Life is Like a Journey – Chapter 10

Volume 1: Rise

Dispute

Even if you don’t like Yu Gui, it’s not necessary to hit someone when they’re down.

Yu Gui woke up, but did not see Marx; instead, she saw the person she missed day and night.

“Zhiyou!” She bounced up from the bed in an instant, almost pulling out the intravenous needle connected to her hand, with bright red blood climbing up the tube.

Yu Gui hissed lightly, and Fang Zhiyou quickly pressed her down: “Don’t move, the doctor said you have a fever.”

“Zhiyou, why are you here?” Yu Gui lay back down, her eyes glued to this person, unwilling to look away.

After not seeing Fang Zhiyou for three months, she seemed a bit haggard, with large dark circles under her big eyes. Her hair was simply tied in a small ponytail at the back of her head, and her skin, due to long-term irregular sleep, was somewhat dull, but this did not affect her in Yu Gui’s eyes. She might not be the most beautiful, but she was definitely the most special one.

Yu Gui was no different; the doctor said she had caught a cold and her hypoglycemia¹ had also flared up, with her fever reaching 38 degrees. Her dry lips had no luster, and her originally chubby cheeks had become thin, making her jawbone more prominent and her chin sharper.

Fang Zhiyou took off the towel from her forehead, dipped it in water, wrung it dry, and placed it back: “I wanted to come see you, but someone here just wouldn’t answer my calls.”

Yu Gui gently shook her wrist with her movable right hand, whining softly: “Zhiyou~ I was wrong, okay? I was so busy I didn’t have time to check my phone.”

Every time Fang Zhiyou saw her like this, any anger she had would dissipate.

Fang Zhiyou sighed helplessly, smiled lightly, and pinched her nose: “You, you, if you don’t take good care of yourself, see how I’ll deal with you!”

Yu Gui sat up slightly, rubbing her cheek against her arm, her lips lightly brushing over the back of her hand like a feather: “When I get better, you can deal with me however you want.”

Fang Zhiyou coughed lightly, her face slightly red: “Alright, stop messing around. You still have a fever. Lie down and rest obediently.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a nurse pushed the door open to change the medication: “New—” Remembering how Yu Gui had lost her temper and acted hysterically in the office earlier, she quickly changed her tone.

“Yu Gui, time to change your medication,” she said as she removed the finished IV bag and hung up a new one.

“I must say, you’ve really got some nerve, huh? You hit Doctor Sun so hard he had to be admitted to the ENT department² and still hasn’t come out. Even the hospital leaders went to see him. I think it’s going to be really tough for you to get your training certificate this time. You might even have to pack up and leave immediately.”

Fang Zhiyou immediately became nervous: “What happened, Xiaogui? Did you hit someone?”

Yu Gui buried her head in the blanket, curling up like an ostrich.

The nurse turned around and said, “By the way, are you her friend? You should go and pay the medical fees first. Our emergency department is not a charity foundation.”

Fang Zhiyou quickly stood up and nodded in thanks: “Okay, okay, I’ll go right away.”

After the nurse left, Yu Gui cautiously poked half of her head out from under the blanket to look at her: “Zhiyou…”

Like a child who had done something wrong.

Fang Zhiyou’s heart softened, and she ruffled her fluffy hair: “I know you wouldn’t hit someone for no reason. Tell me, what happened?”

It was as if the pent-up emotions of so many days finally found an outlet. Yu Gui’s eyes instantly reddened, and she threw herself into her arms.

Lu Qingshi had just finished surgery when she received the notice. All emergency department staff were to attend a meeting in the second-floor conference room. She looked at the text message on her phone, sighed, and threw the mask hanging around her neck into the trash can before pressing the elevator button.

“Director Lu, weren’t you on the scene at the time? After all, this incident happened in your department. Why don’t you explain?”

The Medical Director said this, and everyone’s eyes turned to her.

Lu Qingshi pulled out a chair and sat down next to Xu Qiankun. Although she held the position of Associate Chief Physician, she was not an administrative director and rarely dealt with these miscellaneous issues.

Seeing that she had no reaction, Xu Qiankun continued, “Then let’s proceed like this: issue a hospital-wide criticism of Yu Gui, and terminate her employment contract, sending her back to her hometown.”

The male doctor who was hit in the morning had gone to the ENT department. His face was not seriously injured, just a few red marks from the burn, which would heal in a few days with ointment.

At this moment, he was clutching his head and grimacing: “Is that it? She hasn’t even paid my medical fees yet. What if I end up disfigured from being hit like this?! I’m going to sue her!”

(LP: This people are disgusting)

The Medical Director jabbed the pen on the table forcefully: “Alright, you—a grown man—got beaten like this by a frail girl. Aren’t you ashamed? Where mercy is deserved, show mercy…”

Lu Qingshi sat with her arms crossed, her chair pushed back a step: “Of course, it can’t be settled just like this.”

Dr. Sun looked at her with surprise and smiled obsequiously: “Director Lu, you understand the situation and can stand up for us.”

Hao Renjie had a look of shock on his face: “But Director Lu…”

No matter how much she disliked Yu Gui, she wouldn’t kick someone when they’re down.

Lu Qingshi pulled out a stack of medical records from the folder behind her and threw them onto the table: “These are the records you asked Yu Gui to alter, right? When did I ever give an order for bed thirteen to be prescribed Iressa?”

Iressa³ is an expensive and hard-to-obtain anti-cancer drug not covered by insurance. She knew that some doctors in the department colluded with pharmaceutical representatives to profit from this. She could turn a blind eye to it in the past, but deceiving patients under her name was intolerable.

Lu Qingshi tapped the table, her voice light yet firm: “Don’t you know that altering medical records without authorization is illegal?”

In the silence of the room, Xu Qiankun coughed lightly: “Dr. Lu, the matter we are discussing today is not this.”

“What could be more important than a doctor’s integrity?” Lu Qingshi retorted, pointing to the medical records on the table: “These are signed with my name, but I never gave such orders. He was afraid of being exposed, so he asked a trainee to help him enter the records into the electronic system. Didn’t he think that if the matter was exposed, both Yu Gui and I would end up having tea at the police station⁴, while he…”

Lu Qingshi gave him a cold look: “Hiding behind to reap the benefits, such a heart deserves to be condemned.”

Dr. Sun never expected the matter to be exposed so quickly, and a cold sweat broke out instantly. He stood up and retorted, “Director Lu, even though you have a higher position and can suppress people to death, you can eat whatever you want but you can’t just say whatever you want! This is slander, and I will sue you for defamation!”

Xu Qiankun glanced at the medical records on the table. Lu Qingshi indeed wouldn’t make such a basic mistake, but…

Countless thoughts quickly flashed through his mind, but his face broke into a smile: “How can you speak to Director Lu like that, Xiaosun! Although Director Lu is not the administrative head of the department, she is still a senior associate chief physician. It’s not your place to shout and scream here. If it’s a misunderstanding, just explain it clearly. Now, apologize to Director Lu!”

His words both defended Dr. Sun and subtly hinted to Lu Qingshi not to meddle in unnecessary matters.

“It’s over, it’s over. With the department head and deputy head at odds, whose side am I supposed to take?” Hao Renjie was extremely nervous, with a little angel and devil battling in his mind.

One moment, it was, “Side with Director Xu, he has the power over personnel decisions and life and death authority.”

The next moment, it was, “You must side with Sister Lu, is there any other reason needed?! She’s amazing! If Director Xu retires, she might be the one in charge.”

He glanced at his colleagues around him, all lowering their heads and not daring to speak. He poked the anesthetist and made a “tsk tsk” sound with his mouth.

The anesthetist avoided his wrist: “Don’t ask me, I don’t know either.”

He then poked Liu Qingyun from the Orthopedics Department: “Hey?”

Liu Qingyun straightened his chair back and silently moved a bit farther from him.

Over there, Lu Qingshi also stood up: “When have I ever joked? If Director Xu cannot handle this impartially and give me a satisfactory answer, then I can only—”

She glanced at the Medical Director, who, having dealt with patient disputes for years, was as slick as an old fox. He quickly stood up to mediate.

“Oh, we’re all from the same department, why so tense and confrontational? Both of you are leaders, leaders, right? This makes us look ridiculous in front of the juniors! As always, let’s solve our department’s issues behind closed doors!” He said this while wiping his sweat with a handkerchief, inwardly cursing Lu Qingshi with gritted teeth.

Kickbacks⁵ for doctors are nothing new, but she was the first to bring it to the forefront, making it hard for anyone to back down gracefully.

“Sit down, everyone calm down and let’s talk. The issue with the medical records must be investigated thoroughly! We must check thoroughly! We’ll ensure no doctor is wrongfully accused!”

“But,” he changed tack, “Yu Gui’s issue has also caused quite a stir among the patients. Dr. Lu is her mentor, and as the saying goes, ‘If the student is not taught well, it’s the teacher’s fault.’ The hospital leadership has also discussed this, and it’s not appropriate for Dr. Lu to be involved in this matter to avoid suspicion.”

“So, in the end, it still comes back to the new—Yu Gui,” the anesthetist muttered under his breath. “What does Director Lu actually mean? Is she trying to protect Yu Gui or…?”

Hao Renjie rolled his eyes: “Can’t you see? Our Sister Lu has a sharp tongue but a soft heart, and is full of righteousness!”

Liu Qingyun sighed: “I don’t know about righteousness or not, I just know that our days are about to get tough again.”

Lu Qingshi remained standing, looking down at him: “What suspicion should I avoid? I neither took kickbacks nor altered medical records, so why should I avoid suspicion? Or is it—”

She glanced at the silent Xu Qiankun and Dr. Sun sitting in the corner, then fixed her gaze back on the Medical Director. Her brown pupils seemed to pierce deeply into his body like sharp blades.

Clearly, in terms of rank, he held a higher position, but at this moment, one could feel an aura of authority emanating from Lu Qingshi.

“Are you two also involved in this matter? After all, for a mere attending physician, he wouldn’t dare…”

Xu Qiankun slammed the table and stood up: “Lu Qingshi, don’t be too arrogant! You just became a senior associate chief physician, and you dare to…”

His words were cut off by the sound of the door opening. The hospital director, leaning on a cane, walked in with a smile on his face, chuckling: “Dr. Lu is right, this matter must be investigated thoroughly, swiftly, and strictly.”

Everyone stood up and bowed slightly: “Hello, Director Meng.”

Lu Qingshi nodded lightly along with the others. The hospital director looked at this young but spirited woman and, for a moment, saw the shadow of someone else in her.

“As for the issue with Yu Gui in your department, let the Medical Affairs Office decide in a meeting.”

1. Hypoglycemia: A medical condition characterized by abnormally low levels of blood sugar (glucose), leading to symptoms such as dizziness and weakness.
2. ENT department: Refers to the Ear, Nose, and Throat medical specialty.
3. Iressa: A brand name for gefitinib, an anti-cancer drug used to treat non-small cell lung cancer. It is expensive and not covered by insurance in many places.
4. Having tea at the police station: A euphemism for being interrogated or detained by the police.
5. Kickbacks: The illegal practice of receiving a commission or payment in return for making referrals or sales.