Peerless Beauty – Chapter 50

Outpatient

Like a little tail

In the evening, Jian Qing was busy in the study as usual.

Lu Yinxi began preparing to pack her luggage.

The advantage of filming medical dramas is that most of the plot takes place in hospitals; just setting up a studio for indoor shooting is sufficient, and going to a real hospital counts as an outing for location shooting.

The land in the suburbs is cheap, and Jiangzhou’s film and television city is built in the suburbs, adjacent to the university town, where university students occasionally come to work part-time as extras.

In the coming months of March, April, and May, her activity range would be in the suburbs, spending most of her time in the studio. During this period, the weather would transition from cool to warm, and the only clothes she needed to pack in her suitcase were spring outfits.

Summer clothes haven’t been arranged yet.

After simply organizing her luggage, Lu Yinxi began to calculate her expenses.

Currently, she has a bank card with 300,000 yuan given by Jian Qing. In the past two months, she has spent 50,000 yuan, more than half of which was for hospitalization expenses, especially during the days spent lying in the ICU, where money flowed out like water…

Thinking about the hospital discharge fee list, Lu Yinxi pressed her hand against her chest and let out a heavy sigh. This ungrateful lung…

The crew’s payment for her work will be transferred on the last day of February; at that time, she will make up the difference and return the 300,000 yuan bank card to Jian Qing.

After the filming concluded and the payment was settled, by then she would have spent six months in this world. With the remaining money, she could easily stay for another six months.

However, she wondered if, after the story ended in January of the following year, she could smoothly return to her original world.

Lu Yinxi pushed open the window and looked up at the starry night sky, missing the distant past.

After the New Year, she had a movie set to be released. That would be her second film, and for the first time, she would play the female lead. During her first time filming, she played a minor supporting role and fortunately won the Best Newcomer Award. She was so excited that she couldn’t sleep the entire night, hugging the trophy in her blanket, and the next day, when she told her master, he laughed at her for being unambitious.

After the New Year, Gu Mingyu would turn 50. The 21st of next month would be her birthday. She didn’t like celebrating birthdays; perhaps she would just make a bowl of noodles for herself or maybe not celebrate at all, busy as usual in the hospital, eating in the cafeteria when she got hungry.

After the New Year, her master was 32; her mistress, who was also her boss, was 33. Although her master was younger than her boss, he seemed more mature and had a greater sense of humanity. At first, her boss viewed her merely as a cash cow, always calculating and exploiting her. However, without her boss’s assistance, how could she have easily established herself in the industry?

After the New Year, her assistant turned 22 and had been too busy to find a partner. She often nagged in Lu Yinxi’s ear, asking her to help introduce a handsome guy from the industry…

The faces of friends and family from the real world floated one by one in her mind, some clear and some already blurred.

Having been in this unfamiliar world for almost two months, she began to forget the people from her real world.

What if, one day, she forgot them all?

Lu Yinxi was momentarily flustered; she found paper and a pen, closed her eyes, and recalled everyone’s faces in her mind.

She could not forget them.

She had to draw them while her memories were still clear.

She started with Gu Mingyu.

After many years without seeing each other, the one with the closest blood relation was ironically the one whose face was the most blurred.

Lu Yinxi leaned over the desk, doodling.

The portrait had not yet taken shape when a “knock knock” sounded at the door.

The door was open, and knocking was merely a polite gesture.

Lu Yinxi raised her eyes and looked over. “Teacher Jian?”

Jian Qing entered silently, grabbing her by the back of her collar and pulling her into the study.

Lu Yinxi sat in the study, feeling a bit confused. “What do you want to do?”

Was she going to talk about the Jian family’s struggle for the throne again tonight?

Jian Qing had a calm expression as she sat down, looking at the computer screen and typing away at the keyboard.

Lu Yinxi remained dazed for a while, then suddenly remembered the excuse from last night about “keeping her company”—

If she wanted her to accompany her, she could just say so. Why did she have to grab her like a thief snatching a virtuous woman?

Lu Yinxi smiled, then pressed her lips together, suppressing her laughter, knowing very well that she was asking just for the sake of it. “What did you bring me here for?”

Jian Qing ignored her, focusing on her work.

“If you’re not going to talk, then I’ll just go back,” Lu Yinxi said as she stood up, pretending to leave.

Jian Qing looked up at her and said softly, “You’re not allowed to leave.”

Lu Yinxi walked over to her side. “Then what am I supposed to do here? Just stare at you?”

Jian Qing paused for a moment and asked her, “What are you doing in the room?”

“Drawing,” Lu Yinxi replied.

“Come here to draw.”

“That won’t do; I like a quiet environment.”

“This place isn’t noisy.”

Lu Yinxi pointed at her mechanical keyboard. “Your keyboard is loud; it will disturb me.”

Jian Qing was momentarily speechless, retracting her gaze to stare at the computer screen, silently pondering what other reasons could keep her there.

Lu Yinxi remembered the past when she was always coldly mocked and dismissed by Jian Qing. Now, feeling that she had avenged herself, she was secretly overjoyed, as if a flower had bloomed in her heart.

Without saying another word, she turned around and walked out.

Jian Qing watched Lu Yinxi’s departing figure and wanted to stand up to stop her, but she couldn’t think of a reason to make her stay.

She sat in her seat, her gaze slightly dimmed, her index finger tapping heavily on the letters L, Y, and X.

Tomorrow, she would go and get a new keyboard…

Having made this decision, she collected her thoughts and focused on her work.

Unexpectedly, one minute later, Lu Yinxi took the initiative to walk into the study.

Jian Qing’s eyes brightened; her gaze swept over Lu Yinxi, and her lips moved slightly as if she wanted to say something pleasant. However, what came out instead was a cold inquiry: “What are you doing?”

Lu Yinxi held paper, pen, drinks, and snacks, piled them all on the desk, arranging them one by one, and sat across from Jian Qing.

She spread out the paper, raised her eyes, met Jian Qing’s gaze, and smiled sweetly. “Just keeping you company.”

Jian Qing remained indifferent, lowering her gaze to the keyboard, focused on her work.

Lu Yinxi wrinkled her nose and made a silly face at her but didn’t dwell on it. Instead, she lowered her head and picked up her pen, seriously starting to draw.

Jian Qing looked up and stared at the person across from her for a while. Then she withdrew her gaze, and a small curve appeared at the corner of her lips, as the sound of her typing became increasingly lively.

As the moment of separation drew nearer, Lu Yinxi found herself increasingly enjoying following behind Jian Qing like a little tail.

Usually, when Jian Qing went to the outpatient clinic for consultations, Lu Yinxi rarely accompanied her. Most of the time, she helped run errands in the patient area or played the piano in the practice room.

However, after the morning shift change today, Jian Qing said to Lu Yinxi, “Come with me to the outpatient clinic today.”

Without thinking, Lu Yinxi nodded in agreement.

Beside them, Wei Mingming exclaimed in surprise, “Boss, is it not enough for me to serve you alone?”

Jian Qing glanced at her but didn’t say anything.

She was Jian Qing’s first student, a specialized master’s graduate, and their relationship was not just that of a teacher and student; it was more like colleagues who could joke around freely with each other.

The specialized master’s program emphasized clinical skills, and those with rich clinical experience found it easy to get jobs after graduation. However, research skills were somewhat lacking, and if one wanted to further their education, doctoral supervisors might prefer students with a strong research background from academic master’s programs. Staying in a large tertiary hospital¹ also required research as a stepping stone.

For this reason, Wei Mingming often teased Jian Qing, saying, “Boss, you need to hurry up and become a professor, get your doctoral supervisor qualifications. If others won’t take me, I’ll come looking for you, and you have to accept me as your first disciple.”

Lu Yinxi laughed and teased, “Brother Zhang also often says he wants to take you as his disciple.”

Wei Mingming rolled her eyes, sending a glance over to Zhang Yue. “By the time that guy becomes a professor, I’ll probably be retired and called back to work.”

Zhang Yue was in an eight-year program, while Wei Mingming graduated from a five-year program; they were about the same age.

Jian Qing shot her a glance. “So confident that you’ll be called back?”

Wei Mingming quickly flatteringly replied, “Of course! The disciples you taught are bound to be in demand for reappointment.”

In this way, she flattered Jian Qing while also praising herself.

Jian Qing shook her head slightly, smiled helplessly, and then lifted her chin, pointing at the consultation room door. “Disciple, go open the door.”

The consultation room was about 10 square meters, with not much inside: a examination bed, a curtain for privacy, a row of file cabinets, a desk for the computer, several chairs, and a few banners.

Jian Qing sat inside, responsible for taking medical histories and prescribing medication, while Wei Mingming sat outside, tasked with learning, running errands, and knocking on the door to consult patient records.

Lu Yinxi prepared coffee for them and sat on the same side as Wei Mingming.

The morning sunlight streamed in through the window, illuminating Jian Qing.

She tied her flowing long hair into a ponytail, and under the sunlight, it was coated with a layer of golden brown, looking particularly beautiful.

Doctors with exceptionally high looks often make patients subconsciously feel they’re not reliable. Therefore, every time she sat for consultations, she would wear a mask and sometimes a blue surgical cap to hide her beautiful hair. She refrained from wearing makeup and kept her expressions neutral to increase patients’ trust.

Today, she didn’t wear a surgical cap. Instead, she pulled open a drawer and put on a pair of black-framed glasses without prescription lenses.

This reduced her coldness and added a touch of scholarly elegance.

It was the first time Lu Yinxi had seen her wearing glasses, and she couldn’t help but chuckle.

Jian Qing stared at her with a cold, piercing gaze.

She quickly suppressed her laughter, secretly chuckling to herself.

What a bad influence, such a bad influence.

Tumor medicine rarely serves as a primary consultation department, and most patients visiting the outpatient clinic are those who have had surgery or are undergoing chemotherapy. In the initial medical records of hospitalized patients, even the writing of differential diagnoses can be omitted.

The first to enter was a 36-year-old female patient, whose surname was Zhang, coming to seek medical treatment alone.

Relative to most cancer patients, she was still considered young, but she was already a stage IV gastric cancer patient, here for a follow-up examination.

Ms. Zhang’s mental state was particularly good; her attitude was positive, and her speech was vigorous and clear. When she first entered, the three of them even thought she was there to inquire on behalf of a family member.

This was because many cancer patients from other places could not endure the long journey and had family members bring their examination data to consult.

Ms. Zhang said, “After I was diagnosed with cancer, my family didn’t care for me at all. After the surgery, I followed the doctor’s advice and gradually underwent treatment. Now I’m living well; I even run every day and work out at the gym.”

Jian Qing nodded. “An optimistic attitude indeed helps alleviate the condition, but I don’t recommend vigorous exercise.”

“Isn’t exercise supposed to boost the immune system?”

“It doesn’t provide a continuous boost. During the fatigue phase of exercise, your immunity is lowered, which allows other diseases to invade.”

Cancer patients, especially those with blood-related cancers, have weakened immune systems and typically wear masks when going out.

After prescribing medication and conducting examinations, Wei Mingming took notes on the outpatient medical records, while Jian Qing printed the examination reports. Lu Yinxi handed the medical records and examination reports to Ms. Zhang and watched her leave, letting out a slight sigh.

She was already a stage IV patient, with cancer cells spreading; she was nearing the end of her life. Even if at this moment she seemed vibrant like a flower, given time, when the disease flared up, she would wither and fade away rapidly.

She was only 36 years old…

And she was a pitiful person abandoned by her family…

Lu Yinxi inevitably fell into empathy and felt depressed for quite a while.

Back then, she had accompanied a young patient who had also been abandoned by their family for an examination.

Before undergoing a contrast-enhanced CT/PET-CT scan², it was necessary to inject a contrast agent, which required a family member’s signature for authorization. Unfortunately, that patient’s family refused to come, and the patient had begged her to help sign the document.

She felt pity for her background and could not resist her desperate pleas. Ignoring the medical risks, she signed on behalf of her cousin.

In the following treatments, she truly treated her like a sister, providing constant companionship and comfort…

“Lu Yinxi, go to the medical education department and bring back the instructor’s manual for me.” Jian Qing ordered Lu Yinxi to run this errand, wanting to leave the oppressive consultation room and get some fresh air outside.

Lu Yinxi responded with an “Oh,” obediently running off to fulfill the task.

Jian Qing shook her head slightly. “With such a soft heart, how can you even ask me if you’re suited for medicine…”

Wei Mingming said, “Isn’t it because she has a soft heart that you like her so much?”

Knowing that Wei Mingming’s “like” simply meant a genuine fondness, Jian Qing didn’t say much in response.

At first, she saw Lu Yinxi as sensitive and fragile, like a clean sheet of white paper that could easily tear. Jian Qing’s destructive impulses urged her to deliberately bring her to the hospital, wanting to torment her a little, to let her see what true suffering was like, to smell the stench of blood, vomit, and other indescribable odors, to hear the heart-wrenching cries of patients and their families, hoping to strip away her pretentiousness and sensitivity.

Who knew that later on, her temperament changed drastically? She remained sensitive but was no longer fragile, and she often said the strangest things…

Jian Qing raised her wrist to check the time and asked, “Why hasn’t the next patient arrived yet? If they don’t come soon, I’ll call the one after them in.”

“Stuck on the road, huh? Then I’ll call in the next number.”

The LED display screen at the entrance of the consultation room changed from “Please have patient number 02 enter…” to “Please have patient number 03 enter…”

The staff from the medical education department went to visit Director Yan in the ward, leaving only two interns behind in the office.

Lu Yinxi sifted through a pile of manuals and found the instructor’s manual that Jian Qing had stamped, taking it with her.

On the way, she secretly glanced at the comments Jian Qing had written for Wei Mingming, noting phrases like “This student is diligent and hardworking, with a positive attitude…” It was obvious that these comments had been copied and pasted from the internet; they might even have been transcribed by Wei Mingming herself, with Jian Qing just signing her name like a dragon flying and phoenix dancing.³

I’ll have to tease her a bit when I get back.

After going back and forth, plus the time spent in the crowded elevator, it took almost twenty minutes by the time she returned.

Lu Yinxi carried the instructor’s manual as she walked out of the elevator. Before she even reached the consultation room door, she heard a heated argument from afar.

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1. Tertiary Hospital (三甲): is a term used in China to refer to the highest level of hospitals that provide advanced medical care and specialized services.
2. Contrast-enhanced CT/PET-CT scan: refers to imaging techniques used in medical diagnostics that require the use of a contrast agent to improve image quality and provide clearer insights into the patient’s condition.
3. Dragon flying and phoenix dancing (龙飞凤舞): a Chinese idiom used to describe beautiful and artistic handwriting.