Volume 1: Rise
On Returning
I don’t want to see you wearing high heels to work anymore.
“Bang—” The third time she collided with the subway door, Yu Gui could no longer hold back her frustration. In the cramped space, just as she managed to turn around to curse a few words, she discovered the person was a burly man with a left green dragon and a right white tiger tattoo. So, she silently swallowed back her curses.
During the morning rush hour, the subway felt like a humid and stifling can, with people packed together, fermenting. Even with the air conditioning on, there was a thin, sticky layer on the skin. The fourth time she left a lip print on the subway door, Yu Gui was pushed out of the train. Just as she wanted to rush back in, the barrier doors in front of her screamed shut.
Yu Gui thumped her chest in frustration and glanced at her phone. There was less than ten minutes left until the designated reporting time. Today was her first day of clinical training, and she absolutely could not be late!
Her parents had repeatedly reminded her: this was an opportunity they had worked hard to secure for her, and she must cherish it, earn a gold star at the big hospital, and return home to bring glory to the family.
Yu Gui glanced at the station’s navigation map. There was still one more stop to the First Affiliated Hospital of Renji Medical University. She swung her backpack up onto her shoulder and thought, “Run, girl!!!”
“Beep beep—” The sound of car horns rose and fell, with hundreds of cars forming a long line at the traffic light. The road conditions during the morning rush hour were equally grim. Lu Qingshi glanced at her watch: 8:25. At this time on a normal day, she would have already been on duty in the department.
Last night, she had no idea what kind of people had moved in next door. They had been clattering and packing for most of the night, and just when it finally quieted down at dawn, a dog started barking in the hallway a few minutes later. She had wasted a rare day off. With dark circles under her eyes, Lu Qingshi yawned and prepared to shift gears.
The traffic light slowly turned green, but the line didn’t budge at all. Someone impatiently kept honking their horn, and Lu Qingshi rolled down the window.
“What’s going on? Are we moving or not?! I’m going to be late for work!” A guy on the other side leaned out of his car, smoking a cigarette, and immediately exclaimed “What the hell!” as he pulled back in.
“Bang—” A muffled sound echoed, and gasps arose from the crowd. The street during the morning rush hour felt like it had exploded, and sirens could be heard in the distance.
The keen instincts developed through her profession alerted Lu Qingshi to something unusual. She unbuckled her seatbelt, got out of the car, glanced back at the closed door, and pushed through the crowd of onlookers, sprinting away.
On the asphalt road, there were white skid marks left by sudden braking. After circling around a few times, a Range Rover finally came to a stop after crashing into a landscape tree on the sidewalk.
The traffic police set up a barrier to maintain order. Lu Qingshi displayed her identification: “I’m a doctor. Let me through.”
The crowd of onlookers grew larger, with some even pulling out their phones to take pictures. The traffic police glanced at her with some difficulty: “There… there is already a doctor on-site.”
As Lu Qingshi took out her phone to call the department and request an ambulance, she tilted her head to look for the doctor the traffic police had mentioned.
A blue windbreaker, high heels, paired with stockings and a short skirt.
She took a hurried glance and instinctively looked at the patient.
Jaw clenched.
Loss of consciousness.
Foaming at the mouth.
Whole body convulsing.
A series of medical terminologies raced through her mind, and in an instant, she had diagnosed him: epilepsy.
“Doctor, doctor, please save him!” The patient was convulsing uncontrollably. Yu Gui supported his head, and the foul-smelling foam sprayed into her palm. Several auxiliary police officers on-site were nearly losing control of the situation.
Yu Gui bit her lip. Could it be… epilepsy?
She wasn’t too sure…
What if it was some other brain disorder causing the convulsions…?
She couldn’t be sure; this wasn’t a cold, lifeless mannequin from the medical school or a cadaver. She was hesitant to take action recklessly.
“Doctor, doctor! Quickly press on his philtrum!1 Look, the convulsions are getting worse!”
The crowd of onlookers was becoming increasingly rowdy, with some even urging Yu Gui to stick her fingers into the patient’s mouth, fearing he might bite off his tongue.
Yu Gui raised her hand.
“Clear out!” Suddenly, someone shoved her hard to the side. In her high heels, Yu Gui nearly stumbled and fell flat on her face, instantly filled with rage.
“Hey—” The words were interrupted as the woman who seemed to have fallen from the sky astonished everyone with her professional and swift actions.
First, she removed the glasses from the middle-aged man’s face, then loosened his tightly fastened shirt collar, and quickly took off her own jacket to place under his neck.
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“Everyone not involved, step back.” She shone a penlight into his pupils.
Lu Qingshi calmly communicated with the colleagues in the ambulance: “Patient, male, around 50 years old, experiencing an epileptic seizure. Other complications cannot be ruled out.”
She scanned the scene: “Three minor injuries, all pedestrians scraped by the Range Rover. They need to go to the hospital for further examination.”
Three minutes later, the Range Rover driver on the ground stopped convulsing. Lu Qingshi positioned him on his side and noticed he still hadn’t regained consciousness. She leaned closer to his ear, gently tapping his shoulder and calling softly, “Sir, sir…”
No response; his pupils had a weak reaction to light.
Lu Qingshi’s heart sank. “You over there, come help!”
Yu Gui was stunned for a moment before realizing she was being called: “Oh? Huh? Me…?”
“Sister Lu, we’re here!” The ambulance rushed over, and Hao Ranjie jumped out, pulling open the door and clutching a first aid kit.
“Establish an intravenous line and administer fluids,” Lu Qingshi skillfully issued her commands as she and Hao Ranjie lifted the patient onto the stretcher.
Hao Ranjie then assisted a few other lightly injured patients onto the ambulance, glancing at the nearby Yu Gui, who was standing there in a daze: “This young lady…”
“She’s not. Hurry up and go,” Lu Qingshi replied without looking up, performing CPR on the still-unconscious patient.
Hao Ranjie nodded and jumped into the ambulance, closing the door behind him as the vehicle sped away.
The entire process was seamless, completed in under five minutes. Whether it was Lu Qingshi’s professional and earnest attitude while assisting the patient or the speed with which the nurse found a vein for the fluid, it made Yu Gui, who had just graduated from medical school, feel a genuine sense of envy, coupled with a deep sense of disparity.
She noticed the male nurse’s name tag: Emergency Department, First Affiliated Hospital of Renji Medical University.
Nurse, Hao Ranjie.
An inexplicable sense of longing and excitement surged within her. Was this really the place where she would soon be working?
A faint fire burned in her chest as Yu Gui silently clenched her fists to encourage herself, but in just a moment, she nearly jumped up. Ahhhhhhh! I’m late!!!
Can the ambulance wait for me and take me along too?!!!
The accident quickly subsided, and the congested traffic dispersed under the traffic police’s direction. A camouflage-painted heavy motorcycle roared past, belching exhaust, finally stopping in front of the Jinzhou Fire Brigade’s gate.
The owner of the motorcycle stepped onto the asphalt ground in combat boots, removing her helmet and holding it in her hand. She tousled her somewhat messy chestnut shoulder-length hair and strode forward.
Sure enough, she was stopped by the guard booth: “Identification!”
The woman bit down on her gloves, managing to take them off with difficulty, and rummaged through her military-green jacket pocket for a while.
The sentry’s expression turned tense, as if fearing she might pull out some weapon.
The woman smiled, revealing her bright white teeth. “Here, my identification.”
The man didn’t catch a clear view of her name, but when he saw her position, he felt a sense of respect and stood at attention, bringing his feet together and saluting her.
“Greetings, Instructor!”
“Yu—” The fifty-something director of the medical office adjusted his reading glasses, stared at her resume for a long moment, then looked up and scanned her from head to toe. A smile suddenly appeared on his face as he stood up, firmly grasping her hand and giving it a hearty shake.
“Comrade Yu Gui, ah no, Comrade Xiaoyu, welcome to work at the First Affiliated Hospital of Renji Medical University!”
Yu Gui felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding.
As the director of the medical office pressed the elevator button, he began to introduce, “The Emergency Department is the top priority in the entire hospital. It not only encompasses pre-hospital emergency care but also serves as the first battleground for critically ill patients upon admission. Therefore, the talents selected for the Emergency Department are truly exceptional. Of course, heh heh, young people coming here to gain experience is the best way to learn.”
Yu Gui rolled her eyes inwardly. The Emergency Department is notoriously dirty, exhausting, chaotic, and poorly paid. Patients come in day and night, and while it is indeed the first battleground for critically ill patients, it is also the frontline of doctor-patient conflicts. Who would willingly choose to come here?
That said, she still nodded enthusiastically at the director: “Yes, you’re absolutely right. I come here with a humble and eager heart, hoping to learn from the seniors in the Emergency Department.”
As soon as they entered the hospital lobby, the crowd surged, resembling a bustling market.
“Go queue over there for registration! That way!”
“Blood draws and physical exams, walk that way! Take the elevator to the third floor, straight ahead, then turn left!”
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“Where are you feeling unwell? No where? If you’re not unwell, why are you here at the hospital? Visiting a patient? This is the triage desk! Keep walking to the inpatient department!”
A ticket scalper squeezed in: “Miss, are you here to see a doctor? It’s already noon; you won’t get a number in time. How about 200 yuan for a specialist appointment with Director Li in obstetrics? I’ll sell it to you cheap!”2
Yu Gui gritted her teeth and said, “Thank you very much!”
Passing through the triage desk and entering the treatment area, it became much quieter. The pure white corridor reflected a cold light from the tiles, and the safety passage with the hospital’s logo made the temperature drop suddenly, causing Yu Gui to hunch her shoulders slightly.
The old director led the way: “This is the Emergency Internal Medicine, Emergency Cardiology, Emergency Neurology…”
“Over here is the Emergency Surgery examination room, Emergency Rescue Room, Emergency Observation Room, and the Emergency Center. The EICU is upstairs; you can take some time to explore it yourself.”
“…”
Who would want to explore a place like that? Yu Gui silently scoffed.
“Ahhh! Doctor, doctor! No, no, no! Nurse, be gentle, be gentle! Ahh… for crying out loud! Ahh… I’m made of flesh!”
A burly man was crying out in pain during a wound cleaning, almost clinging to the nurse’s leg.
After passing through the wailing emergency treatment room, they arrived at the doctor’s office. The old director pushed open the door: “This is Yu Gui, who has just arrived at the Emergency Department for her residency training! Let’s give her a warm welcome!”
A dead silence followed.
The old director cleared his throat awkwardly but politely, turning around in the large office where only one person was present. He approached and knocked on the desk.
“Old Xu, Old Xu.”
The man called Old Xu didn’t even lift his head, continuing to type on the electronic medical records. “Please go to registration first for medical visits; we don’t see patients here.”
“Old Xu, it’s me! Director Liu!” The old director exclaimed, heartbroken.
Xu Qiankun nearly fell out of his chair in shock. Whenever he was summoned by the medical office, it was never for good news. “Which patient’s family is here to complain again? Is there another medical dispute? We’re still revising the substandard medical records from last time, still revising…”
Yu Gui nearly laughed out loud, staring at the old director’s shiny bald head, desperately suppressing her laughter.
“It’s not that, we have a newcomer in the Emergency Department, and I’m here to introduce her. This is Yu Gui, a graduate from Jinzhou Medical University. She’s now to be called Doctor Yu! Doctor Yu, this is the head of the Emergency Department, Xu Qiankun. Quickly greet Teacher Xu!”
“Hello, Teacher Xu!” Yu Gui obediently bowed.
After waiting for a long time without a response, she quietly lifted her head to take a look, only to see Xu Qiankun turned away, whispering with the old director.
“Seriously, Old Liu, what do you mean by this? Bringing in a flashy girl to the Emergency Department? Just to be a vase?3 What happened to that Doctor Zhao from General Surgery I asked you for last time…?”
“Alright, alright, hold on, Old Xu. It was your Emergency Department that reported needing more staff. I’ve brought you someone, what you do with her is your own business.”
“Hold on, Old Liu,” the two of them pulled and tugged at each other. “How much did you take from her? You’ve brought me such a delicate girl; I can’t possibly make use of her!”
Yu Gui silently bit her lip, her fingers clenched into fists.
“Well, I don’t care. The medical office is still busy. I’m off now; see you later.”
Saying that, he walked past Yu Gui toward the door, bumping into someone as he went out.
“Oh, Doctor Lu, just out of surgery?”
Lu Qingshi subtly took a step back, her long hair neatly tied up at the back of her head, the mask hanging loosely around her neck, still wearing a green surgical gown. She replied, “Hello, Director Liu,”
and there was no further conversation.
Xu Qiankun’s eyes shifted, and he quickly stepped forward: “Doctor Lu, you’ve come back at just the right time! This is our department’s new recruit, Yu—what was it again? Oh right! Doctor Yu! Isn’t your medical team short-staffed? You’ll be working under Doctor Lu from now on! Xiaoyu, quickly greet Teacher Lu!”
Xu Qiankun then launched into a long string of compliments, praising how outstanding and accomplished Lu Qingshi was, saying that anyone working with her would definitely learn a lot, and so on.
She didn’t hear a word of it, only mechanically bending at the waist to bow: “Hello, Teacher Lu, I’m Yu Gui. Please take care of me.”
Lu Qingshi furrowed her brows, sizing her up.
After waiting for a long time without receiving a response, Yu Gui’s eyes slowly reddened. She lowered her head, afraid to move or speak.
The air fell into a dead silence.
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A droplet of water splashed onto the floor.
Lu Qingshi turned around and took a white lab coat from the hanger, putting it on: “Good-natured sister!”
Hao Renjie rushed in from outside, holding up his fingers in a delicate manner: “What’s up, Sister Lu?”
Lu Qingshi pointed at her: “The new recruit. Get her a set of clothes.”
That voice sounded strangely familiar to Yu Gui, and she was overjoyed. She looked up, unable to complete her sentence: “Lu… Teacher Lu, it’s you… you saved that…”
Lu Qingshi coldly nodded, picking up her name badge from the desk and fastening it.
The Emergency Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Renji Medical University.
Deputy Chief Physician.
Lu Qingshi.
Yu Gui was overjoyed for a moment, not knowing where to put her hands and feet. As a rookie who had just graduated from medical school, entering the top-tier comprehensive teaching hospital in the southeastern region for her first residency training was already a big deal. Moreover, she would be working under such a young and accomplished deputy chief physician. Teacher Lu looked to be only in her early thirties at most, with excellent medical skills… As for her character, that remained unclear, but she was definitely better than the flattering head of the medical department and the greasy businessman, Director Xu.
Before she could revel in her excitement for too long, a bucket of cold water was thrown over her, chilling her to the bone.
“I hope that you, before obtaining your medical license, do not claim to be a doctor to the outside world. It could harm many people.”
“And,” Lu Qingshi turned around and scanned her from top to bottom, “I don’t want to see you wear high heels to work again.”
Footnotes
- Philtrum (人中): refers to the groove located in the middle of the upper lip, which is sometimes pressed during seizures as a reflexive action to stimulate the patient.
- Ticket Scalper (票販子): an issue in some hospitals where individuals sell appointment slots for a premium.
- Vase (花瓶): implies being merely decorative and not contributing meaningfully.
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