Villainous Movie Star (6)
After returning to school, Song Xuyi faced an unexpected exam.
Huang Shuo, the “Black Mountain Demon,” probably anticipated the reaction of his students after his business trip. So, upon his return to school, just as the students were still recovering from the mid-term exam, they were greeted with another test paper from Huang Shuo.
After enduring the excruciatingly difficult technical knowledge in the previous sections, the last question on Huang Shuo’s exam turned out to be surprisingly simple—a 20-point open-ended question.
“Why did you choose to study medicine?”
Not only Song Xuyi, but also the other students were taken aback when they saw this question.
This is an era where material civilization has relatively abundant resources.
In the minds of many people, studying medicine is seen as a means to obtain a decent job. After all, most people come from ordinary families, and being a doctor not only offers higher income but also fulfills their heroic aspirations and grants them higher social status.
However, Song Xuyi, in her particular circumstances, has already enjoyed resources that others don’t have.
Song Xuyi tightly gripped her pen, and it took her a long time before she wrote on the paper:
“Because I want to save others and save myself.” She quoted a passage from the medical student’s oath when they entered medical school: “I am determined to do my utmost to alleviate human suffering, promote perfect health, uphold the sanctity and honor of the medical profession, and dedicate myself to saving lives and aiding the injured. I will not hesitate in the face of hardship, persistently pursue excellence, and strive for the development of our country’s medical and health care system and the well-being of humanity throughout my life.”
Song Xuyi knew that such words might sound somewhat empty and insincere.
But as she wrote, her whole body trembled.
It was as if something in her heart had been brushed clean of dust, becoming incredibly clear, and it was like drinking a refreshing gulp of icy water on a summer day, bringing immense joy to her heart…
Though she was a tasker, she was first and foremost herself. She didn’t want to lose herself in the pursuit of completing a mission.
What meaning is there in living just for the sake of living?
However, when the test papers were handed back, the results turned out to be unexpected for everyone—Song Xuyi, for the first time in this course, lost her top-ranking position.
Song Xuyi scored a zero on the last question.
Those around her were extremely puzzled. Normally, with subjective questions like this, people would at least receive some points regardless of how they answered. Song Xuyi’s response wasn’t outrageous, so there was no way it deserved a zero.
Song Xuyi herself couldn’t understand it either. While she remained indifferent in other aspects of her life, when it came to her profession, she couldn’t remain calm. Holding her test paper, she entered Huang Shuo’s office after school, filled with confusion.
When Song Xuyi entered, Huang Shuo was in the midst of seeing patients.
Standing in front of him were two people—a young woman in ragged clothes holding a child, sitting in front of Huang Shuo, softly sobbing.
The “Black Mountain Demon,” who was usually harsh and strict with his students, seemed like a different person when he dealt with patients. His expression was calm and gentle. While speaking softly to the woman, he handed her tissues.
“I understand your family’s situation. Don’t worry, regardless of the child’s father, the country and society won’t turn a blind eye.”
“For now, let’s get your child admitted to the hospital for treatment. The tumor may not necessarily be malignant. Put the matter of money aside. If you can gather enough funds, that’s great. If you can’t, I will find a way to help you…”
Under Huang Shuo’s gentle reassurance, the weeping woman gradually lifted her head. Her expression became resolute. Ignoring Huang Shuo’s attempt to stop her, she bowed down to him a few times, then carried her child and left to complete the hospital admission procedures.
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“The woman’s husband despised her for giving birth to a girl and refused to provide treatment for the child. She resolutely divorced her husband and, after many inquiries, ended up here. The farthest place she had ever been before this was the provincial capital where they worked…”
Huang Shuo lifted his head and looked towards Song Xuyi, who was standing nearby. “I know why you came.”
“I have high hopes for you. You’re intelligent and diligent. In the field of medicine, your future is limitless…” Huang Shuo gazed into Song Xuyi’s eyes. “I have seen several students like you before, young talents who come with passionate determination…”
“But medical research is a lonely and selfless path of a warrior.” Huang Shuo’s gaze was intense as he looked at Song Xuyi. “In critical moments, doctors must rush to the forefront. They must face the patients’ confusion and even resentment. They must endure various frustrations of powerlessness, the inability to relieve people’s suffering, and they must constantly reflect and question themselves…”
“Those who succeed become known far and wide, but those who fail remain unknown. You will devote your entire life to countless families, regardless of their wealth. And in this process, your loved ones and friends will continually depart…” Something seemed to have reminded him, and tears welled up in Huang Shuo’s eyes. “Even in the end, when you can help millions of people, you may be unable to save your own loved ones. You will forever live with regret…”
“This path is too arduous!” Huang Shuo looked at Song Xuyi. “I don’t demand that you walk this path forever, but even if you continue in this profession in the future, not giving your utmost effort would be unacceptable…”
“Song Xuyi, I have inquired about your family background. You have never shown interest in medicine before. It was a sudden impulse for you to want to study medicine. And with a background like yours, you are destined to face more temptations, many circumstances beyond your control…”
“So, you’re angry,” Song Xuyi understood the reason behind Huang Shuo giving her a zero. “Because there are so many predecessors who have given their all on this path, you believe I am destined to be unable to devote myself as wholeheartedly as they did. You see my answers on the test paper as empty words because you perceive it as sacrilege, as if I have desecrated the sanctity of medical expertise…”
Huang Shuo remained silent, clearly acknowledging Song Xuyi’s words.
“I cannot provide you with a definitive answer at the moment because no one can predict the future.”
Song Xuyi took a deep breath, straightened her back, and looked directly into Huang Shuo’s eyes. She bowed respectfully and said, “But I will keep this test paper forever.”
“Someday, I will make you willingly change this score.”
The next day, the charitable foundation of the Song Group provided medical funds for the girl with the tumor.
The tearful mother of the girl led her to Huang Shuo’s door to express gratitude, but she saw Huang Shuo lost in thought, staring out the window.
“It wasn’t me who helped you,” Huang Shuo looked deeply at the girl. “The one who helped you is another girl.”
“Who is she?” The mother of the little girl was filled with gratitude. “My daughter and I must personally thank her.”
“She is…” Huang Shuo furrowed his brow. The professor, who had seen countless people, paused for a moment, seemingly carefully choosing his words. “She is someone… who currently appears to be shining.”
“You don’t need to know who she is right now,” Huang Shuo took a sip of tea, his gaze fixed ahead, his voice carrying a hint of anticipation even he wasn’t aware of. “As long as she lives up to her words, her radiance will grow brighter and brighter. Within ten years, her reputation will resonate throughout the entire medical community, and you will eventually know her name…”
Song Xuyi was unaware of the conversation that took place in Huang Shuo’s office.
On her way back, she bought a photo frame and actually framed the test paper inside it.
As for the donation to the little girl, Song Xuyi was not lacking in money herself. However, after seeing the girl, she discovered the best use for her personal treasury: donating to the foundation of the Song Group to help countless people in need.
Amidst the complex and nostalgic voices of her parents, who exclaimed, “Our Xuyi has finally grown up,” Song Xuyi returned to school and once again immersed herself in intense studying.
She absorbed medical knowledge as if starved for it, completely isolating herself from the lively and bustling life of the original owner. She lived a monotonous existence like an old scholar, shuttling between the dormitory, teaching building, library, and a few other places, coming and going early in the morning and returning late at night.
This is a terrifying kind of perseverance, being able to persist despite any hardships, day after day…
Song Xuyi’s determination even sparked some rumors: Though she dressed appropriately, her clothes had no labels, she ate frugally, and she used skincare products without packaging. The only piece of jewelry she had was a small surgical knife pendant hanging around her neck. It was highly likely that she came from a poor background, which explained her need to study hard and earn scholarships.
Huang Juanjuan was straightforward in nature, so upon hearing these rumors, she directly sought confirmation from Song Xuyi. However, Song Xuyi just smiled and said, “I’m not poor.”
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“The reason why I work so hard is because this learning opportunity didn’t come easily for me. And it’s not just me putting in the effort. Our profession is unique, directly related to patients’ lives. I have very little time, and I want to strengthen my knowledge system…”
Huang Juanjuan didn’t expect these reasons, but Song Xuyi’s expression didn’t seem like she was just making excuses.
Huang Juanjuan remained silent for a long time. The next morning, she got up early and consciously followed behind Song Xuyi to the library…
Classmates were not sure why Song Xuyi was working so hard, but her focused dedication had a unique charm that involuntarily made people want to imitate her. Many were inspired by Song Xuyi and began planning their own courses, striving to catch up.
Naturally, this hardworking and beautiful girl was well-liked. Many male students in the school wanted to pursue Song Xuyi, but she rejected all of them.
Amidst the busy schedule she had set for herself, Song Xuyi never forgot her mission. Every day, she would allocate half an hour in the morning and evening to understand the progress of her task.
The male protagonist, Song Jun, and the female protagonist, Sun Wan, did indeed reunite overseas and are currently together. Moreover, Song Xuyi discovered that Sun Wan was also studying medicine and had great talent in the field. Recently, she has been assisting Song Jun in taking care of his grandmother, who has Alzheimer’s disease.
And it was easier to understand the updates from Zhao Qingyu’s side. Just by browsing through the trending topics on social media, one could grasp Zhao Qingyu’s schedule.
Towards the end of the semester, Zhao Qingyu had finished filming a movie and had already joined another production. Sensing the enigmatic nature of Zhao Qingyu, Song Xuyi felt she didn’t have the energy or inclination to engage in psychological warfare with her. So, she decided to act opportunistically in the future. However, in order to solidify her fan identity and prevent others from bullying Zhao Qingyu, Song Xuyi instructed the family’s old butler to send a bouquet of flowers to the set every week.
As for Song Xuyi herself, she exchanged WeChat messages with Zhao Qingyu every day, morning and evening.
However, Song Xuyi felt that Zhao Qingyu had likely blocked her.
When Song Xuyi checked Zhao Qingyu’s WeChat Moments, it was completely empty, and Zhao Qingyu had never replied to any of her messages. At first, Song Xuyi only sent messages like “Good morning, have a great day” and “Good night, take care of yourself,” as if fulfilling her Key Performance Indicator (KPI) to portray herself as an enthusiastic fan. But after seeing no response from Zhao Qingyu, Song Xuyi relaxed and started using Zhao Qingyu’s WeChat chat window as a personal tree hole.
How many English words did I memorize today? The food in the cafeteria was awful today. Did you hear any jokes?
Days like these continued until the winter break.
As soon as the winter break started, Song Xuyi dove into an apprenticeship at the traditional medicine shop of an esteemed elderly doctor. The doctor had a great reputation in the country, and countless people sought his medical expertise. Song Xuyi spent over ten days there, learning various methods of traditional medicine. Life became incredibly busy, and some things were not remembered as meticulously. The daily check-ins with Zhao Qingyu were also interrupted for several days.
It wasn’t until New Year’s Eve that Song Xuyi returned to the grand mansion of the Song family to celebrate the Chinese New Year. The constant stream of visiting relatives was quite chaotic, so Song Xuyi hid upstairs. On a whim, she recorded a video of the children downstairs setting off fireworks. However, after filming, Song Xuyi suddenly remembered that she had been concealing her family background, and the video couldn’t be shared with her friends from school. After some thought, Song Xuyi sent it to her “tree hole.”
After sending the video, Song Xuyi felt that it was too monotonous, so she added another line and transferred 8888 yuan to Zhao Qingyu:
【Qingyu, happy New Year’s Eve! I’m giving you a lucky red envelope for the New Year. Treat yourself to something delicious. Your movie will be released tomorrow, and I’m sure you’ll be a huge success!】
Even though Song Xuyi wished Zhao Qingyu success, she knew that Qingyu would achieve more than just one breakthrough. At the age of twenty-one, Zhao Qingyu would become the brightest star in the film industry for the next nine years, until the plot synopsis concluded with the death of the female lead, Song Wan. Qingyu would be a guarantee for box office success, a powerhouse idol who drove countless fans crazy.
After sending the message, Song Xuyi put down her phone and went downstairs to have a reunion dinner with her family. After presenting the carefully prepared gifts to her family members, she watched their joyful expressions that were almost on the verge of tears. Sighing in her heart, Song Xuyi found an excuse to go back upstairs.
Tonight, she received a bunch of checks and red envelopes as New Year’s gifts. Although she would donate them to charity the next day, it didn’t hinder Song Xuyi’s happiness in receiving the red envelopes today.
With delight, Song Xuyi took a photo and sent it to her “tree hole.” After sending it, she remembered that the previously inactive profile picture of Zhao Qingyu now displayed an unread message notification, showing a “3.”
【Happy New Year’s Eve, Xuyi.】
【It’s been five days since you last messaged me. I thought you were avoiding me [smiling emoji].】
【I’m glad you still remember me.】
Song Xuyi felt a shiver down her spine, unsure if it was just her imagination. No matter how she looked at it, Zhao Qingyu’s smiling expression seemed to carry a sense of hostility.
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【I was busy recently, it wasn’t intentional that I didn’t message you.】
【I absolutely didn’t avoid you!】
Song Xuyi hurriedly explained, feeling immense embarrassment at the thought of Zhao Qingyu seeing all the miscellaneous things in her daily life. Once again, her face involuntarily turned red.
Then, with a ‘ding’ sound, the chat box updated, and a new message came in, accompanied by a transfer of 9999 yuan.
【I’m glad Xuyi is still my little fan.】
—— 【A lucky red envelope for little Xuyi. [Happy]】
The author has something to say:
This medical oath passage is quoted from Baidu’s medical oath.
It seems that some schools have the first class of the semester dedicated to having students recite this. It feels very ceremonial.
LP: Re-translated on December 4, 2023