This Doctor Is Too Wealthy

”These years, haven’t I treated you well? What you eat, wear, and use, isn’t it all bought by me? What housework have I ever asked you to do? But what about you? More than once, you’ve cheated on me, fooled around, and I’ve forgiven you time and time again. Tell me, on what grounds are you asking for a divorce?”

Hearing the woman’s accusations, the man’s face turned red instantly. He even began to avoid the gazes of the people around him, afraid of seeing disdain on their faces or hearing them call him a ”kept man” or ”scum.”

”I’m tired! I’ve had enough, alright?” The man struggled violently, wrenching his arm free. ”Yes, I don’t earn money! You’re the one supporting the household, indeed! But why do you always put on that indifferent look, that wronged expression, huh? Isn’t it just to make me feel guilty, to humiliate me, to make me feel like I owe you? Let me tell you, I’ve had enough! I’ve really had enough!”

Shoving the woman’s hand away again, the man hurriedly parted the crowd blocking his way and dashed towards the hospital’s main entrance.

The woman, far from giving up, clung to the man again, shouting, ”No! That’s not a reason!” and similar protests.

However, the man seemed resolute. His resistance against the woman’s attempts to hold him back grew more intense, and his desire to escape became more desperate.

Suddenly, he broke free from the woman’s grip and ran forward again.

SCREECH—

AAAH!

The sound of screeching brakes and people’s gasps rose simultaneously, but the one sound missing was that of a collision.

However, what happened next was more terrifying than a direct collision. The fleeing man was clipped by the passing bus, sending him tumbling before he was pulled under its wheels.

”Hurry, save him!”

It’s often said that Chinese people are drawn to a spectacle; it’s considered human nature. Yet, stepping forward in a crisis is also a deep-seated virtue.

But as everyone swarmed to help, the woman who had been grappling with the man just stood there, dazed.

News of the incident at the hospital entrance quickly spread throughout the hospital.

And which group in the hospital is best at spreading information? The nurses, of course.

Du Heng himself had just finished eating in the canteen and was carrying the packed meal he’d gotten for his patient back to the hospital room.

Halfway there, he bumped into a young nurse from his department. ”Deputy Director Du,” she exclaimed, ”did you hear? There was a car accident at the entrance just now!”

Du Heng quirked his lips. ”I hadn’t heard. You were in the canteen too, weren’t you? How did you find out?”

The young nurse furtively showed Du Heng her phone. ”My friend from the Emergency Department sent it,” she whispered. ”Look, the victim is a man. A bus’s rear wheel ran over his lower abdomen. It’s horrific. I doubt he’ll make it.”

Du Heng glanced at the two photos. One showed the scene under the bus, the other was taken outside the Emergency Room. The first was somewhat tolerable, but the second was deeply disturbing. The man’s entire lower abdomen seemed to be gone; all that was visible was blood, just blood.

This was what Du Heng found hardest to bear. Though he’d been somewhat hardened by such sights over time, he could never truly accept them; he couldn’t overcome his visceral aversion.

So after taking just one look, he quickly turned his head away.

Du Heng’s reaction made the young nurse giggle. Who would’ve thought, she mused, that the department’s stern Deputy Director Du had such a weakness?

Du Heng swallowed. ”Your friend is quite bold. With a scene like that, instead of working, she has the time to take photos?”

”Don’t misunderstand, Deputy Director Du,” the young nurse quickly defended her friend. ”She’s just petite and quite thin; they wouldn’t need her for something like this. It’s not like she’s slacking off. Besides, Deputy Director Du, I only showed you because I trust you. You mustn’t tell anyone.”

Du Heng couldn’t help but chuckle. ”So, in your eyes, I’m a blabbermouth?” He shook his head. ”Alright, car accidents happen. Many are far more tragic than this. Let’s not discuss it further. See? I even brought lunch for my patient.”

As he spoke, Du Heng lifted the packed lunch in his hand.

The young nurse hurried to catch up, whispering, ”Deputy Director Du, car accidents aren’t rare, but the way this one happened today was quite strange.”

”Tell me on the way, or the food will get cold.” Du Heng wasn’t a gossip, but he didn’t mind listening if someone else was keen to share.

The young nurse then vividly recounted the incident at the hospital entrance. ”My friend said,” she added, ”that the woman seemed a bit off... like she might have snapped from the shock.”

Du Heng sighed. ”From what you’re saying, the woman clearly didn’t want to let him go. Yet, because of her, her husband ended up under the bus. And from that photo I saw, I suspect the man is in critical condition. If she’s not unhinged now, she probably will be when she learns her husband’s fate.”

The young nurse pouted. ”Tell me about it.”

”Well, try not to dwell on it.” Du Heng glanced sideways at the young nurse. ”You should go get some rest. You have dressings to change this afternoon; you’ll be busy.”

”Since you know how hard I work, Deputy Director Du, maybe you could prescribe less medicine?” Du Heng’s change of subject successfully distracted the young nurse from the earlier incident.

Hearing the young nurse’s complaint, Du Heng chuckled. ”Is that something I can control? If a patient needs medication, I can’t very well not prescribe it, can I?”

”Anyway, you’re the leader. Whatever you say goes.”

”Leader? Me? Hardly.” Du Heng smiled at the young nurse. ”Head Nurse Kang is the real leader around here. Instead of complaining to me, you’d be better off talking to Head Nurse Kang about adjusting your workload.”

The two chatted and laughed as they entered the hospitalization department, both tacitly agreeing not to mention the car accident again.

”Hey there, handsome, feeling any better?” Du Heng walked into the hospital room with the lunch, smiling at the little boy on the hospital bed as he greeted him.

”Hello, Uncle! I feel much better. I’m hardly coughing at all now. I’m just really hungry.”

Du Heng couldn’t help but ask, ”Where’s your mom?”

”My mom and My Dad went out a while ago and haven’t come back yet.”

”Alright, Uncle brought you some food. You eat first. When your mom gets back, she can eat.” As he spoke, Du Heng took out the meal.

Since Ding Yuxue wasn’t around, Du Heng kept the little boy company while he ate, chatting with him.

But as time passed and Ding Yuxue still hadn’t returned, Du Heng’s frustration with her mounted. The child has woken up and even had a bowel movement, he thought, but as his mother, how could she disappear for so long? She’s being far too careless!

Seeing the child was almost finished with his meal, Du Heng couldn’t wait any longer. He took out his phone, first getting Ding Yuxue’s number from the school’s Political and Educational Affairs Office, and then dialed it.

But when the call connected, Du Heng paused. ”Hello, who is this?” he asked.

”Hello, this is the Emergency Department at Good Friend Hospital. Are you a relative of the phone’s owner?”

The voice on the phone stunned Du Heng for a moment. ”I’m her colleague,” he said instinctively. ”What’s happened to her?”

”Excuse me, I need to ask a few questions. What is the owner’s name and age?”

”Ding Yuxue. I believe she’s 41.” Du Heng was growing anxious, but knowing it wasn’t appropriate to discuss this in the hospital room, he stepped outside before continuing.

While speaking, he started heading towards the outpatient Emergency Department. ”No, please, just tell me what’s wrong with her first,” he urged.

”Just now, at the hospital entrance, she was in an altercation with a man. The man was hit by a car, and she’s currently quite distraught.” The nurse on the other end paused briefly before continuing, ”Since you’re her colleague, can you help us contact her family? Or perhaps you could come over? There’s some paperwork that needs to be completed.”

”Hold on, I’ll be there in two minutes.”

”Two minutes?”

”I’m a doctor at this hospital too. I’m in the hospitalization department right now. Wait for me.”

Du Heng immediately hung up the phone.

The realization that this dramatic incident involved his own colleague sent an uncomfortable jolt through him.