Life is Like a Journey – Chapter 20

Volume 1: Rise

Teasing

Illegal medical practice reported

After detailed inquiries, it was discovered that when Chen Qiao’er was six and just starting to understand things, her father became involved with another woman, abandoning his young daughter and sick wife. Qiao’er’s mother, who has a history of liver cirrhosis¹, worked tirelessly in Jinzhou doing domestic services to raise Qiao’er on her own.

In the gynecology ward, Qiao’er’s mother sat by the bed, watching her sleeping daughter and wiping away tears.

“What about the child’s father? Hasn’t he returned all these years?” Qin Xuan asked.

Qiao’er’s mother shook her head: “I just assume he’s dead out there.”

Lu Qingshi was the only one present who remained clear-headed: “I suggest you report this to the police; this is a criminal case.”

Qiao’er’s mother gritted her teeth, crying even more: “No, if this gets out… Qiao’er is still so young… how can she face life in the future!”

“The one who should feel guilty is the scumbag who hurt Qiao’er; he must face legal punishment.”

Yu Gui softly added: “Teacher Lu is right, and Qiao’er’s father, who abandoned his wife and child, is not a good person either.”

Qiao’er’s mother held Qiao’er’s hand, speechless for a long time, just shedding tears. This coarse and reckless woman finally revealed a softer side when facing her own child.

The noon sun was shining beautifully, Wang Youshi’s prognosis² was good, and he was preparing for discharge. His pregnant wife had specially made a banner and gently pressed their two children’s heads to make them bow to Dean Meng.

Dean Meng quickly helped the person up, earnestly advising: “After you go back, continue taking the medication according to our plan, come for timely reexaminations, and visit the hospital promptly if you feel unwell.”

Wang Youshi expressed his gratitude profusely, bowing and shaking hands.

Lu Qingshi was sitting behind the flower bed enjoying the sun when Qin Xuan handed her a can of coffee: “Hey, Director Lu, you succeeded in such a major surgery, yet you don’t go to accept any commendations.”

Lu Qingshi opened the can tab and took a sip: “Not interested.”

“Then what is interesting?”

Lu Qingshi’s gaze landed on He Miaomiao, who was being pushed by a caregiver not far away, with her parents accompanying her in the sun.

The fountain’s droplets were refracted into various colors under the sunlight. Today marked the tenth day since He Miaomiao had her pacemaker³ installed, and she finally received permission from her attending doctor to go out for activities. The small red light on her chest flashed, symbolizing the light of life.

Lu Qingshi had spoken with her attending doctor; installing a pacemaker was only a temporary measure to alleviate heart failure, and a heart transplant was the hope for a complete cure.

“Miaomiao,” Qin Xuan went over to greet He Miaomiao’s family, squatting down to play rock-paper-scissors with Miaomiao.

The observant He Miaomiao also noticed Lu Qingshi; unable to stand, she vigorously waved her hand from afar to greet her.

Lu Qingshi responded with a gentle smile. Three years ago, when she first arrived at Renji Medical University, she was the initial consulting doctor for Miaomiao’s mother, while Qin Xuan served as her attending doctor. Over the years, the He family became frequent visitors to the hospital, which made Miaomiao particularly affectionate towards them.

Young He Miaomiao waved her wrist, speaking in a childlike voice: “Auntie Lu, when I’m better, will you play with me, okay?”

In the nearby open space, pediatric nurses were playing and laughing with a few young patients. The small ball rolled back and forth on the grass, and He Miaomiao watched enviously.

Mother He’s smile had a hint of bitterness: “Miaomiao, be good; your Auntie Lu is very busy.”

Lu Qingshi shook her head, indicating she didn’t mind, squatted down, and extended her palm: “Then, it’s a deal.”

He Miaomiao’s face lit up with a big smile, and with a “pop,” one big and one small hand gently touched together.

A soft light filled Lu Qingshi’s eyes, and the smile slowly spread from the corners of her lips. She patted Miaomiao’s head, and as she stood up, she gathered the smile back onto her face.

Gu Yanzhi, dressed in a flame-blue uniform, stood quietly three steps away, her tall figure blocking the sunlight. Due to the backlighting, she couldn’t clearly see her expression, which held a hint of surprise and a similar softness.

It was Qin Xuan who first rushed over: “Oh! My darling! You are the handsomest guy in the whole hospital!”

The two naturally familiar people met, creating a lively scene. After they had caught up enough, Gu Yanzhi then approached Lu Qingshi: “As per the doctor’s orders, I’ve come to change the dressing.”

Lu Qingshi replied indifferently: “First, go register, and remember, today is the fifth day.”

Gu Yanzhi scratched her head, realizing her enthusiasm seemed ineffective in front of Lu Qingshi, but thankfully, there was still Qin Xuan, who grabbed her.

“Come on, come on, come to our department, I’ll change it for you! No need to register or pay, I’ll provide an open green channel for you!”

For some reason, Lu Qingshi, in a cool tone, suddenly said: “Illegal medical practice, reported.”

Irritated, Qin Xuan wanted to hit her, and Gu Yanzhi burst out laughing, not expecting the usually stoic Dr. Lu to be a master of sarcastic comments.

He Miaomiao looked at Gu Yanzhi’s uniform with admiration: “Wow! Sister, you are so handsome! Are you in the Liberation Army?! Can I… can I touch your clothes?! Wuwuwu~”

Gu Yanzhi looked at the pale, big-eyed little girl, squatted down, and patted her head: “What is your name?”

“My name is Miaomiao, He Miaomiao. Mom says it’s the Miaomiao with three waters,” the little girl answered crisply, and Mother He looked at her child with relief, though her brows held an unresolved worry.

Gu Yanzhi raised her hand and saluted: “Hello, Comrade He Miaomiao, I am a firefighter on duty at the Emergency Management Command of the People’s Republic of China, my name is Gu Yanzhi.”

He Miaomiao excitedly shook her hand back and forth, almost in tears, as the red light on the pacemaker on her chest flashed continuously.

“I… I saw you on TV… putting out… putting out a fire…” The little child spoke incoherently, and the adults all laughed.

Gu Yanzhi counted on her fingers for her: “It’s not just during firefighting that we are needed; we’re also there during floods, mudslides, earthquakes…”

He Miaomiao didn’t understand these things and could only look at her with a bewildered and innocent gaze, filled with anticipation.

After chatting for a while longer, Miaomiao’s free activity time was over, and the nurse needed to push her back to the ward for treatment.

He Miaomiao’s face showed some disappointment, but she still nodded sensibly: “Then… Auntie Lu… Auntie Qin… and firefighter sister, goodbye!”

Gu Yanzhi suddenly quickly caught up, pulled off her badge and stuck it on her patient gown, raised her hand in another salute: “I announce that Comrade He Miaomiao is now also an honorable little firefighter warrior!”

She gave a thumbs-up, her smile dazzling brighter than the sun: “Miaomiao, keep it up!”

“Okay!” Miaomiao, sitting in the wheelchair, also raised her hand in a not very standard salute, while the nurse auntie pushed her and looked back, until she could no longer see her shadow.

Familiarity breeds comfort, and this time Gu Yanzhi was not shy and directly took off her top for Lu Qingshi to change her dressing. Fortunately, last time’s disinfection and suturing were thorough, and the wound was not infected. She deftly removed the stitches, and used scissors to clean some granulation tissue⁴ protruding around the wound, finally covering it with Vaseline sterile gauze⁵. Today, no local anesthesia was given, and throughout the process Gu Yanzhi didn’t make a sound, forming a stark contrast with the wailing patient in Yu Gui’s care next door, even having the mood to chat idly with her.

“Dr. Lu, haven’t you been going to archery recently?”

“Busy,” she said as she changed gloves, sparing her words.

As Gu Yanzhi put on her clothes, she said, “No wonder I didn’t see you when I went that day.”

Lu Qingshi paused: “For the next month, you’d better avoid strenuous exercise. If the wound reopens, it could be very troublesome.”

Yet the smile on her face was particularly relaxed: “With Dr. Lu around, what is there to fear?”

Lu Qingshi, who was fully trusted by someone, showed no trace of a smile, and her dark eyes revealed no emotion.

“Doctors are not all-powerful.”

And medicine remains an unknown; even as medical technology rapidly evolves today, there are still many incurable diseases.

Gu Yanzhi was momentarily stunned, suddenly feeling a strange sensation. She vaguely felt she was being awkwardly cared for, and before this realization became clear, her smile widened, prompting her to ask, “Is Dr. Lu concerned about me?”

Lu Qingshi pressed her lips slightly, seeing the somewhat sycophantic smile on the other’s face, suddenly feeling a bit stifled.

“I treat every patient…”

“All the same as always and with impartiality,” Hao Renjie interrupted, looking at her with a resentful gaze: “Sister Lu, Yu Gui next door couldn’t handle it and has been waiting for you for half a day.”

……

Gu Yanzhi slapped the bed and laughed, while Lu Qingshi’s face remained composed and calm, but upon closer inspection, the corners of her lips were clearly pressed tighter, and her earlobes were slightly red.

“Understood.”

Gu Yanzhi suddenly realized that teasing Dr. Lu was quite amusing.

“Now broadcasting a lunchtime news flash: A major fire occurred this morning at the Loutai Apartments in Qingrong District of this city. The initial cause is determined to be an explosion of an electric vehicle charging in the corridor, which ignited debris. According to eyewitnesses, the explosion was deafening, and the flames soared into the sky. Firefighters and emergency services have rushed to the scene, and Jinzhou TV brings you an exclusive report.”

The moderately loud sound of the TV in the ward caught Lu Qingshi’s attention. She began to take off her gloves and grabbed the emergency kit, her expression serious.

The phone in Gu Yanzhi’s pocket also started vibrating. She answered it and quickly jumped off the bed, running out without saying goodbye to Lu Qingshi.

The emergency center bells rang loudly, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense. Xu Qiankun ran into the doctor’s office: “Quick! Those not on duty this afternoon, those without consultations, and surgeries that can be postponed, all follow Dr. Lu’s medical team to the scene! Call back everyone who’s on leave today!”

The head nurse responded and began calling each resting doctor.

“Come on, Yu Gui, what are you doing!” Hao Renjie ran past her and pulled her, causing the emergency kit in Yu Gui’s hand to drop to the ground. The shadow from the last ambulance run was still vivid in her mind, and Yu Gui hesitated, full of panic and unease.

“I… I…” she found her hands shaking.

Lu Qingshi swept past her like the wind and jumped onto the ambulance: “If you’re afraid, then resign.”

The medical staff around were all moving hurriedly, and Yu Gui stood in the crowd, being bumped repeatedly. She looked at her hands, the palm lines clear, but they were not the hands of a qualified emergency doctor because they were shaking.

Yu Gui knew very well what this meant: it meant that at an emergency scene, she might cause harm due to her lack of professionalism.

She took a deep breath.

“Close the door,” Lu Qingshi commanded coldly.

“But…” Hao Renjie looked at the hospital entrance; Yu Gui still hadn’t come out.

“Time is life.”

Lu Qingshi was the leader, after all, and Hao Renjie dared not say more. When he was about to close the door, a pair of hands clawed in from below.

“Wait… wait for me… Teacher Lu…”

Hao Renjie was overjoyed, reached out, and pulled the person up, then the door locked, and the ambulance, with sirens blaring, sped to the scene.

On Lu Qingshi’s solemn face, the corners of her lips slightly curved.

A camouflaged heavy motorcycle sped through the bustling city, forcefully merging into the traffic ahead of them.

Two ambulances and a motorcycle sped towards the same direction, different paths, same destination.

1. Liver Cirrhosis: A chronic liver disease characterized by the replacement of healthy liver tissue with scar tissue, leading to impaired liver function and potentially serious complications.
2. Prognosis: Refers to the predicted course and outcome of a disease, including the likelihood of recovery, recurrence, or progression, based on medical assessment and patient-specific factors.
3. Pacemaker: A small medical device implanted in the chest or abdomen to help regulate abnormal heart rhythms by sending electrical impulses to prompt the heart to beat at a normal rate. It is primarily used to treat conditions such as arrhythmias, where the heart beats too slowly, too quickly, or irregularly.
4. Granulation tissue: The new connective tissue and microscopic blood vessels that form on the surfaces of a wound during the healing process, typically characterized by a bumpy, reddish appearance due to its rich supply of blood vessels.
5. Vaseline sterile gauze: A type of medical dressing infused with petroleum jelly (Vaseline) to keep the wound moist, promoting healing and preventing the gauze from sticking to the wound, thus minimizing discomfort during dressing changes.