Chapter 12: Overtime
The hospital was still in chaos. Zhou Tianzui came down from the operating table, hurriedly ate a few bites in her office, and was then called by the director.
“Have you investigated the emergency rescue?” The director looked at her and Fu Shushu. There were many patients today, every clinic was extremely busy. An obstetrics intern performing emergency rescue procedures was absolutely forbidden under normal circumstances. However, today was a special situation, and the rescue was timely, both mother and child were safe, so the hospital hadn’t issued any instructions yet, perhaps waiting for the patient to wake up. The current priority was to find out who performed the rescue.
Fu Shushu lowered her head.
Under normal circumstances, she would definitely hope it was He Wei, as it was a violation of hospital regulations. But the situation was different now. During their consultation, they found the emergency rescue had been performed exceptionally well. If it had been any later, the mother might have died from hemorrhaging, or the baby might have suffocated. Therefore, at this moment, lives were more important than rules. Judging by the hospital’s stance, they clearly didn’t intend to pursue the matter.
She had already heard several people say it was He Wei. If it was indeed He Wei, it would be significant.
It would add weight to Zhou Tianzui’s candidacy for the deputy director position.
So she couldn’t say it.
Zhou Tianzui also remained silent.
The director frowned: “Are both of you mute today?”
Zhou Tianzui said, “We’ve been too busy today, haven’t had time to investigate thoroughly.”
“It’s just asking a question.” The director frowned. “Is it that complicated? Shushu, go call He Wei and Lin Luo over.”
Fu Shushu glanced at Zhou Tianzui and went out with her head lowered.
The director looked at Zhou Tianzui: “Are you not thinking clearly after all those surgeries today?”
She said, “Such a good opportunity. I’ve heard it was He Wei who performed the rescue. Why are you pushing this opportunity away?” The director continued, “Besides, with He Wei’s background, this would only benefit you!”
Zhou Tianzui said, “What if it wasn’t her?”
The director looked at her: “Zhou Tianzui, Zhou Tianzui, you really…what am I supposed to say to you?”
Zhou Tianzui’s face darkened.
Soon, He Wei and Lin Luo entered the office. Zhou Tianzui’s gaze swept over them. He Wei flinched. She had encountered stricter people before, and Zhou Tianzui hadn’t even said anything, but she felt completely seen through, down to her bones.
Including her little schemes.
She had participated in the consultation.
“This emergency rescue was really well done.” A doctor said, “Although our hospital prohibits interns from performing emergency rescues independently, the situation today was special, and the rescue saved both the mother and the child. Considering the circumstances, this deserves commendation.”
“I agree.”
Other doctors echoed.
He Wei stood at the edge, looking at Lin Luo not far away. She pulled Lin Luo into the break room. When they came out, they ran into Zhou Tianzui. Zhou Tianzui asked who performed the rescue, and she said it was her. Zhou Tianzui’s face immediately darkened.
Before this, she had only been somewhat afraid of Zhou Tianzui. Now, for some reason, she was extremely afraid.
Afraid to meet her eyes.
He Wei and Lin Luo stood to the side. The director spoke: “I heard you two performed an emergency rescue today?”
He Wei glanced at Lin Luo and nodded: “Yes.”
The director said, “You did it?”
Lin Luo lowered her eyes.
He Wei hesitated, then said, “Yes.” She lowered her head. “I’m willing to accept any punishment from the hospital.”
The director said, “Such a simple matter.” She looked at Zhou Tianzui. “Isn’t that settled?”
Zhou Tianzui glanced at He Wei and didn’t speak. After a few seconds, she turned and left the office. Fu Shushu followed her out. Zhao Mingqi, seeing Zhou Tianzui, hurriedly walked over with his pen: “Dr. Zhou.”
Zhou Tianzui glanced at him and walked towards the ward.
Zhao Mingqi said, “Was it really He Wei who performed the rescue?”
Zhou Tianzui didn’t speak.
Zhao Mingqi understood. Although there were no cameras in the emergency room, there were cameras in the corridor. He Wei and Lin Luo had indeed entered one after the other, so it was hard to say for sure who did it. It was a violation of hospital regulations, but because the rescue was timely and both mother and child were safe, it brought honor to the hospital. What was originally a hot potato had now become a valuable asset. If it was really He Wei who did it—
It would be understandable.
Zhao Mingqi looked at Zhou Tianzui, not knowing how to broach the subject.
Zhou Tianzui was at a critical moment in her candidacy for deputy director. Whether this was a weight added to her side or a weight dragging her down depended on how she used it.
Zhou Tianzui entered the ward. Zeng Jing hadn’t woken up yet, lying pale as a sheet on the bed. She watched for a moment and then asked Zhao Mingqi, “When will she wake up?”
“The anesthesia will wear off soon.” Zhao Mingqi said, “I think it really was He Wei. She has no reason to lie about this. If the patient wakes up, wouldn’t it be clear? Why would she do that?”
Zhou Tianzui said, “What if the patient wasn’t fully conscious at the time?”
Zhao Mingqi opened his mouth, momentarily speechless. Seeing that Zhou Tianzui seemed to have made up her mind, he said, “Dr. Zhou, think it over carefully.”
Zhou Tianzui knew what he was talking about. Her face darkened. Walking out of the ward, she stood in the corridor and saw the TV hanging overhead. It was a small, square TV, one for every four wards. This one in front of her was broadcasting the Jindu TV midday news.
The host was familiar. After finishing the latest news about the explosion, the topic shifted to a live connection with the reporter on the scene.
It was You Ruxu.
Zhou Tianzui looked at You Ruxu on the screen, hearing her say, “Regarding the fireworks explosion incident in our city today, the investigation has revealed…” You Ruxu on the screen looked serious and composed, her posture unwavering even with the wind blowing beside her, making her appear even more upright. After reporting the investigation, she said, “During the investigation, we also discovered another minor incident. Mr. Zhang’s wife, Ms. Zeng, was rushed to the hospital with heavy bleeding and received emergency treatment from an intern…”
Zhao Mingqi stepped forward: “This, this is our hospital.”
He was surprised: “Who leaked the information?”
Zhou Tianzui pursed her lips, her gaze darkening. She lowered her head and went to another ward.
You Ruxu finished the live connection and was changing her clothes. Outside the car, Chen Xiang asked, “Boss, when did Teacher You get this information?”
Shi Qi said, “I don’t know, she didn’t say.”
Before the live connection, she had held the draft: “What does this have to do with the explosion?”
You Ruxu, while adjusting her microphone, said, “It’s related. This is Zhang Xiaojie’s wife, Zeng Jing.”
Shi Qi looked at the draft: “Where did you dig up this information?”
“I saw it.” You Ruxu said, “I’ll handle this topic properly.”
Shi Qi watched her holding the draft, suddenly feeling that You Ruxu and herself weren’t actually that similar. During her first few years as a reporter, she had been impulsive, passionate, and reckless, but You Ruxu wasn’t. She should have realized it earlier. You Ruxu had meticulous plans. At this moment, Shi Qi suddenly felt that, while outsiders thought their choice of topic was doomed to fail, it was actually the opposite. You Ruxu would use these seemingly insignificant “small news stories” to make a splash!
What she wanted to do wasn’t just to uncover the truth, but also to set things right.
Looking at the car, Shi Qi suddenly smiled.
Chen Xiang didn’t understand: “Boss, what are you smiling about?”
Shi Qi said, “I’m smiling because our game-changer has arrived.”
Chen Xiang furrowed her brows. After changing her clothes and getting out of the car, You Ruxu didn’t see Shi Qi. She asked, “Where’s the boss?”
“She went back.” Chen Xiang said, “Teacher You, people online have started paying attention to the intern’s emergency rescue.”
You Ruxu nodded.
Quite a few people were paying attention. Because Zhang Xiaojie was currently at the center of public opinion, anything related to him would become a hot topic. It wasn’t that no one wanted to dig up information about his wife, but before they could, the Jindu midday news had already reported it. Not only did they report it, but the question of whether interns could perform emergency rescues had also become a controversial topic.
[Why can’t they? Should they just watch the patient die?]
[Those who say they can’t, have you heard of CPR? The country is encouraging everyone to learn first aid.]
[No one is saying first aid is wrong, right? But what if the first aid fails? What if it worsens the condition? If you encounter an unreasonable family member, you could be sued for everything you have!]
[Isn’t there a difference between first aid by ordinary people and first aid by interns?]
[As a medical student, someone who wants to be a doctor in the future, I want to thank everyone in the comments section for your understanding. I also hope that my fellow medical students encounter understanding family members. We risk our future and our lives to save people. Everyone knows that the intern wouldn’t be wrong for not performing the rescue, but could she live with her conscience? A living person, two lives, if she didn’t perform the rescue, wouldn’t she be plagued by guilt for the rest of her life?]
You Ruxu turned off her phone screen and said to Chen Xiang, “Has Zeng Jing woken up?”
Chen Xiang said, “Not yet, but the baby is born, both mother and child are safe.”
You Ruxu said, “I know.”
She packed her things. Chen Xiang asked, “Teacher You, where are you going?”
You Ruxu said, “I’m going back to the factory. You can go back to the station.”
Chen Xiang was worried about her going alone. You Ruxu said, “It’s okay.”
She took a taxi and left.
Chen Xiang could only watch her leave, then returned to the station.
You Ruxu sat in the taxi, listening to the driver’s occasional chatter. She looked down, watching the minutes tick by. Finally, she found Zhou Tianzui on WeChat and typed: [Working overtime tonight?]
Zhou Tianzui sat in her office. The phone screen lit up, then went dark. She sat quietly for a long time. This news report had diverted some of the attention. Several newspapers had already called, wanting to interview the intern. Although they had declined for now, this was a good opportunity to promote the hospital, and the higher-ups would soon give in.
For her, the choice became even more difficult.
A doctor poked their head in through the door: “Dr. Zhou, we won’t schedule you for duty tonight. Go home and rest early.”
Zhou Tianzui looked at her: “Okay, I understand.”
He Wei passed by her door, glanced inside, and met Zhou Tianzui’s gaze. She shuddered and left.
Zhou Tianzui didn’t call her until the end of her shift. He Wei felt uneasy, her heart in her throat. She wasn’t nervous around Lin Luo, but whenever she saw Zhou Tianzui, her hands and feet turned cold. Only after hearing that Zhou Tianzui had left work did she breathe a sigh of relief.
Someone nearby said, “He Wei, you did a good job this time.”
“Well done, He Wei.”
She smiled faintly, but thinking of Zhou Tianzui’s expression, her smile faded, and she hurriedly left the hospital.
You Ruxu stayed near the explosion site all afternoon, chatting with the security guard for a long time, and wandering around the area. Only when the sky turned dark did she glance at her phone. Zhou Tianzui hadn’t replied to her message.
She must be angry, right?
You Ruxu arrived at the entrance of the residential complex after work and bought a box of Zhou Tianzui’s favorite crispy pastries. She guessed Zhou Tianzui was busy today and probably hadn’t returned yet. Unexpectedly, when she opened the door, she saw someone sitting on the sofa. This scene overlapped with the night they first got together. You Ruxu stood still. Zhou Tianzui turned around: “Overtime?”
You Ruxu said, “I went to the scene. You didn’t work overtime today?”
Zhou Tianzui stood up and walked towards her. The living room light wasn’t on, only the moonlight shone in. Zhou Tianzui grabbed You Ruxu’s hand as she reached for the light switch. Zhou Tianzui asked, “Do you want me to work overtime?”
You Ruxu said, “I…”
“I can.” She suddenly wrapped her arms around You Ruxu’s waist. The person who was always so composed on screen was now pressed against her, their breaths mingling. The crispy pastries in You Ruxu’s hand fell onto the shoe cabinet with a thud. Zhou Tianzui held her hands behind her back, forcing You Ruxu to lean forward. Zhou Tianzui’s knee pressed between her legs, her voice close to You Ruxu’s ear, her breath warm against her skin. Zhou Tianzui said, “A Ran, I’m starting my overtime now.”
You Ruxu let out a soft gasp and turned her head away.
In full view of everyone.
Zhou Tianzui: A Ran, working overtime today?
You Ruxu: …
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