"Dr. Ye! Dr. Ye, something's wrong!"
A nurse's anxious voice cut through the air before the previous nurse could respond to Ye Xiu.
"What's the matter?" Wang Yanchao furrowed his brow.
"Director Wang, the outpatient department called to say that some patients and their families are looking for Dr. Ye. They're very emotional and insist on seeing him," the nurse explained, slightly flustered upon realizing Wang Yanchao was present. She glanced nervously at Ye Xiu and Wang Yanchao, then suggested, "Dr. Ye, maybe you should hide for a while?"
"Hide? Why should I hide?" Ye Xiu was puzzled by her suggestion.
"Well, Dr. Ye, how about this? You stay here for a moment, and I'll go out and see what's going on," Wang Yanchao offered after noticing the nurse's anxiety. With his years of experience handling doctor-patient conflicts, he knew that avoiding direct confrontation was often best.
"No need, Director Wang. Since they're looking for me, I should face them directly," Ye Xiu responded. He understood the good intentions behind the suggestion but wasn't one to shy away from problems. With a calm and resolute smile, he stood up.
"Ye Xiu..."
"Director Wang, it's fine. No matter what happened, since they're looking for me, I should face it," Ye Xiu interrupted, seeing the determination in his eyes. Wang Yanchao sighed and turned towards the door.
"Director Wang, Dr. Ye, I'll go with you!" The patient's family member stood up, his expression earnest. "Dr. Ye is an excellent doctor, and if there's any misunderstanding, I'll explain it on his behalf."
The sincerity on the family member's face moved Ye Xiu deeply, his eyes moistening. Wang Yanchao, too, felt a wave of appreciation.
Hmph, just his luck to save someone right before this.
The other doctors in the room felt a twinge of jealousy but doubted the patient's family would make any difference. They were skeptical that the aggressive visitors would listen to reason or be easily pacified.
Ignoring the advice to stay back, Ye Xiu, Wang Yanchao, and a group of nurses walked towards the outpatient department. They hadn't reached the office when they saw a dozen or so agitated individuals storming down the hallway.
Here they come.
The doctors exchanged glances, some looking forward to the impending drama. Wang Yanchao and Su Dongmei tensed up, while Ye Xiu spotted two patients he'd treated on his first day, his eyes widening in surprise. These were chronic cases that should have shown improvement if they'd followed his prescriptions. Why were they here?
"Dr. Ye!" The group spotted Ye Xiu and rushed towards him excitedly.
"Everyone, please calm down. I am Wang Yanchao, Dr. Ye's supervisor. If you have any issues, you can talk to me. There's no need to be agitated," Wang Yanchao stepped in front of Ye Xiu, trying to calm the situation.
"Issues?" The lead man looked puzzled for a moment at Wang Yanchao's protective stance.
"Yes, if you have any complaints about Dr. Ye, you can discuss them with me. As his supervisor, I take full responsibility for his actions," Wang Yanchao said, his concern growing as he misunderstood the man's reaction.
"Director Wang, you think we're here to cause trouble? You've got it wrong!" The man next to him chuckled, understanding Wang Yanchao's tension.
"Then, you are...?" Wang Yanchao was puzzled, sensing that something wasn't right.
"Director Wang, we're not here to make trouble!" The lead man laughed. "We're here to thank Dr. Ye!"