
"She's inside doing an ultrasound for Sister-in-Law Niu right now."
Sister-in-Law Niu?
Shen Nanchu was somewhat taken aback, her eyes widening slightly.
"Sister-in-Law Niu is pregnant?"
"Yes."
Xiong Lei nodded, his expression carrying a hint of simple, honest amusement.
Shen Nanchu looked at Sun Xuelin.
"Xiong Lei and I will wait here for Director Liu. You go to the operating room area on the second floor and join up with your regiment commander."
"Alright."
Sun Xuelin looked at Xiong Lei.
"Old Xiong, take good care of Sister-in-Law."
"Will do."
Xiong Lei nodded solemnly, his voice sounding particularly loud in the empty corridor.
Sun Xuelin turned and left. Shen Nanchu and Xiong Lei stood quietly outside the ultrasound room, waiting.
...
