Chapter 3

A 38°C heatwave raged across the midsummer afternoon. Looking up at the sky, you couldn’t see the sun’s outline, only the white-hot rays blanketing the earth.

Unlike the scorching outdoors, the hospital maintained a comfortable temperature. At 2:15 p.m., Tang Feiwan, having finished her “battle,” finally had time to eat. She took off her white coat and, wearing only her light blue scrubs, sat down in front of the computer, right hand on the mouse, left hand gripping a spoon, scooping half a spoonful of fried rice into her mouth.

“Xiao Tang, what are you looking at? Not even paying attention to your food.” Liu Zhinan had just celebrated his 36th birthday. Because he was one high-quality article short, he hadn’t yet been promoted to associate director. But he was clinically experienced and easygoing, so everyone in Group 2 affectionately called him Old Liu.

Tang Feiwan moved the mouse. “I’m reviewing the patient’s medical records and looking up some related materials.”

“No need to rush. Why don’t you eat in the break room from now on?” Liu Zhinan held a teapot and filled it at the water dispenser beside her, saying casually, “The old saying goes, eat well and you’ll have the strength to work. Lin Ye was just like you when she first joined our department. But look at her now? Sitting in the break room, eating comfortably.”

“All right, I’ll go there another day.”

Just as she finished, Lin Ye walked in with a washed lunchbox.

Liu Zhinan put on his usual smile. “See? Speak of the devil.”

Lin Ye instinctively asked, “What?”

“Nothing. I was just joking with Xiao Tang.” Liu Zhinan changed the subject to business. “By the way, the patient from Bed 2 who hit the sink, the exploratory laparotomy confirmed a splenic rupture. Luckily it was caught in time, and he didn’t go into shock from excessive blood loss.”

Lin Ye, as always, spoke flatly. “Mm, the surgery went well?”

Liu Zhinan’s smile widened. “Smoothly. The family even said they’d give Xiao Tang a banner on discharge day!”

“Banner?” Lin Ye had come in, and Tang Feiwan had buried her head in her rice, not participating in the conversation. Now she set her spoon aside and refused repeatedly, “Don’t give it to me. If you have to give one, give it to the department.”

“How can that be? The family specifically wants to give it to you.” Liu Zhinan took a sip of tea and continued, “If you turn in the banner, you’ll get a moral model award at the end of the year.”

As they chatted, Head Nurse Sun Qinhe suddenly burst into the office, opening with a sentence: “Old Liu, if you want to imply they’re getting stingier, just say it.” She wasn’t wrong. In the past, collecting three banners within a year earned a 200 yuan bonus. This year, the rules changed, and they only gave out a moral model certificate.

Liu Zhinan rubbed the lid of his teapot with his right hand. “I’m just explaining to the new colleague.”

“What about Zhou Qian from Group 3? He’s not answering calls or replying on WeChat. Doesn’t he love hanging around your Group 2?” Sun Qinhe scanned the room but didn’t see him.

“He might be in the break room.” Lin Ye walked back to her desk.

Liu Zhinan asked curiously, “What did he do now?”

Sun Qinhe said irritably, “A medical order, 10 ml of potassium chloride. Oral administration was written as IV push. Does he want to go to prison, or does he want us all to join him at his funeral?”

Liu Zhinan flattered her. “Everyone knows he’s sometimes careless. Thank goodness he has such responsible and professional partners like you.” Doctors and nurses had a collaborative relationship, not one where doctors managed nurses.

Then came the standard introduction of the new colleague. After exchanging a few words, Sun Qinhe left, and Lin Ye was called away by the associate director of the neighboring Group 3. Tang Feiwan finished organizing her patient files, put on her white coat, and went alone to the ward for rounds.

Apart from lunch, everyone had worked seven or eight hours straight. As the shift change approached, they all thought they could leave on time. But Sun Qinhe suddenly burst in frantically. “Director Lin, a patient was just transferred from People’s Hospital. Please take a look.”

Liu Zhinan hadn’t returned from rounds. Lin Ye signaled for Tang Feiwan to follow. The two hurried over.

They learned the patient, 79 years old, surnamed Zhong, was a retired professor from Shujiang University’s physics department. His children all worked abroad. The only one by his side was his wife of decades, his devoted companion.

Sun Qinhe handed the medical records to Lin Ye. “This is Professor Zhong’s file.”

Lower limb arterial occlusion, muscle necrosis. He had undergone vascular recanalization surgery at People’s Hospital some time ago.

Sun Qinhe helped summarize for her, “The vascular surgery didn’t help much. The muscles are still massively necrotic. Now he’s in shock with kidney failure, coagulation failure, and respiratory failure.”

“Doctor, can he still be treated? Director Bai from People’s Hospital suggested transferring him to your hospital, saying it’s the last hope.” The female family member was named Zheng. She had known Professor Zhong for 54 years and been married for 52. She was also a retired professor from Shujiang University.

Lin Ye frowned in thought. Tang Feiwan looked equally grave, moving to the bedside and carefully lifting the blanket covering Professor Zhong for an examination.

“Let’s start with CRRT,” Lin Ye quickly decided. Actually, Tang Feiwan had the same thought but hadn’t had time to voice it.

Through CRRT plasma exchange, clearing the necrotic substances and inflammatory factors from Professor Zhong’s body, Lin Ye hoped to grasp at a thread of life.

Professor Zhong was placed on continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). After handover, it was already past 8 p.m. Tang Feiwan turned off her computer and looked up. Lin Ye’s spring-like smile happened to crash into her eyes.

This was the first time in more than ten hours that Tang Feiwan had seen Lin Ye smile so openly, just like years ago, when Lin Ye smiled at her with a glimmer always rippling in her eyes.

Tang Feiwan recalled the past, the corners of her eyes and brows involuntarily tinged with a smile. It was only when she heard Lin Ye’s next sentence that the smile froze.

“Mommy will be home soon. You be good and wash up first.”

Mommy? She was talking to her child? She’s married? When? Who’s the husband? Why hadn’t she heard anything about it? Disbelief, confusion, and bewilderment filled her mind, catching her off guard. So much so that when Lin Ye said goodbye before leaving, she didn’t respond.

Tang Feiwan sat frozen in place, her mind buzzing, her heart in a mess. After a long while, she laughed silently, mocking herself for overestimating their relationship, mocking herself for thinking the other person wouldn’t marry or start a new family, mocking herself for not trying to win her back when she had lost her, and yet now pretending to be sad, pretending to be in love.

But it really did hurt. Tang Feiwan pressed her hand to her chest, trying hard to control the surge of emotion.

“Xiao Tang, still not home?” The duty doctor passing by glanced at her slumped over the desk and kindly asked.

Tang Feiwan took a deep breath. “About to head out.”

Professional instinct made the duty doctor add, “You’re not feeling unwell, are you?”

“No, thank you.” Tang Feiwan sat up straight and waited until the duty doctor was far away before bending down to open the cabinet and take out her helmet and backpack.

Go home.

There’s no obstacle that can’t be overcome.

Night spread. In the hospital’s underground parking level B2, Lin Ye got in her car and just started the engine when the passenger door was pulled open. A tall, thin figure ducked in and sat to her right.

The person said, “Give me a ride. I didn’t drive today.”

“How was your date last night?” With the day shift being so busy, Lin Ye finally had time to check on her friend. She continued as she shifted gears, released the handbrake, and gently pressed the gas.

Lu Yuqing was the same age as Lin Ye, 34, both born in ’84, one a Scorpio and one a Virgo. They had been classmates and roommates in university, both majoring in clinical medicine. In graduate school, one chose anesthesiology and the other emergency medicine, but they were still roommates. So they were inseparable and knew each other best.

Lu Yuqing waved her hand. “Don’t mention it. Enemies always cross paths.” Her shoulder-length hair flipped outward at the ends. She wore a red-and-white striped shirt and light-colored trousers, a full-on retro Hong Kong look.

Lin Ye listened attentively. “Enemy?”

“Remember yesterday when I went to the convenience store to buy water? It was lunchtime, and the line delayed me for a few minutes, so I got a parking ticket.”

Lin Ye made an “mm.” “You complained to me about it. What does that have to do with your date?”

Lu Yuqing’s face turned red. “My date was that female traffic cop who gave me the ticket!”

“What a coincidence.” Lin Ye was surprised. She knew Lu Yuqing had seen too many jerks, male and female, and didn’t want to commit, so she always said she only wanted sex, not love. But after two years of saying that, she finally registered on a lesbian dating site last month and met an online friend by “winking.” Luckily, they hit it off and shared similar views. They exchanged photos the day before yesterday and found each other attractive. They agreed to meet last night.

Lu Yuqing sighed. “What coincidence? It’s bad karma. I only realized after sleeping with her that she’s the culprit who cost me 200 yuan.”

“You slept together?” Lin Ye had thought they’d at least meet a couple more times to get to know each other first.

Sure enough—only sex, no love.

Lu Yuqing blurted out, “Mm, she was pretty good in bed.”

“So?” Lin Ye suddenly understood. The other person wasn’t complaining at all; she was showing off.

“Long-term potential.” Lu Yuqing turned to face Lin Ye and asked the question that had been pressing on her mind for hours. “Enough about me. What’s up with you? What’s going on?”

Lin Ye kept her speed in check. “What do you mean?”

“Tang Feiwan! Around 3 p.m., I finished an emergency surgery and had just brought the patient back to the ward when I saw her doing rounds. I asked around, and she’s actually in your Group 2.”

At the mention of Tang Feiwan, Lin Ye’s previously upturned lips instantly pressed into a straight line. “Mm, yes.”

Lu Yuqing pressed, “Aren’t you going to explain?”

Lin Ye’s expression didn’t change. “Explain what?”

“Did you personally request her?” Lu Yuqing shook her head. “Impossible. So she wants to chase you!”

There were only five seconds before the green light turned red. Lin Ye, dozens of meters from the crosswalk, was dazed for two seconds. She snapped back and slammed on the brakes. Once the car stopped, she steadied her emotions and said softly, “We’re just ordinary colleagues.”