THE SMALL HOSPITAL, THE

GREAT DOCTOR 13

51. Friends Turn Against Each Other

The Qingxiu Jiaren Medical Aesthetics Clinic remained busy that afternoon. Patients came and went at the registration counter, the electronic queue-calling system sounded repeatedly from the wall, and several nurses hurried through the corridors carrying medical records. Sunlight outside the glass doors fell across the spotless floor, casting a bright sheen over it. The entire clinic looked orderly and well managed, yet no one noticed that a conflict about to erupt was quietly drawing near.

Zhao Xiaodong pushed open the glass door and walked in. He had deliberately dressed up today, holding a large bouquet of beautifully wrapped flowers and wearing what he considered a gentle smile. When he reached the registration counter, he straightened his jacket before looking at Zhang Dongmei, who was busy working.

“Is Dr. Lin here?”

Zhang Dongmei looked up and saw that it was Zhao Xiaodong. The smile on her face stiffened slightly. She knew, of course, what had recently happened between Lin Xiuling and Zhao Xiaodong, and she could vaguely guess that his visit with flowers was probably not simply to check on a friend.

“Please wait a moment, Dr. Zhao.” Zhang Dongmei picked up the phone on the desk and pressed the extension button.

“Boss, Dr. Zhao wants to see you.”

There was a two-second silence on the other end. Lin Xiuling had apparently already guessed that Zhao Xiaodong would come looking for her, so she answered coldly without hesitation, “Tell him I’m busy and don’t want to see him.”

Zhang Dongmei glanced at Zhao Xiaodong standing at the counter and had no choice but to put down the phone.

“Dr. Zhao, our boss says she’s busy right now and doesn’t want to see you.”

The smile on Zhao Xiaodong’s face froze for an instant. He looked down at the flowers in his hands, a trace of displeasure flashing in his eyes, but he quickly returned to his original, unconcerned expression.

“She’s busy?” He forced a smile, his tone sounding as if he were trying to reassure himself.

“That’s okay. I’ll talk to her myself.”

With that, he did not even wait for Zhang Dongmei to respond before walking directly toward the office at the end of the corridor.

“Dr. Zhao...” Zhang Dongmei tried to stop him, but it was already too late. Zhao Xiaodong reached the office door, knocked twice, and, without waiting for a response from inside, pushed the door open and walked in.

Lin Xiuling was sitting at her desk working on medical records. When she heard the door open, she immediately looked up. The moment she saw the bouquet of flowers in Zhao Xiaodong’s hands, her already-cold expression darkened.

“I hate uninvited guests.”

She did not stand up. She simply looked at him coldly, without the slightest sign of welcome.

Zhao Xiaodong, however, acted as if he had not sensed her hostility at all. Instead, he put on a deliberately casual smile.

“What? Are you still mad at me?”

Lin Xiuling did not answer. She lowered her head and returned her attention to the computer screen, continuing to move the mouse as if deliberately showing that she was busy.

“You know what you did.”

It was a simple sentence, but it made the smile on Zhao Xiaodong’s face slowly disappear. He stood in front of her desk and looked at Lin Xiuling. After a few seconds, he placed the flowers in his hand on the desk. Their vivid colors stood out sharply against the white desktop.

“We’ve known each other for so many years. Giving you a bouquet of flowers shouldn’t make you this cold toward me, should it?”

Lin Xiuling did not even look at the flowers.

“Don’t interfere with my work.”

Her tone was so calm that it was almost indifferent.

The corner of Zhao Xiaodong’s mouth twitched. He had originally thought that if he came in person and brought a bouquet of flowers, it would at least help ease their relationship. After all, in his mind, although Lin Xiuling had a strong personality, they had been friends in the past. He did not believe that one Yang Wen-Hua could make her completely turn against him.

But now, he realized that things seemed to be much more serious than he had imagined. He pulled out the chair in front of the desk and sat down without Lin Xiuling’s permission, leaning his body slightly forward.

“Xiuling, let me ask you something.”

Lin Xiuling continued staring at the computer screen.

“What?”

Zhao Xiaodong’s expression became serious.

“What exactly am I to you?”

Lin Xiuling’s fingers stopped moving. She was silent for several seconds before slowly raising her head. For the first time, their eyes met directly. There was no shouting or intense emotion in Lin Xiuling’s eyes. Instead, her calmness made Zhao Xiaodong uneasy.

“In the past, I considered you a good friend.”

She spoke word by word, leaving no room for compromise.

“But from now on, I’ll consider you a stranger.”

Zhao Xiaodong froze completely. The somewhat cynical expression he had been wearing finally gave way to genuine shock.

“A stranger?”

As if unable to believe what he had heard, he shook his head with a bitter smile.

“One Yang Wen-Hua was enough to completely change our relationship after all these years?”

He looked at Lin Xiuling, and a trace of jealousy and resentment began to appear in his eyes.

“That really surprises me.”

Hearing this, Lin Xiuling slowly curled her lips into a cold smile.

“What really surprises me is that you would stop at nothing just to strike at Wen-Hua.”

Zhao Xiaodong’s expression changed slightly. He quickly put on an innocent look and even leaned closer to Lin Xiuling, trying to move toward her.

“You’re saying I used underhanded methods to go after Yang Wen-Hua?”

He deliberately drew out his words, once again wearing that feigned, foolish smile.

Lin Xiuling looked at him, her eyes growing colder and colder.

“Stop pretending you don’t know.”

She leaned back in her chair and slowly folded her arms across her chest, forming an obvious defensive posture.

“You know perfectly well what you’ve done.”

The air in the office suddenly seemed to freeze. The smile on Zhao Xiaodong’s face remained for several seconds before finally disappearing bit by bit. He stared at Lin Xiuling, as if weighing whether he should continue pretending.

At last, he let out a cold laugh.

“Fine.”

He leaned back in his chair, finally dropping the disguise in his eyes.

“I was the one who reported him to the medical inspection authorities.”

Lin Xiuling’s eyes narrowed slightly, but she quickly regained her composure.

Zhao Xiaodong looked at her, his tone turning sharp.

“People in love can’t tolerate even a grain of sand in their eyes, and Yang Wen-Hua is the damn annoying grain of sand!”

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Xiuling’s expression darkened completely. She placed both hands on the desk and leaned forward slightly, glaring sharply at Zhao Xiaodong.

“Dr. Zhao, watch your language.”

Zhao Xiaodong was about to say something, but Lin Xiuling interrupted him without the slightest courtesy.

“I’m still working. Please stop bothering me.”

She pointed toward the door. Her voice was not loud, but it carried an unmistakable command.

“Please leave.”

Zhao Xiaodong froze for a moment. Clearly, he had not expected Lin Xiuling to order him out so directly.

“Fine, then!”

His expression immediately turned ugly, and his emotions finally got out of control. He stood up and pointed sharply at Lin Xiuling, his voice rising with anger.

“You’re kicking me out?”

Lin Xiuling did not back down. She slowly stood up, folded her arms across her chest, and coldly met his gaze.

“Yes, Dr. Zhao.”

The title sounded polite, but it was actually filled with sarcasm.

Zhao Xiaodong stared at her for a long moment, his chest heaving violently. He wanted to explode in anger, but faced with Lin Xiuling’s unyielding gaze, he ultimately forced himself to suppress it. Suddenly, he put on a conciliatory smile, as if the confrontation had never happened.

“Okay, Xiuling. You’re angry right now, so I’m not going to argue with you.”

He picked up his phone from the desk and forced a smile.

“Once you’ve calmed down, I’ll apologize to you.”

Lin Xiuling did not answer. She simply looked at him coldly. Zhao Xiaodong did not stay to embarrass himself any further. He turned and walked toward the door.

When he reached the doorway, he looked back at Lin Xiuling, unwillingness still visible in his eyes. But Lin Xiuling had already returned to her desk and did not even look at him again.

The office door slowly closed behind him.

Only after his footsteps gradually disappeared at the end of the corridor did Lin Xiuling let out a long breath. She looked down at the bouquet of flowers on the desk.

Zhao Xiaodong had just treated them as a gift meant to repair their relationship, but in her eyes, the brightly colored flowers now looked particularly offensive. She reached out and picked up the bouquet, without the slightest hesitation.

The next second, she turned and hurled the entire bouquet into the trash can beside her.

With a loud thud, the bouquet landed in the trash, and several petals fell out of the wrapping paper.

Lin Xiuling stood there, watching the flowers become covered by the garbage, her chest still rising and falling with anger. She returned to her chair and sat down, folding her arms across her chest. The anger on her face lingered for a long time.

She knew that from this day forward, she and Zhao Xiaodong would probably never be able to return to the way they had been before.

What made her even more certain was that she no longer wanted to let anyone hurt Yang Wen-Hua.

At that thought, her gaze gradually became resolute. The office once again fell silent, with only the faint glow of the computer screen illuminating her face.

At that moment, Lin Xiuling knew for the first time with complete clarity that the person she truly wanted to protect was Yang Wen-Hua.

52. Guanghua Hospital in Taitung

Early that morning, Guanghua Hospital in Taitung was still shrouded in a faint morning mist. The sky outside had only just begun to brighten, and the lights in the inpatient building were coming on one by one. From time to time, nurses could be seen hurrying down the corridors pushing treatment carts.

The on-call room, however, was already busy. Several medical records and examination reports were piled on the desk, while the coffee machine in the corner occasionally gave off a low mechanical hum. The air was filled with a mixture of coffee and disinfectant.

In the center of the surgical department’s on-call room stood a long table. Yang Wen-Hua, Su Junsheng, and Guo Xin-Mei were seated around it, with a complete medical record of a liver cancer patient spread across the tabletop.

Su Junsheng stood up, holding two X-ray images in his hands. He walked to the projection screen, raised his hand, and secured the images to the screen with magnetic strips. Then he stepped back two paces and narrowed his eyes as he examined them carefully.

The projector light came on, and the two images appeared clearly before the three of them. Su Junsheng folded his arms across his chest, and his expression gradually became more solemn.

“Judging from these two images, the liver cancer in the patient’s right hepatic lobe has already shown localized spread.”

He walked closer to the screen and pointed to the location of the lesion on the image.

“My preliminary assessment is that we can remove one-third of the hepatic lobe. As for the tissue that has already spread, we can use electrocautery and a laser scalpel at the same time to remove it, doing our best to clear away all visible cancerous tissue. That should reduce the risk of postoperative recurrence.”

After saying this, he turned to Yang Wen-Hua, a hint of inquiry in his eyes. Su Junsheng was actually eager to hear Yang Wen-Hua’s opinion.

Ever since he had followed Yang Wen-Hua to Guanghua Hospital, he had discovered that this senior who had graduated two years before him approached medical cases somewhat differently from ordinary surgeons.

He did not simply focus on the lesion in front of him. Instead, he was accustomed to considering the patient’s overall physical condition, the cause of the disease, and the problems that might arise after surgery all at the same time.

Yang Wen-Hua had been listening quietly. Sitting beside the table, he rested his right hand lightly on the medical record, his eyes remaining fixed on the images projected on the screen.

After listening to Su Junsheng’s analysis, he did not answer immediately. Instead, he picked up the medical record from the table and flipped through several more pages.

His brow furrowed slightly.

After a moment, he raised his head.

“Junsheng, although this patient’s liver cancer is the most urgent problem we need to deal with right now, we can’t look at the tumor alone.”

Su Junsheng immediately turned around.

Yang Wen-Hua stood up and walked to the projection screen.

“The patient’s liver cancer was caused by hepatitis C. That is very important.”

He picked up a pen and lightly tapped the medical record.

“In other words, his liver function has already been compromised. If we remove one-third of the hepatic lobe right now, we may be able to remove the main lesion in the short term. But for a patient whose liver function is already poor, we have to consider whether the remaining liver can withstand such an operation.”

As Su Junsheng listened, his arms, which had been folded across his chest, slowly dropped to his sides.

Yang Wen-Hua walked to the screen and continued, pointing at the location of the tumor.

“So my approach is different. I would first consider using a laser scalpel to remove the primary tumor, combined with electrocautery to treat the blood vessels in the affected area, doing our best to cut off the cancer cells’ nutrient supply chain, rather than rashly removing a large portion of the hepatic lobe.”

He paused, then shifted his gaze from the image to Su Junsheng.

“At the same time, we should treat the hepatitis C itself, using long-acting interferon in combination with ribavirin to reduce the amount of hepatitis C virus in the body as much as possible. Only by controlling the factors that are causing continued damage to the liver will we have a chance of truly preserving the liver.”

Guo Xin-Mei was sitting to one side, initially looking down at the medical record. Now she also raised her head. Her gaze moved back and forth between Yang Wen-Hua and the projection screen, and admiration gradually appeared in her eyes.

Su Junsheng, meanwhile, fell into thought. He walked back to the table, braced both hands against it, and looked again at the patient’s images.

“But, Senior...”

He was silent for a moment before continuing.

“If we don’t remove as much of the potentially cancerous tissue as possible, it will be very difficult to prevent the cancer cells from recurring and spreading.”

Yang Wen-Hua nodded. “Your concern is valid.” He did not reject Su Junsheng’s opinion. Instead, he walked over to him and explained calmly, “But we can’t focus only on removing the tumor in front of us. This patient’s problem isn’t just the tumor. His liver has been under continuous chronic damage caused by hepatitis C.”

He reached out and gently tapped the medical record. “If we simply remove the tumor without controlling the hepatitis C, the disease affecting the liver itself will continue. So even if this surgery is successful, new cancerous growth could still develop in the future.”

Su Junsheng nodded thoughtfully.

Yang Wen-Hua continued, “So, only by effectively reducing the amount of hepatitis C virus in the liver can we have a chance of reducing the risk of liver cancer recurrence and metastasis at its source. Treatment isn’t just about focusing on one tumor. We have to address the entire chain of factors causing the disease.”

The on-call room fell silent for several seconds. The morning light outside gradually brightened, shining into the room through the gaps in the curtains and falling across the three of them. Su Junsheng looked at the images again, then lowered his head and reviewed the patient’s liver function test results. After a while, he raised his head, and the doubt that had originally been on his face had gradually turned into understanding.

“I understand.”

He looked at Yang Wen-Hua and could not help smiling. “Senior, you really do consider things more comprehensively than I do.”

Guo Xin-Mei, sitting nearby, also smiled. She gently closed the medical record, her eyes filled with obvious admiration.

“Brother Wen-Hua, your way of thinking really is different from ours.”

She tilted her head slightly and looked at Yang Wen-Hua. “When we used to analyze cases, the first thing we usually thought about was how to treat the lesion. But you start with the patient’s overall condition. You even take the cause of the disease, the liver’s own function, and the problems that might occur after surgery into consideration all at once.”

She smiled and shook her head. “It really opened my eyes.”

Yang Wen-Hua looked at the two young physicians, a faint smile appearing on his face.

“It’s not that my method is necessarily better. It’s that as doctors, we can’t just deal with the problem in front of us and assume that everything is over. What the patient wants is to stay alive, not a beautiful surgical report.”

Those words made Su Junsheng pause. He looked at Yang Wen-Hua, and his respect for his senior grew even stronger.

He had always believed that the most important ability for a surgeon was the courage to make an incision and the courage to take risks. But at that moment, he suddenly understood that a truly skilled doctor does not always distinguish himself by knowing when to operate, but by knowing when not to operate rashly.

He nodded. “All right, Senior. You’ve convinced me.”

Yang Wen-Hua smiled and reorganized the medical records.

“Then this case will be yours to operate on.”

Su Junsheng’s eyes immediately lit up. “Really?”

Yang Wen-Hua looked at him and nodded with a smile. “Of course. Your judgment just now wasn’t wrong. You simply need to think one step further. This time, put everything we discussed today into practice in the operating room.”

Su Junsheng immediately straightened up, his expression becoming serious.

“All right, Senior. I’ll do my best.”

With that, he turned to Guo Xin-Mei beside him.

“Xin-Mei, are you up for it?”

Guo Xin-Mei did not answer immediately. She first lowered her head and looked at the medical record, then raised her eyes to the images on the projection screen, as if mentally going through the entire surgical procedure again. A few seconds later, she looked up with a confident smile. She raised her right hand and gave a clear OK sign.

“Yes.”

Her voice was firm and strong.

“We’ll make sure this surgery goes well.”

Yang Wen-Hua looked at the two of them, a gratified smile appearing on his face.

The morning light outside had now fully risen, illuminating the hospital’s gray-and-white buildings and shining onto the table covered with medical records inside the on-call room.

To Yang Wen-Hua, this was more than a discussion of a liver cancer case. He knew that true medical skill had never been about how capable one person was. What mattered was whether the experience he had accumulated could be passed on to the next generation of doctors, so that one day they, too, could stand on their own.

And Su Junsheng and Guo Xin-Mei standing before him were clearly ready.

He gathered up the medical records and took one last look at the images on the projection screen. A thought quietly surfaced in his mind—

Perhaps it was time to let them step onto the operating table on their own.

53. The Surgical Department Operating Room

Early that morning at Guanghua Hospital in Taitung, the sunlight had only just risen above the distant mountain peaks, yet the operating room in the surgical department was already flooded with cold white light. The heavy automatic doors blocked out the sounds from outside. The air was filled with the strong smell of disinfectant, while the monitors emitted a steady beeping sound that blended with the hushed conversations of the medical staff in the operating room.

On the operating table, the liver cancer patient lay quietly, the anesthetized body completely entrusted to the medical team’s care. Su Junsheng stood on one side of the operating table, his eyes fixed on the liver inside the incision, tiny beads of sweat already appearing on his forehead. Even though the air conditioning in the operating room was set very low, he did not dare let his hand holding the instruments relax in the slightest.

Guo Xin-Mei stood on the other side. Her mask covered most of her face, leaving only a pair of focused eyes visible. From time to time, she looked up to check the patient’s vital signs on the monitor, then quickly returned her attention to the surgical field.

The three nurses each had their own responsibilities. The scrub nurse skillfully passed surgical instruments, another nurse was responsible for monitoring and recording, and the third nurse was always ready to replenish whatever supplies were needed for the surgery.

The entire surgical team made almost no unnecessary movements.

On the other side of a large observation window, Yang Wen-Hua stood inside the observation room. He did not put on surgical attire and stand directly beside the operating table. Instead, he observed the progress of the surgery through a real-time video feed.

The screens in front of him clearly displayed the surgical field and the patient’s vital signs. His gaze was calm and sharp, his hands resting naturally at his sides, yet his expression was more focused than anyone else’s.

This was a true test for Su Junsheng and Guo Xin-Mei.

Yang Wen-Hua knew that both of them already had the ability to operate independently. But once they actually stood at the operating table, every detail they encountered could be completely different from the theories in their textbooks.

He trusted them, but he also did not dare to let his guard down.

When the surgery reached the stage of separating the tumor, Su Junsheng’s expression suddenly became even more serious.

“Xin-Mei, watch this area.”

Guo Xin-Mei immediately moved closer. “I see it.”

Both of their eyes focused on the tissue surrounding the tumor.

At that moment, Yang Wen-Hua’s steady voice came from the observation room.

“When separating the cancerous tumor, use the electrosurgical device to control the bleeding promptly, then deal with the surrounding microvessels. Don’t let the bleeding obstruct your view.”

Yang Wen-Hua’s voice came through the microphone into the operating room. He did not raise his volume, yet there was a reassuring strength in his voice that naturally calmed people down.

Su Junsheng glanced up, then immediately lowered his head again.

“Got it, Senior.”

He took a deep breath, focused his attention, and carefully began separating the tumor.

A moment later, a cancerous tumor covered in blood was completely removed from the cut liver tissue.

“First one.”

The scrub nurse immediately brought a ceramic dish closer. Su Junsheng gently placed the tumor into the dish.

But he did not relax because of this. His eyes remained fixed on the incision because he knew the real test was not over yet.

“There’s another one,” Guo Xin-Mei reminded him.

Su Junsheng nodded slightly.

The second tumor was in a more difficult location, and the distribution of blood vessels in the surrounding tissue was more complicated. He slowed his movements, sweat running down his temple. Guo Xin-Mei immediately reached over and suctioned away the blood obstructing his view.

“Junsheng, there’s bleeding here.”

“Got it.”

Guo Xin-Mei quickly picked up a hemostatic sponge and accurately absorbed the oozing blood. Her movements were steady and efficient, and her eyes never left the surgical field.

Just as Su Junsheng was preparing to proceed, Guo Xin-Mei had already handed him the electrosurgical device.

“Here.”

Su Junsheng took the instrument. “Thanks.”

He immediately followed Yang Wen-Hua’s earlier instructions and treated the blood vessels around the tumor. After the electrosurgical device was applied, the bleeding was quickly brought under control. Su Junsheng’s brow gradually relaxed.

“Done.”

In the observation room, Yang Wen-Hua kept his eyes fixed on the screen. Seeing this, a barely noticeable smile finally appeared at the corners of his mouth.

“That’s it.”

His tone was not so much praise as the final confirmation a teacher gives a student at a critical moment.

But his next words immediately made the two surgeons tense up again.

“There’s another tumor below the right hepatic lobe.”

Su Junsheng was slightly startled. He checked the images again.

“I see it.”

Yang Wen-Hua’s voice remained steady.

“Don’t miss it. Deal with it as well.”

“Understood.”

Su Junsheng nodded and adjusted his stance.

Guo Xin-Mei also moved closer to the operating table, without the slightest trace of panic in her eyes.

“Let’s do it together.”

Su Junsheng looked at her, and the two exchanged a glance.

At that moment, they both understood that the surgery had reached its most critical stage.

Time passed second by second. Apart from the regular sounds of the equipment, there was no unnecessary noise in the operating room.

Only after the final tumor had been properly treated did Su Junsheng slowly let out a long breath. He raised his head and looked at Guo Xin-Mei.

Guo Xin-Mei looked back at him, and a trace of relief appeared in both of their eyes at the same time.

But they knew the surgery was not truly over yet.

Only after completing the final checks and procedures did the surgical team finally breathe a sigh of relief.

In the observation room, Yang Wen-Hua also slowly relaxed his tense shoulders. He watched the patient’s vital signs gradually stabilize on the screen, a gratified smile appearing on his face.

This time, he had not personally stood at the operating table.

But he knew that what truly mattered was not that he had once again completed an impressive operation. What mattered was that Su Junsheng and Guo Xin-Mei had begun to learn how to face a patient’s life independently.

That was the result he truly wanted to see.

Outside the operating room, however, the waiting seemed especially long for the patient’s family members. Several family members sat anxiously on the benches outside the operating room, looking up at the tightly closed doors from time to time.

Some clasped their hands tightly. Some whispered prayers. Others kept looking at the clock on the wall.

Suddenly, the green indicator light above the operating room door came on.

Several family members immediately stood up.

The operating room door was pushed open by a nurse.

Su Junsheng came out first, with Guo Xin-Mei close behind him. Although both were wearing masks, the obvious fatigue on their faces was still visible. Yet their eyes held the steadiness and relief that came with completing the surgery.

Several family members immediately gathered around them.

“Doctor, how is my family member?”

“Was the surgery successful?”

“Is the condition stable now?”

A series of anxious questions poured out all at once.

Su Junsheng raised his hand, signaling everyone to calm down first.

“Everyone, please don’t be nervous. The surgery was completed successfully. The patient’s vital signs are stable at the moment. We’ll need to continue with further observation and care.”

Hearing this, one of the family members immediately had tears in their eyes. They clasped their hands together and let out a long breath.

“Thank you, Doctor... Thank you so much.”

Su Junsheng nodded slightly.

“It’s what we’re supposed to do.”

Guo Xin-Mei, standing beside him, also gave a tired but relieved smile.

Just then, a side door on the other end of the hallway quietly opened.

Yang Wen-Hua walked out from inside.

He did not interrupt the two doctors while they were answering the family’s questions. He simply stood a little farther away and watched them.

There was a trace of satisfaction in his eyes.

Su Junsheng seemed to sense his gaze and looked up.

Their eyes met across the hallway.

Yang Wen-Hua said nothing. He simply raised his right hand high and gave Su Junsheng and Guo Xin-Mei a V sign.

It was a simple gesture, yet it meant more than many complicated words of praise.

Su Junsheng looked at the gesture, and a smile immediately appeared on his face.

Guo Xin-Mei smiled as well.

The two of them knew that this surgery had not only given the patient another chance to live. It also represented an important step forward in their ability to operate independently.

Yang Wen-Hua did not stay to receive anyone’s thanks. He simply lowered his hand with an easy gesture, turned around, and slowly walked away down the other side of the corridor.

Morning sunlight streamed through the hospital’s tall glass windows and fell across his back.

He did not walk quickly, yet his expression was exceptionally relaxed.

Because he knew that true medical mentorship was not about standing forever in front of one’s students and shielding them from every storm. It was about letting go at the right moment and allowing them to face the weight of human life on their own.

And today, Su Junsheng and Guo Xin-Mei had proven that they were ready.

54. Intrigue in the Surgical Department

Early that morning at Guanghua Hospital in Taitung, the sun had just risen above the distant mountains when pale golden light slanted through the gaps between the blinds in the conference room, falling across the long table, case folders, and faces with various expressions. A characteristically quiet atmosphere filled the surgical department’s conference room. The air conditioner in the corner continued to emit a low hum, while several cups of steaming coffee on the table showed that the morning meeting had only just begun.

Director Shao Qingyang sat at the head of the long table, flipping through a thick case file. Although he was no longer young, he still maintained his usual calm and clear tone of voice. Sitting on either side of him were Chen Binghuang, Yang Wen-Hua, Su Junsheng, Guo Xin-Mei, and two other physicians, all listening quietly.

“Let’s start today by discussing a breast cancer patient.”

Shao Qingyang raised his head and looked at everyone before slowly continuing, “The patient is a woman around forty years old and the CEO of a corporate group. Her work is extremely demanding, so her biggest request is to be able to return to work as soon as possible after surgery.”

As he spoke, he took an imaging report from the case file, stood up, and walked to the projection screen. He placed the image on the screen. The projector immediately lit up, and a clear image of the breast tumor appeared on the white screen.

Shao Qingyang raised his hand and pointed to the location of the lesion in the image.

“Based on the imaging, the cancerous tumor is approximately the size of a one-yuan coin. At present, it appears to be within a treatable range.”

He paused, then turned toward Yang Wen-Hua, his tone becoming more serious.

“So, I’ve decided to assign this case to Wen-Hua and have him form a medical team to take responsibility for it.”

Yang Wen-Hua had been looking down at the case file in his hands. Hearing his name, he raised his head and met Shao Qingyang’s eyes. He did not speak immediately, only giving a slight nod.

Shao Qingyang continued, “Wen-Hua’s minimally invasive surgical skills, combined with his expertise in reconstructive and aesthetic procedures, should allow us to balance treatment effectiveness with the patient’s postoperative appearance.”

“There’s one more thing. This patient knows that our hospital has long been committed to providing mobile medical services in underserved rural areas. She has also said that after the surgery is completed, she is willing to donate a sum of money to support our rural medical services this year.”

Yang Wen-Hua’s brow relaxed slightly, but his expression showed no particular reaction to the donation. He closed the case file and said calmly, “All right, Director. I’ll first reexamine the affected area and confirm the patient’s current condition, then arrange the most appropriate date for the surgery.”

“Good.”

Shao Qingyang nodded.

At this point, Chen Binghuang, sitting nearby, suddenly leaned forward slightly. He folded his hands on the table, his face showing an expression as though he had given the matter considerable thought.

“Director, I actually have an idea.”

Shao Qingyang looked at him.

“Go ahead.”

Chen Binghuang deliberately paused for a moment before saying, “There will probably be more and more cases like this in the future, cases that require us to take both surgery and reconstructive appearance into consideration. I think the hospital should consider establishing a separate plastic surgery department and purchasing specialized equipment and instruments. Then, whenever we encounter cases like this, they could all be assigned to Wen-Hua.”

The conference room fell briefly silent.

Su Junsheng, sitting beside Yang Wen-Hua, quietly glanced at Chen Binghuang from the corner of his eye. He knew this attending physician Chen very well. On the surface, Chen appeared to be planning the hospital’s professional departments, even seeming to seek better opportunities for Yang Wen-Hua’s career development. But Su Junsheng knew very well that things were probably not that simple.

Shao Qingyang did not answer immediately. Instead, he leaned back in his chair and folded his hands across his chest.

“Binghuang, it’s not that I haven’t considered your idea,” he said calmly. “In fact, I brought this matter up with the hospital administration twice before. But the previous hospital directors all believed that the number of cases truly requiring plastic surgery in the Taitung area was limited. Establishing a complete specialty department for only a small number of cases would make the medical costs too high. So they never approved it.”

Hearing this, Guo Xin-Mei could not help slightly furrowing her brows. She had not been at Guanghua Hospital for very long and was not yet completely familiar with the interpersonal relationships and power structure here. But from the perspective of medical expertise, she did not think Chen Binghuang’s proposal was actually wrong.

She raised her head and said seriously, “Director, I have a thought.”

Shao Qingyang nodded slightly, signaling her to continue.

Guo Xin-Mei straightened up, her tone very serious.

“Plastic surgery has its own specialized field, along with corresponding equipment and instruments. General surgery can handle some related cases, but it ultimately cannot completely replace plastic surgery. From the perspective of professional medical specialization, I believe plastic surgery should gradually become independent from general surgery. That would be more consistent with the trend toward modern medical specialization.”

After she finished speaking, the conference room fell silent again.

Su Junsheng, sitting beside her, suddenly blinked several times in rapid succession and even shook his head slightly.

Guo Xin-Mei froze for a moment and turned to look at him. His expression clearly told her not to say anything more.

A strange surge of irritation immediately rose inside her.

What are you doing? she grumbled to herself. I didn’t say anything wrong.

She even pursed her lips somewhat defiantly. She was clearly talking about medical specialization, so why did Su Junsheng seem to be stopping her as though she were about to step on some forbidden land mine?

Shao Qingyang obviously had not taken Guo Xin-Mei’s words to heart. He simply smiled faintly.

“Xin-Mei, what you said makes sense,” he told her. “However, when a hospital divides its medical specialties, it has to consider not only medical needs but also actual staffing and costs.”

As he spoke, he turned to Yang Wen-Hua.

“Over the past two years, many of the more difficult and higher-risk cases in the surgical department have been handled personally by Wen-Hua. Given the current situation, establishing a plastic surgery department would certainly represent the hospital’s recognition of Wen-Hua’s professional abilities. But in terms of his actual workload, it wouldn’t have much practical significance.”

Shao Qingyang reorganized the documents in his hands, his tone gradually becoming more restrained.

“All right. That’s all for today’s meeting. Everyone still has work to do, so go back and get busy.”

The legs of the chairs made faint scraping sounds against the floor as everyone gradually stood up. Several physicians organized their documents while talking quietly, and soon they divided into several groups and left the conference room.

Yang Wen-Hua put the case materials into his folder. When he stood up, Su Junsheng and Guo Xin-Mei followed behind him.

The three of them returned to the emergency department on the first floor. The emergency area was still bustling. Nurses hurried past pushing hospital beds, while telephone rings, footsteps, and equipment alerts blended together.

Yang Wen-Hua first walked into the on-call room, but Guo Xin-Mei suddenly reached out and grabbed Su Junsheng by the arm.

“Junsheng.”

Su Junsheng turned around. Seeing the puzzled yet somewhat displeased expression on her face, he could not help smiling.

“What’s wrong?”

Guo Xin-Mei lowered her voice.

“Why were you constantly telling me not to say anything in the conference room just now?”

Su Junsheng did not answer immediately. Instead, he looked around, then nodded toward the water dispenser.

“Let’s talk over there.”

The two walked to the water dispenser along one side of the hallway. It was quieter here than outside the on-call room, with only the occasional faint hum of the water dispenser.

Su Junsheng slipped both hands into the pockets of his white coat and leaned against the wall. His expression became much more serious than before.

“Xin-Mei, you just got here. There are many things whose reasons you don’t know yet.”

Guo Xin-Mei crossed her arms, raising her eyebrows slightly.

“What reasons? From what I heard just now, it was obvious that Director Shao was deliberately suppressing Wen-Hua and not letting him stand out.”

Su Junsheng shook his head.

“What you saw was actually only the surface of the problem.”

Guo Xin-Mei stared at him for several seconds, the corners of her mouth slowly curving into a half-smile.

“That sounds pretty mysterious.”

Su Junsheng gave a bitter smile.

“Attending Physician Chen has always been quite wary of Senior Wen-Hua.”

“Why?”

“Because Senior Wen-Hua isn’t just far ahead of him in knowledge and technical ability. More importantly, Wen-Hua is proactive, willing to take responsibility, and has been highly valued by Director Shao over the past two years.”

Guo Xin-Mei’s eyes narrowed slightly. She seemed to have guessed something.

“You mean... Attending Physician Chen is worried that Wen-Hua will take his attending position someday?”

“You’re thinking about it too simply.”

There was a trace of helplessness in Su Junsheng’s voice.

Guo Xin-Mei could not help giving a bitter smile.

“I guess I really am thinking too simply. Looks like I still haven’t figured out your workplace culture here.”

She deliberately emphasized the words “workplace culture,” making Su Junsheng laugh.

But after laughing, his expression became serious again.

“Haven’t you noticed? In the entire surgical department of the emergency department, the only two people who actually need to take turns covering the emergency department are Wen-Hua and me.”

Guo Xin-Mei froze.

“Attending Physician Chen and the other two doctors basically only handle outpatient clinics.”

“Exactly.”

Su Junsheng nodded.

“You probably noticed soon after you reported for duty. The workload here really isn’t distributed very evenly.”

Guo Xin-Mei pursed her lips.

“Of course I noticed. No wonder Director Shao specifically asked me on my first day whether I was sure I wanted to follow Yang Wen-Hua.”

At this point, she suddenly seemed to understand something.

“So, because I chose to follow Wen-Hua, Director Shao assigned me to the emergency department and put me on alternating shifts with the two of you?”

“Exactly.”

Su Junsheng nodded.

“Director actually wants you to learn something for real.”

Guo Xin-Mei was silent for a moment before asking, “Then what was the purpose behind Attending Physician Chen proposing the establishment of a plastic surgery department?”

Su Junsheng glanced at her, lowering his voice even further.

“On the surface, he was considering the hospital’s professional specialization. But in reality, he was plotting something else.”

Guo Xin-Mei’s expression gradually became serious.

“He doesn’t want Wen-Hua to become too prominent.”

“Exactly.”

“So he wants plastic surgery to become an independent department?”

Su Junsheng nodded slightly.

“Besides not wanting Senior Wen-Hua to become his direct competitor in the future, his longer-term plan is to take over the director’s position after Director Shao reaches retirement age.”

Guo Xin-Mei’s eyes widened.

“I see.”

She had originally thought that at most, the doctors at the hospital simply had different medical philosophies. She had never imagined that a seemingly straightforward proposal to establish a separate specialty could also involve a plan for the director’s position.

She could not help shaking her head.

“I didn’t realize Attending Physician Chen was such a calculating old fox.”

Su Junsheng laughed.

“I have to admit, I agree with that description.”

“But why is Attending Physician Chen so confident?”

Su Junsheng’s smile disappeared.

“Because he’s Director Shao’s cousin.”

Guo Xin-Mei’s expression immediately became complicated.

“So there’s that relationship too.”

“Before Wen-Hua appeared, he had always optimistically believed that when Director Shao retired, the director’s position would definitely be handed to him.”

Su Junsheng could not help letting out a quiet sigh.

“But his problems are also obvious. He’s lazy by nature, lacks ambition, and prefers an easy life. Whenever he encounters a difficult case, his first thought isn’t how to solve it, but how to push it off onto someone else.”

Guo Xin-Mei listened silently, and the image of Chen Binghuang’s seemingly friendly yet calculating face in the conference room gradually surfaced in her mind.

“So Director Shao saw through him a long time ago.”

“Exactly.”

Su Junsheng nodded.

“Director has already made up his mind. Before he retires, he wants to hand this position over to Senior Wen-Hua.”

Guo Xin-Mei thought for a while, still somewhat puzzled.

“But if Director Shao wants to give the position to Wen-Hua, what does that have to do with establishing a plastic surgery department?”

“On the surface, they’re two separate matters. In reality, though, they can serve as checks on each other.”

Su Junsheng looked at her and explained patiently.

“Think about it. If plastic surgery really became an independent department, wouldn’t Attending Physician Chen be able to rest easy? Wen-Hua would no longer compete directly with him, and his workload in general surgery could also be reduced somewhat in name. But Wen-Hua’s professional abilities wouldn’t disappear because of that. He would still have to cross over into general surgery to handle the truly difficult cases that other people don’t want to touch.”

Guo Xin-Mei stood there silently for several seconds. She reorganized everything Su Junsheng had just said in her mind.

Finally, she understood.

She slowly nodded.

“I get it.”

She raised her head and looked at Su Junsheng.

“According to what you’re saying, Attending Physician Chen’s proposal really is malicious. It’s basically a fox paying respects to a rooster!”

Su Junsheng finally could not help laughing.

“That’s exactly what it is.”

Guo Xin-Mei’s expression, however, did not completely relax.

“Then I’ll have to be more careful from now on and watch out for Attending Physician Chen and his people.”

“Just be careful yourself.”

After saying this, Su Junsheng suddenly revealed a meaningful smile.

“But there’s something you may not know.”

“What?”

“Senior Wen-Hua once talked to me privately. He said that in a few more years, after I’ve truly learned all the skills he has, he’ll recommend me to Director Shao to take over his position.”

Guo Xin-Mei froze.

“And then?”

“Then he’ll return to the health center in Alishan.”

Guo Xin-Mei’s expression immediately became incredulous.

“The health center in Alishan?”

“Yeah.”

“Wouldn’t that be a waste of his talents?”

Su Junsheng nodded with a bitter smile.

“It certainly would.”

He looked toward the on-call room in the distance, admiration in his eyes.

“That’s why I deliberately keep him busy. With Senior Wen-Hua’s knowledge, technical ability, and capacity for innovation and research, if he were willing to move on, major teaching hospitals would probably recruit him very quickly. If he really went to a place like that, given his abilities, he would at least become the head of a department.”

As she listened, Guo Xin-Mei could not help looking toward the on-call room as well. Through the half-open door, she could vaguely see Yang Wen-Hua sitting inside and reviewing case files.

At that moment, she suddenly remembered something her father had mentioned before.

“You’re right,” she said softly. “My father’s Fudan Hospital in Shanghai has also been trying to recruit Yang Wen-Hua. They even wanted him to go there and establish a plastic surgery department.”

Su Junsheng turned his head.

“Really?”

“Really.”

Guo Xin-Mei nodded.

“But he doesn’t seem very interested.”

Hearing this, a faint smile appeared at the corners of Su Junsheng’s mouth.

“That’s exactly what I respect most about Senior Wen-Hua.”

His eyes once again turned toward the on-call room.

“Some doctors go to great lengths to climb the ladder. They find ways to package themselves as famous doctors, then use the title of a famous doctor to gain fame and fortune. But Senior Wen-Hua isn’t that kind of person. What he truly cares about is what patients need and whether he can do something for them.”

Guo Xin-Mei said nothing.

She looked at the half-open door, and an indescribable emotion suddenly rose inside her.

She knew what Fudan Hospital in Shanghai represented. She also knew that if Yang Wen-Hua really stayed in Shanghai, his future could almost be described as limitless.

Yet a man like that would rather stay in Taitung and even planned to return to the health center in Alishan someday.

For the first time, she truly realized that Yang Wen-Hua seemed genuinely different from all the doctors she had known in the past.

“Yang Wen-Hua...”

She silently repeated his name in her heart.

“What is it that you really want?”

She suddenly understood that, to Yang Wen-Hua, fame, position, and money might never have been the most important things.

And precisely because of that, she became even more unwilling to watch such a capable man remain buried in a remote and impoverished place.

Guo Xin-Mei’s eyes gradually became determined.

“Yang Wen-Hua, you really are a compassionate doctor,” she said silently to herself. “But I can’t just stand by and let someone with your talent remain buried.”

Just then, Su Junsheng suddenly patted her on the shoulder.

“Oh, by the way, Senior Wen-Hua’s birthday is in a couple of days.”

Guo Xin-Mei came back to herself and turned to look at him.

A warm smile appeared on Su Junsheng’s face.

“He’s taken care of me a lot over the past two years, both as a mentor and as a friend. I’ve always wanted to find an opportunity to show him my appreciation. Xin-Mei, you’ve spent some time with him too. Why don’t we celebrate his birthday together?”

Guo Xin-Mei was startled at first, then smiled.

Her smile was much more relaxed than before, and her eyes brightened.

“Of course!”

After saying that, she could not help glancing toward the on-call room again.

At that moment, there was still a smile at the corners of her mouth, but quietly, a thought known only to herself had taken root in her heart.

Perhaps this would not be just a birthday gathering.

Perhaps she could use this opportunity to learn more about that man who always hid himself behind his white doctor’s coat, yet had never cared much about fame or status.

55. An Unforgettable Birthday Party

Night had already fallen over Taitung. The road outside the doctors’ dormitory at Guanghua Hospital was exceptionally quiet. A few dim streetlights cast long, slender shadows from the trees, while occasional evening breezes drifted in from outside the hospital grounds, carrying the coolness of where the mountains and sea met.

Inside the common room of the doctors’ dormitory, however, soft lights were glowing. A small cake, champagne, and several glasses of drinks had already been arranged on the long table. Several unlit candles were inserted into the center of the cake, and two beautifully wrapped gifts sat beside it.

Su Junsheng and Guo Xin-Mei each took one of Yang Wen-Hua’s arms and escorted him into the common room.

“Slow down. Where exactly are you two taking me?”

Half pushed and half pulled into the room by the two of them, Yang Wen-Hua wore a somewhat puzzled smile. He had been trying to guess what was going on all along, but Su Junsheng and Guo Xin-Mei seemed to have planned everything together. No matter how much he questioned them, they simply kept urging him forward.

It was not until he stepped into the common room and saw the cake and drinks on the table that Yang Wen-Hua suddenly stopped.

His eyes fell on the cake. He was startled for a moment, then, as if he had finally remembered something, a gentle smile slowly appeared on his face.

“I was wondering what could possibly be so important that you two had to bring me to the common room to discuss it.”

He smiled and shook his head.

“So the two of you have been waiting for me here.”

Standing beside him, Guo Xin-Mei wore a triumphant expression, as if her plan had succeeded perfectly.

“Brother Wen-Hua, if you knew it was a birthday party, you definitely wouldn’t have come!”

As she spoke, she pushed him toward the table and made him sit down.

“So we had no choice but to trick you into coming.”

“You...” Yang Wen-Hua looked at her and laughed helplessly.

Su Junsheng also came over and pulled out a chair for him.

“Wen-Hua, you’re always the one taking care of us. For once, we finally have a chance to show you a little appreciation. You can’t even deny us that opportunity.”

Listening to the two of them, Yang Wen-Hua let his eyes rest on their faces for a moment. A warm feeling suddenly rose inside him.

He had not really paid much attention to his birthday for a long time. To him, a birthday was simply an ordinary day in life—seeing patients, performing surgery, taking a shift, and then returning to the dormitory to rest, just as usual.

Being a doctor had long taught him to give his time to his patients, and he rarely thought about himself.

But tonight, looking at the two sincere and expectant faces before him, he suddenly realized that having people remember him was itself such a warm and comforting thing.

“Thank you,” he said softly.

Hearing this, the smile on Guo Xin-Mei’s face deepened.

“Don’t thank us just yet. There are still presents.”

After saying that, she picked up a lighter and lit the candles on the cake one by one.

The orange-yellow flames danced gently in her eyes, making her face look especially soft.

At the same time, Su Junsheng picked up his own gift.

The two exchanged a glance and, with remarkable coordination, simultaneously handed their gifts to Yang Wen-Hua.

“Brother, this is mine,” Guo Xin-Mei said with a smile. “Open it and see.”

Yang Wen-Hua took the gift and carefully unwrapped it.

The moment he opened the box, a delicate gold heart-shaped necklace came into view.

He froze for a moment, then looked up at Guo Xin-Mei, clear surprise in his eyes.

“Xin-Mei, this is too valuable.”

Guo Xin-Mei had expected him to say that and immediately shook her head.

“It’s not expensive. Really, it’s not.”

She took the necklace out of the box and gently held it in her palm.

“My father gave this to me when I graduated from medical school.”

Hearing that, Yang Wen-Hua felt even more embarrassed.

“If your father gave it to you, how could you possibly give it to me?”

Guo Xin-Mei looked at him, the corners of her lips curving up slightly.

“Because to me, it represents a blessing. Now I’m giving that blessing to you. I hope you’ll always be safe and healthy too.”

She said it naturally, but once the words left her mouth, her heart inexplicably beat a little faster.

She did not let Yang Wen-Hua notice anything unusual. She picked up the necklace and walked behind him.

“Come on. Let me put it on for you.”

Yang Wen-Hua did not refuse again. He simply lowered his head slightly.

Standing behind him, Guo Xin-Mei carefully brought the necklace around the back of his neck and fastened the clasp.

Her fingers accidentally brushed against the back of his neck. The distance between them suddenly became so close that her heart tightened slightly.

She could even smell the faint scent of disinfectant on him, along with the lingering hospital smell on his white coat.

For a moment, she became somewhat dazed.

The man before her was usually always calm and composed. He never panicked when facing patients and always stood at the front when dealing with difficult cases.

Yet now, sitting quietly before her and allowing her to put a necklace around his neck, he seemed exceptionally peaceful.

Guo Xin-Mei’s gaze rested on his profile for a moment, and a thought quietly passed through her mind.

Perhaps he really deserves someone to take good care of him.

She quickly came back to herself and casually stepped back.

“Done.”

Yang Wen-Hua lowered his head and looked at the heart-shaped necklace on his chest. He could not help smiling.

“It looks great. Thank you.”

“Good.”

Guo Xin-Mei kept her tone casual, but the smile on her face was gentler than before.

At this moment, Su Junsheng also handed over his gift.

“Wen-Hua, now it’s mine.”

Yang Wen-Hua took the box and opened it.

Inside was an electric shaver.

He glanced at it and immediately laughed.

“Junsheng, this is really practical.”

Su Junsheng deliberately looked him up and down, then said with a grin, “Of course it’s practical. Now you won’t have to wait for someone else to shave you. You can shave yourself clean first.”

Yang Wen-Hua froze for a moment, then laughed and glared at him.

“You kid. You’re getting better and better at joking around.”

The three of them immediately burst into laughter.

The atmosphere in the common room, which had been somewhat quiet before, suddenly became relaxed and warm.

Guo Xin-Mei looked at the two men before her and also felt an unusual sense of ease.

But just then, a rapid beeping sound suddenly came from the pager at Yang Wen-Hua’s waist.

“Beep—beep—”

The laughter instantly stopped.

Yang Wen-Hua instinctively looked down at the pager on his waist, and the smile on his face disappeared as well.

A doctor’s instincts told him that a call coming at this hour was probably not about something minor.

“The emergency department is calling me.”

He stood up, his expression already returning to the calm composure he always had when facing patients.

“There may be an emergency patient. I’ll go make a call.”

Guo Xin-Mei had still been immersed in the birthday-party atmosphere. Seeing this, she could not help frowning.

“Of all times, it had to be now...”

She glanced at the cake on the table and could not help pouting.

“The emergency desk really picked the wrong time. Why did they have to call now? What a mood killer.”

Looking at her somewhat reluctant expression, Yang Wen-Hua could not help smiling.

“The hospital doesn’t pick the time.”

After saying that, he walked to the office phone in the corner of the common room, picked up the receiver, and quickly dialed the extension.

Once the call connected, his expression quickly became serious.

“This is Yang Wen-Hua... Okay, I understand.”

He straightened up, his hand tightening slightly around the phone.

“I’ll be right there.”

After hanging up, he turned around.

Su Junsheng immediately noticed the change in his expression and stepped forward.

“An emergency?”

Yang Wen-Hua nodded.

“Yeah. A traffic accident victim. The condition is critical, and there are signs of internal bleeding. We need to operate immediately.”

The common room, which had been filled with laughter only moments before, instantly fell silent.

Guo Xin-Mei looked at the cake on the table, then at Yang Wen-Hua’s face, which had completely shifted into work mode.

She knew that for a doctor, a patient’s life always came first.

“Brother, I’ll go with you.”

She said it without hesitation.

Yang Wen-Hua looked at her as if he wanted to say something, but Guo Xin-Mei had already picked up her coat.

“Junsheng, please take care of things here. Put the cake and everything else away for now.”

Su Junsheng nodded.

“Okay. You two go ahead. I’ll clean everything up and then come meet you.”

Yang Wen-Hua said nothing more. He picked up his coat and hurried out of the common room with Guo Xin-Mei.

The night breeze blew directly into their faces as the two of them made their way through the passage connecting the doctors’ dormitory and the hospital.

The warm atmosphere of the birthday party had been completely replaced by the emergency call.

Guo Xin-Mei followed Yang Wen-Hua to the motorcycle and quickly climbed onto the back seat.

Yang Wen-Hua put on his helmet and started the engine.

The engine roared through the quiet night.

He turned back to make sure Guo Xin-Mei was seated securely before twisting the throttle.

“Hold on tight.”

“Okay.”

Guo Xin-Mei reached out and grabbed his waist.

The motorcycle immediately sped along the road from the dormitory to the hospital.

The night quickly receded behind them, while the lights of the hospital building ahead became increasingly clear.

Guo Xin-Mei held tightly onto Yang Wen-Hua, feeling the night wind rushing toward them, but she could not help thinking about the heart-shaped necklace from moments earlier.

She lowered her head and looked at her hand, then raised her eyes to Yang Wen-Hua’s back.

She had originally wanted only to give him a birthday blessing. She had never expected that the birthday celebration would be interrupted by a sudden emergency almost as soon as it began.

Yet she knew very clearly that this was Yang Wen-Hua’s life.

Whether it was a birthday, a holiday, or any other day worth celebrating, whenever a patient’s life was in danger, he would always turn around without hesitation and rush toward the emergency room.

And she did not know when it had begun, but she was increasingly willing to follow behind this man and accompany him as he rushed toward that place filled with the unknown and danger.