This Doctor Is Too Wealthy

Zhou Yixian was about to leave and arrange for Zhang Xi’s transfer to a general ward when his gaze inadvertently fell upon the monitor.

Zhou Yixian’s eyelids twitched. I must have seen that wrong, he thought, taking two more steps forward. In the time it took for those two steps, a yellow alarm blared from the monitor. It sounded once before immediately escalating to red.

The jarring alarm instantly threw the observation ward into a tense state. Doctors and nurses not currently engaged in rescue efforts hurried towards the sound.

Zhou Yixian was startled. How could his blood pressure and oxygen saturation drop so quickly? Reaching Zhang Xi’s side, he could hear the patient’s shallow, labored breathing.

Suddenly, a key symptom of intracerebral hemorrhage flashed through his mind—drowsiness! I’ve been too muddled, too arrogant! he berated himself. I didn’t react sooner, just assuming he was sleeping normally. But thinking about it, who sleeps soundly at eleven in the morning, just drifting off at will? The initial examination found nothing, likely due to the first attending doctor’s treatment methods.

At this moment, however, Zhou Yixian felt no appreciation for Du Heng’s high level of skill; instead, he was cursing him internally. Because of Du Heng’s preemptive treatment, my own judgment was clouded, the instrument readings were skewed, and I almost delayed the patient’s critical care!

Drawing on his experience, he immediately initiated emergency measures.

Zhang Xi was once again rushed to the CT room. Only half an hour had passed since his last scan. Half an hour ago, he had been conscious; now, he was comatose.

The CT results arrived quickly. Zhou Yixian stared at the shadow in Zhang Xi’s brain, his astonishment so profound he almost cried out. The condition is progressing incredibly fast! Half an hour ago, the patient was stable, and now there’s already bleeding in the brain!

「...」

Du Heng slept like a log. When he opened his eyes, the scenery outside the car window was unfamiliar.

”Awake?” Wang Shuqiu, still driving at a steady pace, offered him a sweet smile when she saw he was awake.

”Mm.” Du Heng stretched, working out the stiffness from sleeping in the cramped space. ”How long was I asleep?”

”Three and a half hours.”

”That long?” Du Heng was a bit surprised, looking out the car window again. ”How much longer until we get there?”

Wang Shuqiu mentally calculated their current speed and the remaining distance. ”About two more hours.”

Du Heng shifted in his seat. ”Pull over up ahead when you find a spot.”

”Why?”

”I need a bathroom break. Then I can take over driving. You’ve been at it for three hours; you must be tired.”

Wang Shuqiu didn’t object; she was indeed feeling tired.

After his break, Du Heng had just gotten back into the car and was about to start the engine when his phone rang.

”Is this Doctor Du Heng?”

”Hello, this is he. May I ask who’s calling?”

”This is Zhou Yixian, Director of the Emergency Department at the Municipal First Hospital...”

What’s happened? Du Heng wondered initially. But the call was merely to inquire about Zhang Xi’s prior condition and Du Heng’s prescribed medication.

And that was it.

Zhou Yixian was primarily curious about Du Heng’s medication. He thought it had been cleverly administered, managing to conceal any signs of bleeding during the initial CT scan.

As for treating intracerebral hemorrhage, would that really pose a challenge for a third-class hospital?

Du Heng’s earlier treatment, however, had nearly led to a medical accident. Not blaming him directly was, frankly, quite courteous of Zhou Yixian.

Du Heng, of course, had a clear understanding of his own capabilities and current position. Still, this didn’t stop him from fantasizing that the Municipal First Hospital might recognize his talent and transfer him directly from the Health Clinic.

Yet, when Zhou Yixian abruptly ended the call, Du Heng couldn’t help but laugh self-deprecatingly.

Wang Shuqiu looked at him, a little curious. ”What’s wrong?”

”Nothing.” Du Heng shook his head lightly, then started the car and pulled onto the road. ”By the way, tell me about your parents. Are they easy to get along with?”

Wang Shuqiu is a good girlfriend, Du Heng thought, but there are a few things... Firstly, our relationship had progressed too quickly. Every step felt rushed, hurried. It made me uneasy, like she was a bit too impatient, almost desperate to get married. Secondly, her family. All I know is that there are four of them: her parents, her, and a younger brother. We’re about to meet them, and I have no idea about their personalities or what they like. Every time the subject came up, Wang Shuqiu would act evasive, as if she were hiding something, and would never go into detail. Du Heng was quite dissatisfied with this.

His colleague Mi Wu, despite her questionable character, had let slip some information about Wang Shuqiu’s family situation just yesterday.

Du Heng guessed that Wang Shuqiu might be afraid that he would have opinions about her being a ”bogeyman”, so she didn’t say anything. But that approach just makes me more unhappy, he thought.

Today, Du Heng brought up the issue again.

Wang Shuqiu looked conflicted, but at this juncture, she felt she couldn’t postpone it any longer.

”My dad doesn’t really have hobbies. He’s very honest and just enjoys a couple of drinks. My mom...”

”What about her?” Since she’d started, Du Heng wanted the full picture.

Wang Shuqiu hesitated, seemingly struggling to find the words to describe her mother. ”Well, my dad is quite straightforward, so she’s the one who manages everything at home. She’s frugal and hardworking, but... but...”

”But what? Just say it,” Du Heng urged, a little impatient.

”She’s just... a bit too softhearted.”

Too softhearted? Du Heng wondered. What’s so difficult to admit about that?

Wang Shuqiu quickly added, ”My younger brother... he’s a bit different. He has some mental health issues. He can get very agitated if he’s provoked. You’ll need to be careful what you say around him; try not to set him off.”

At this, Wang Shuqiu looked apologetic, her whole demeanor becoming cautious. Du Heng could see from the corner of his eye that she was carefully observing his reaction.

Was Du Heng angry? Yes. Her brother has a mental illness, and she’s only telling me now? Was she afraid I’d run for the hills, so she decided to spring this on me right before we meet them?

Yet, he wasn’t as angry as he might have expected. Learning your girlfriend’s brother has a mental illness would give anyone pause.

So that’s it, Du Heng realized. That’s why she’s been so hesitant to talk about her family and why she’s been pushing our relationship forward so quickly.

”Is your brother’s condition severe? Has he seen doctors for it?” Now that he felt he understood, Du Heng didn’t want to pressure Wang Shuqiu. He asked gently, hoping to convey that he wasn’t fazed and to help her relax.

Wang Shuqiu visibly relaxed, sensing Du Heng’s acceptance. ”He’s had issues since he was little,” she explained, her earlier tension easing. ”If things don’t go his way, or if he gets agitated, he becomes extremely worked up—smashing things, hitting people, sometimes even hurting himself.”

Her expression clouded over for a moment. ”When he was young, we just thought he was spoiled, deliberately throwing tantrums. It wasn’t until he was older and we took him for a hospital examination that we learned it was a mental health problem. We’ve consulted many doctors, even took him to the Jinzhou Third Hospital, but nothing really helped. If he gets triggered, he still has episodes.”

Du Heng was momentarily speechless. What am I? I’m a doctor! This is practically my specialty! I successfully treated someone with a mental illness during my time in the lower village. Well, this might just be an opportunity to impress my future mother-in-law and brother-in-law, Du Heng mused.