Not long after Sun Xuelin left, the door to the ultrasound room opened, and Liu Xiaojing and Niu Aihua walked out one after the other.
The corridor lights shone on Liu Xiaojing's serious face as she held several ultrasound images in her hand.
Niu Aihua followed behind, one hand supporting her waist, the other unconsciously stroking her slightly rounded abdomen.
"Sister-in-law Niu, how did it go?"
Shen Nanchu immediately stepped forward, her face wearing just the right amount of concern.
"Let's see what Director Liu says."
Niu Aihua secretly winked at Shen Nanchu.
"Okay."
Shen Nanchu nodded, her gaze shifting back and forth between Liu Xiaojing and Niu Aihua, perfectly portraying the anxiety expected of an expectant mother.
The group returned to the duty office.
Liu Xiaojing spread the ultrasound images flat on the desk.
"From the images just now, the baby in your womb is perfectly healthy."
Liu Xiaojing pointed to several key areas on the image, her finger lightly tapping the paper.
"The limbs are fully developed, and all indicators are within the normal range."
"That's a relief." Niu Aihua instantly let out a sigh of relief, tears of joy welling up in her eyes.
Now it was Shen Nanchu's turn to step in.
She took a step forward, an expression of disbelief on her face.
"Sister-in-law Niu, is it true?"
Her voice trembled slightly, her eyes shimmering with a glimmer of hope.
"This is wonderful."
She turned to Liu Xiaojing, looking at the chief physician with expectant eyes.
"Director Liu, could you please check me too! When I went for my check-up, I was also told my baby was missing an arm and a leg."
Liu Xiaojing frowned, deep lines appearing on her forehead.
She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose; the lenses reflected the light from outside the window, momentarily obscuring her gaze.
Why were there so many misdiagnosed ultrasounds today?
Her eyes were filled with confusion.
The municipal hospital's ultrasound machine had been purchased a long time ago, and she'd never heard of any problems with it!
Soon, under Liu Xiaojing's personal operation, Shen Nanchu's results were also ready.
In the ultrasound room, the machine emitted a regular beeping sound, the images on the display screen clear and visible.
When the final image was printed, Liu Xiaojing carefully examined every detail before stating with certainty,
"Everything is normal."
Shen Nanchu took the report and asked Liu Xiaojing once more, her voice carrying a cautious hope.
"Is there really nothing wrong with my baby?"
"Yes."
Liu Xiaojing nodded very firmly.
"During the ultrasound just now, the baby was very cooperative. It's impossible for it to be disabled."
She pointed to the outlines of the limbs on the image, her finger circling the key areas.
"Look here, and here, everything is fully developed."
Shen Nanchu had been waiting for this exact statement from Liu Xiaojing.
A flash of something shrewd, barely noticeable, passed through her eyes before she resumed her worried expression.
"Then... could there be something wrong with our hospital's ultrasound machine?"
She asked softly, her voice tinged with just the right amount of doubt.
"That is absolutely impossible."
Liu Xiaojing replied decisively.
"Our ultrasound machine is brand new. It can't be wrong."
Since the machine had arrived, Liu Xiaojing had used it for countless examinations, every single one accurate, never any mistakes.
Shen Nanchu's eyes filled with a smile, but it vanished in an instant.
The next second, the color drained from her face, and she looked as if she might collapse.
If Niu Aihua hadn't caught her in time, she would have fallen to the floor.
"Then why did Doctor Liu examine me three times and say every time that my baby has problems?"
Shen Nanchu's voice suddenly rose, carrying a distinct tremor that sounded particularly sharp in the quiet office.
"What?"
Liu Xiaojing's face instantly turned serious, her eyebrows almost knitting together.
"Director Liu, look, these are the scans from this morning. Every single one shows the baby has problems."
Shen Nanchu pulled three ultrasound images from her bag and spread them out one by one on the desk in front of Liu Xiaojing.
Liu Xiaojing only needed a few glances. Her professional eye immediately spotted the anomaly.
Her pupils contracted slightly, her lips pressed into a thin line—these images had been tampered with.
As an experienced physician, she was far too familiar with what a normal ultrasound should look like.
The abnormalities on these images clearly showed traces of post-processing. Although the technique was professional, to her eye, the flaws were still glaring.
Her face turned cold, and the temperature in the office seemed to drop several degrees.
Satisfaction flashed in Shen Nanchu's eyes—it seemed this Director Liu was not on the same side as Liu Yan.
Shen Nanchu continued to pour fuel on the fire. Her face was as pale as paper, tears glistening at the corners of her eyes under the light.
"Doctor Liu even suggested we terminate the pregnancy."
Her voice choked, each word seeming to be squeezed out from between her teeth.
"My poor baby... It's only because I had a stomach ache earlier that I didn't go up on the operating table."
Her fingers gripped the edge of the desk tightly, her knuckles white from the force.
"Otherwise..."
Her voice grew smaller and smaller, until it was almost a whisper.
As she spoke, Shen Nanchu's tears, large as beans, fell like a broken string. Her shoulders shook violently, her whole person appearing fragile and broken.
"Outrageous!"
Liu Xiaojing was so angry she slammed the desk.
A loud bang echoed through the office.
She sprang to her feet, her chair scraping against the floor with a piercing sound.
Her face was as dark as a pot, the fury in her eyes almost erupting.
As a doctor, saving lives and healing the wounded was her sacred duty. How could someone be so irresponsible, treating human life so carelessly!
The reason Liu Xiaojing had become a director was not only due to her superb medical skills but also her high moral character.
She despised this kind of behavior the most.
Liu Xiaojing's chest heaved violently, the collar of her white coat trembling slightly with anger.
......
Meanwhile, in the operating room on the second floor, Liu Yan was smugly preparing to reap the fruits of her victory.
Under the harsh glare of the surgical lights, she hummed a little tune as she waited quietly.
She fantasized about Shen Nanchu's pained expression after losing the baby, the corner of her mouth unconsciously curling upward.
Just as she was lost in her imagination, the door to the operating room was suddenly thrown open with force, crashing against the wall with a loud bang.
Pei Zhengnian charged in with Sun Xuelin, their faces filled with menace.
Before Liu Yan could even question the two men, Pei Zhengnian swiftly subdued her with a deft maneuver, pinning her hands behind her back.
"What are you doing?"
Liu Yan struggled, her voice shrill from the sudden turn of events.
"I am a doctor at the military district hospital!"
Her voice echoed in the operating room.
"How dare you treat me like this! I'll report you to your superiors!"
Pei Zhengnian let out a cold laugh. His eyes were sharp as knives, his voice low and dangerous.
"You can save your explanations for the military!"
He bit out each word with emphasis.
"Let's see how they judge you for deliberately falsifying medical reports and attempted murder."
Liu Yan felt as if she had been struck by lightning. Her mind went completely blank.
She had been so careful, so secretive... How had she been discovered?
Impossible! None of this is possible!
Liu Yan forced herself to appear composed, but her voice had lost its usual steadiness.
"I followed all the proper procedures."
Her gaze shifted uneasily, unable to meet Pei Zhengnian's piercing stare.
"There's nothing wrong with what I did."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"This is slander..."
"Whether it's slander or not, the evidence will decide."
Pei Zhengnian had no patience for further talk with Liu Yan. With a glance, he signaled to Sun Xuelin, who immediately stepped forward and took control, securing Liu Yan firmly.
"Take her away."
Soon,
everyone had gathered in the hospital's main conference room.
...
