Wang Shi followed the ambulance. To be correct he followed the little child, his eyes assuring him occasionally.
The hospital's trauma centre was as chaotic as always with doctors and nurses running around, prioritizing the patients on the basis of the tags attached. Red being the most serious.
At the trauma bay when Zhao Suyin entered, she was hoped onto a gurney, giving CPR to the woman she rescued.
"Stats." A nurse walked.
"27-year-old female, multiple fractures, massive blood loss. Right leg ruptured artery. Failed to intubate due to broken jaw. Revived once on the way. She needs rapid infuser." Zhao Suyin reported.
The nurse: "To trauma 2"
"Four units of O-neg. Put her on the monitor." Wang Shi pulled out a clean set of gloves and walked in a hurry to check. "Start with a round of epi. Can you handle this?" He asked.
"Epi administered twice on the way." Zhao Suyin informed, and get down from the gurney, "You take over, I'm not qualified." Disappointment apparent in her eyes but her confidence didn't decline a bit.
Wang Shi was taken aback. In fact, everyone had the same expression. Why did she say, not qualified? It doesn't seem so! No one would believe it!
"Aunty…. Aunty…." Just then she heard the voice of the same child and looked at the man.
"I'm with the boy. Someone, please inform the police to look for his parents. I don't think they were in this accident as he was only looking for his aunt earlier." She left in a hurry, obviously hiding something.
In the little boy's room, Zhao Suyin checked his eyes.
Child: "Where is my aunt?"
"She is under treatment, love. Don't worry. May I know your name?" Zhao Suyin rubbed the child's cheek.
Child: "Ru Mingyu. Will she be fine?"
Zhao Suyin didn't reply in order to not make any false promises and looked at the nurse who was ready with an IV needle. "Alright Mingyu make a fist for me, now we are going to put something in your arm to give you medicine. It will pinch just a little, squeeze my hand as hard as possible. Okay?"
With a soft voice, warm smile and motherly eyes, she coaxed him gently.
"Woww… good job! You are the bravest. Even I'm not as brave as you are." Zhao Suyin pinched his chubby cheek.
The nurse smiled as she was done. Doctors are compassionate but there is something different about her. She was like the warmth of sun in harsh winter.
"Take off his clothes to check for any other injury and get the X-ray."
"Yes, doctor."
The nurse nodded getting the instruction. Though the lady before her was not from this hospital, she dare not neglect her.
"um… call me Miss. Zhao." Zhao Suyin corrected.
"Miss Zhao, look at this." The nurse asked for her attention in urgency while cutting the shirt of the little boy with a scissor.
Zhao Suyin lowered her head to study the boy's tender skin, the more she looked the more her brows wrinkled. "Cut his pants too"
Looking at the multiple bruises and scars on the boy's body, the nurse was shocked too. Was this child subject to abuse!?
Being from the medical profession she knew how one get these type of injuries.
"Miss Zhao, this…"
"Get him fully examined, including his genitals."
"The child's parents are contacted. They are on their way." Just then another nurse came in and informed. "His parents have further informed that the caretaker didn't return home after picking him from kindergarten. They suspect abduction and have requested to not allow anyone to meet the child in their absence."
Zhao Suyin frowned, "Is the caretaker they called the woman currently under treatment?"
The nurse: "Yes. Parents have sent me the picture to be aware of her and keep the child away."
The other nurse was done contacting the pediatric department and hospital director; she placed the phone down, "We have to shift the child to the private ward. Senior Paediatrician Dr. Su is on her way." She glanced at the child who was now in deep slumber due to the medicine effect, unaware of the situation.
Zhao Suyin: No! Shift the child to the room with a hidden camera installed. Inform the social services, and call me when parents arrive. Make sure you don't inform the parents that I ordered for full body examination, and yes….. ask them to get his medical history along." She eyed both the nurses sharply, "No mistakes!"
Next, she concentrated at the nurse who just came in, "Who is the attending psychiatrist?"
"Dr. He Jeff."
"Keep him informed. I'll need his help in this case." Zhao Suyin's changed attitude and commanding voice compelled them to obey her unwaveringly. They could not bring themselves to question or doubt her. Surely the woman standing before them was not simple.
She marched out, rocking her heels against the floor.
*****
While Ru Mingyu's was getting examined in the room, Zhao Suyin looked through the glass window, lost deep in thoughts.
"Excuse me, this is a restricted area. Outsiders and family members are not allowed." Hospital director Li Han came walking.
Judging by Zhao Suyin's casual look of a white denim skirt and blue shirt he mistook her to be the patient's family. "I request you to wait in the waiting lounge. As soon as the tests-"
"Secretary-General at Ministry of women and child affairs." Saying she handed her ID card to the director before concentrating back at the child.
Li Han was taken aback; he alternated his gaze a few times between the ID card and her to make sure the photo matched. Just in case!
After confirming he gawked at her incredulously, 'Secretary-General at such a young age!? Just what are her achievements!? Is this woman for real!'
Zhao Suyin: "Stop staring. It's creepy."
Li Han "…."
Li Han extended his hands out of respect, "Li Han, director of the hospital. I and my team will fully cooperate with you."
She shook her hand and nodded.
He was an elderly man in early sixties and has experienced and seen a greater world. He not only knows the sensitivity of the case but being a responsible citizen it's his duty to fight against the evil in society.
"Mr. Li" Dr. Su was done examining Mingyu and walked out with her findings. She glanced at Zhao Suyin dubiously.
Li Han showed Zhao Suyin's ID card, "You may discuss."
"Hello, I'm Dr. Su Ann. These are Mingyu's reports." After introducing she handover the file to Suyin.
"No sexual abuse." Zhao Suyin read it.
Su Ann: "Right! However, there are multiple new and old scraps on his body. Especially palm, knee, and elbow. Moreover, he has an old fracture on the wrist that seems healed but the bone was not joined correctly. Probably he didn't receive treatment. Above that, he has an untreated broken toe, at least a day old injury."
Li Han was shocked, "He was walking with a broken toe? And as per his parents, he attended kindergarten too…. Like that?"
"Probably not." Both looked at Zha Suyin as she snorts, "It's just a hollow statement by parents. We have not got it confirmed. And while I was with the child, he didn't take his parent's name even once but the aunt that's an alleged abductor as per his parents…. Sounds suspicious?"
Su Ann gasped, "You suspect them as abuser while the aunt/maid as the savior who tried to run away with him"
"I'm not jumping onto conclusions. That's a mere conjecture." Zhao Suyin said clutching her hand from the elbow. "Monitor the child closely."
Li Han noticed Zhao Suyin's arm which was bleeding. Due to her shirt's dark color, it didn't catch his attention earlier. "Is everything okay? Should I arrange a doctor?"
"No big deal. I scraped it while climbing out through the broken windshield." She answered in a dissmissive way, "A suture kit, disinfectant and a room for a few minutes. May I?"
Li Han was surprised by her calmness. How was she holding on to her injured hand till now? So unlikely of this fragile gender!
Oh No! Hold on! How will she do the sutures? She's not a doctor? Or is she?
But her confidence says she can!
Why she was not scared? Even I feel numb thinking about suturing my own wounds!
Zhao Suyin repeated, "Mr. Li, may I?"
"Ah!? S-Sure…."
******