In the director's office, Director Liu looked at the ointment. There was no label on it, just an ordinary glass bottle.
"Division Commander Qin, you're saying this was made by a military wife from the family compound? And it can promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis?"
"Yes." To increase his credibility, Division Commander Qin added, "This military wife is Commander Su's wife."
Director Liu nodded and asked, "So, what is Division Commander Qin's intention in bringing this ointment here?"
Division Commander Qin explained, "I just want you to test the efficacy of this ointment and see if it can be mass-produced."
Director Liu replied, "Division Commander Qin, our hospital doesn't have this kind of testing equipment. As far as I know, there are less than three places in the whole country with such equipment. You are making things difficult for me."
"Director Liu, aren't there many wounded soldiers in the hospital? Why don't you try it on them?"
"How could we do that? We can't just administer medicine recklessly."
Director Liu firmly refused to use soldiers as test subjects.
Unable to persuade him, Division Commander Qin could only walk out in disappointment, bumping right into a young man head-on.
"I'm sorry." The young man's voice was hoarse and his eyes were completely red. It was obvious at a glance that he was going through something terrible.
"It's fine, it's fine."
The young man nodded at him and walked straight toward Director Liu. "Director, why haven't you performed the surgery on the chief yet?"
If Lin Zhilan had been there, she would definitely have recognized this young man as Tu Jing, whom she had met on the train.
Division Commander Qin's ears twitched, and he stopped in his tracks.
Director Liu sighed. "Comrade Tu, it's not that we don't want to operate. It's just that the chief's current physical condition is not suitable for surgery. He wouldn't survive it."
Without the surgery, he could still live a little longer.
The risk of the surgery was too high. If they chose to operate, it was highly likely that he would die right there on the table.
Cheng Qingshan was an old chief who had made outstanding contributions to the founding of the nation. Regarding his condition, the hospital had to be extremely cautious.
If they had an eighty percent chance of success right now, they might have taken the gamble.
But the problem was that the current chance of a successful surgery was less than twenty percent.
Even if it succeeded, postoperative infection and recovery would still be a major issue.
Tu Jing said anxiously, "The chief's health is getting worse and worse. Are you just going to stand by and watch? If his body isn't suitable right now, don't you have traditional Chinese medicine doctors? Why can't you help him nurse his body back to health?"
"It's not that we aren't willing to help him recover," Director Liu sighed. "Our traditional Chinese medicine department has already examined the chief and prescribed medicine, but it's useless. This isn't a problem that traditional Chinese medicine can solve at all."
Tu Jing choked up. Naturally, he didn't believe the director's words. Back on the train, that female comrade had been so accurate and certain.
He wiped away his tears. "Director, please help me find someone. A military wife who came to join the army around the same time as me last month. She's very beautiful, exceptionally beautiful, and she has a little girl about two or three years old with her. Her husband seems to hold the position of a regimental commander."
Director Liu said, "I'm just a hospital director. There are so many military wives in the military region, how am I supposed to find her..."
Standing at the door of the director's office, Division Commander Qin silently turned around. "Umm... could this female comrade you're looking for be named Lin Zhilan?"
Tu Jing's eyes lit up. "You know her?"
Division Commander Qin cast a glance at Director Liu. "I know her. Do you need her for something?"
Tu Jing excitedly grabbed Division Commander Qin's hand. "It's something very important. Please take me to find her."
"Alright."
...
Lin Zhilan listened seriously as Tu Jing finished speaking, then said without hesitation, "Can I go see the chief?"
Tu Jing nodded heavily. "You can!"
Lin Zhilan was about to leave, but the two children...
Chen Hehua walked over. "Little Lin, I'll help watch the kids for you. Go do what you need to do."
"Sorry to trouble you, Auntie."
Lin Zhilan reminded Chengzhou and Linlin to listen to Grandma Chen, and then immediately followed Tu Jing toward the hospital.
Tu Jing now treated Lin Zhilan as a lifesaver. If it weren't inappropriate, he would have loved to carry her on his back and run.
Upon arriving at the military region hospital, Lin Zhilan looked through the window at the person lying on the hospital bed.
It hadn't been long, but Cheng Qingshan had already become so thin he barely looked human.
His cheekbones protruded from his face, and his cheeks were hollow. The exposed back of his hand was a mass of purple and blue bruises. His skin was so thin it seemed glued to his bones, with veins bulging out. At a glance, it was clear he was suffering from severe malnutrition.
Tu Jing was currently negotiating with the attending doctor.
Because Cheng Qingshan's immunity was currently low and there were fears of infection, his ward had to maintain strict sterile procedures, and non-medical personnel were not allowed to enter.
Lin Zhilan walked over. "Hello, if I wash my hands, disinfect, and put on protective clothing, could you let me go in and visit?"
The doctor was momentarily dazzled by Lin Zhilan's beauty. After hesitating for a moment, he asked, "What is your relationship to Chief Cheng?"
"A younger relative from the family."
Tu Jing nodded.
"Alright then, follow me."
Lin Zhilan successfully entered the ward, held Cheng Qingshan's hand, and examined him.
It was worse than before, but it hadn't reached the worst stage yet.
She placed Cheng Qingshan's hand back under the blanket, walked out of the ward, met Tu Jing's nervous and expectant gaze, and slowly uttered two words: "It's curable."
Tu Jing almost wept tears of joy, leaning against the wall, unable to speak.
He was an orphan. When he joined the army at the age of fourteen, he met the chief.
Seeing how young he was, the chief kept him by his side. Over ten years had passed, and he had become the chief's guard.
In his heart, the chief's life was even more important than his own.
At his strong request, the hospital held an emergency meeting to discuss Cheng Qingshan's treatment plan.
The hospital director, the deputy director, the party secretary, as well as doctors from various departments including internal medicine, surgery, and traditional Chinese medicine, all participated in the meeting.
As a leader of the military region, Division Commander Qin was also fortunate enough to get a seat.
Lin Zhilan's appearance was outstanding, so the doctors inevitably cast a few extra glances at her.
However, when the director announced that she would be taking over Chief Cheng's treatment plan, the conference room immediately erupted into discussion.
It couldn't be helped; Lin Zhilan simply looked like someone who wasn't skilled in medicine.
If they were told she was the star performer of the art troupe, they might have believed it immediately.
But saying she could take on a hot potato like Chief Cheng? How could that be possible?
Wasn't this making a joke out of a patient's life?
It wasn't as if Lin Zhilan hadn't experienced such doubts in her past life. She stood up and walked to the end of the conference table.
Everyone gradually quieted down, looking at her exceptionally beautiful face.
Lin Zhilan looked around, her voice crisp and powerful, echoing throughout the entire conference room.
"Everyone, what you are doubting is my educational background and experience. I do not deny that I am indeed lacking in these areas, but please understand my treatment plan first before making a judgment."
She turned her head and, as she spoke, outlined the diagnosis and treatment plan on the blackboard behind her. From preoperative nutritional supplementation and stabilizing vital signs to preventing postoperative infection and addressing postoperative recovery issues, she explained everything clearly.
After she finished, she rested both hands on the table. "Who is the director of hepatobiliary surgery?"
It had to be said that when Lin Zhilan discussed professional matters, her entire demeanor became commanding, quickly making people overlook her delicate and charming appearance.
