"Are you kidding me? How… how did I get cancer?"
Ye Zhiqing held a medical report in her hand. On the report were the words "Late Phase lung cancer". The report in her hand was crumpled.
Late stage lung cancer?
How was this possible?
The corner of her mouth twitched. She wanted to laugh and say if this was a joke, but she couldn't.
She was about to become the youngest chief of surgery in this hospital, and her future was full of potential. Moreover, she was about to get married and have a happy family. She had even thought about having two cute babies.
But at this time, she was diagnosed with cancer. Was God joking with her?
"Zhiqing, calm down. As long as you cooperate with the treatment, there is a high chance of recovery."
Director Wang saw how hard it was for her to get to where she was now, and he could not bear to say the hospital's decision. However, he had to listen to what the hospital dean said.
"Zhiqing, the hospital has decided to remove your qualification as chief of surgery, but they will compensate you with one million RMB. You should recuperate first. There will still be chances in the future." The fifty-year-old Director Wang sighed and said the hospital's decision.
Remove her qualification?
This sentence snapped Ye Zhiqing out of her trance. "Why should I? I want to find the dean."
Chief Wang quickly stopped her and said softly, "Zhiqing, let me tell you the truth. This is the dean's decision. It's useless even if you look for him. You should take the compensation from the hospital and leave. Otherwise, you won't get anything in the end."
Ye Zhiqing stopped in her tracks and asked in disbelief, "Director Wang, what do you mean by that? The dean wants to fire me? How is that possible?"
Director Wang looked at her sympathetically and said, "The hospital has decided to suspend you for a holiday. Before you recover, you should stay at home and recuperate for a while."
Ye Zhiqing took the report and asked, "Just because I have lung cancer?"
Director Wang shook his head and said, "I didn't tell anyone about this."
*
Ye Zhiqing didn't know how she got out of the hospital. She walked back home with a dazed expression. Her eyes were slightly red as she looked up at the sky. She had never cried no matter what difficulties she encountered since childhood, but why did it give her a fatal blow when she thought that she was finally going to find happiness?
The people on the street came and went in a hurry. Everyone was busy with their own things, but this world seemed to have nothing to do with her.
She had been an orphan since she was young, and she had grown up by picking up rubbish and eating leftovers. However, she had never given up. She had worked hard to get into university while working part-time during the day and earning tuition fees at night. She had found a career that she liked and achieved some success.
And she'd met the man who could give her a home. She was going to have the home she'd dreamed of. But now it was all ruined.
She hugged her arms and squatted by the road while crying loudly.
The report in her hand fell to the ground. A little girl pulled her mother and asked curiously, "Mommy, why is that girl crying? Is it because she doesn't listen to her mommy?"
The young mother shushed her. "Xiaomei, be good. She cried because she was sad. It's not that she's not obedient."
"What is she sad about?"
"…Uh… like how you will be unhappy if your Barbie doll is broken."
"Oh, is her Barbie doll broken too? Then I'll give my Barbie doll to her so that she won't cry ~"
"Hehe, she didn't cry because of the Barbie doll. You'll know when you grow up."
"I have to wait till I grow up? Tell me now—"
Xiaomei made a face and said discontentedly. She looked at the doll in her hand and a hint of reluctance flashed across her eyes. However, she still ran to Ye Zhiqing's side and gently placed the doll by her feet. Then, she quickly ran to her mother's side.
As their voices faded into the distance, Ye Zhiqing wiped away the tears on her face. What was there to cry about? Crying couldn't solve any problem. This was something she understood when she was three years old. She laughed at herself. She was really getting more immature as she grew older.
She tried to pick up the report on the floor. A gust of wind blew, and the report drifted away with the wind. She didn't go after it. Forget it. There was no need.
She kicked something with her toes. It was a doll wearing a pink dress. It looked cute. She bent down and picked it up. She patted the dust on its back and made a decision.