The interns whispered among themselves, their discussions abuzz.
Shen Qiang paid no attention to what they thought and headed straight upstairs.
Upon reaching the Tumor Surgery department and coming out of the stairwell, Shen Qiang immediately noticed the nurses, who usually ignored him, were now staring at him.
Not only were their eyes excited, but they were also smirking and trying to hide their smiles.
When he approached the nurse's station, a young and beautiful nurse in a pink uniform and a white nurse's cap handed Shen Qiang a bag of breakfast milk, smiling, "Good morning, Doctor Shen, I'm treating you to breakfast."
This made the usually ignored Shen Qiang feel somewhat uneasy. He hurriedly replied politely, "I've already eaten, but thank you."
The young and beautiful nurse chuckled, "Really? Don't be shy if you haven't eaten."
Another nurse in her thirties laughed, "That's right, Doctor Shen, please don't be shy. Her milk is hot, others can't even get it if they want to."
The face of the young and beautiful nurse flushed with a blush.
Shen Qiang laughed.
Just then, an anxious female voice suddenly came from the direction of the director's office.
"Director Wang, we agreed last night that my husband would have surgery today, and all the pre-surgery preparations are done. How can you just cancel like that?" The voice was filled with anxiety, and it sounded familiar.
Shen Qiang recognized it at once, it was the beautiful young wife who had given him the Water Grass Agate Pendant.
"Are you the doctor, or am I the doctor? Canceling surgery is a very normal thing to do; it's a decision based on the patient's condition," Director Wang's voice was cold, sounding righteous and stern.
Shen Qiang's expression turned cold, and he turned towards the director's office.
In the office, on Director Wang's desk, there was a bowl of open congee. On the sofa beside him sat Wu Guoxi, the associate director of Tumor Surgery who was mentoring Shen Qiang, and Doctor Liu, who was in charge of another group of interns and was a confidant of Director Wang.
The beautiful young wife was holding a child, with an old woman whose hair was graying and legs were slightly bowed standing beside her. Her hands were full of calluses and cracks, clearly a woman from the countryside.
"Director Wang, by canceling the surgery, aren't you pushing my husband towards death?"
Looking at the anxious beautiful young wife, Director Wang, his face bearing the signs of a bruise, laughed, "Our Tumor Surgery department's schedule is fully booked; the earliest your husband's surgery can be arranged is in three days."
While sipping his congee with a smile, Director Wang then said, with raised eyebrows and pride, "If you think it will delay the treatment, you can transfer to another hospital. But even in other hospitals, it would take at least two to three days to schedule the surgery."
Upon hearing these words, tears streamed down the beautiful young wife's face.
At that moment, the old woman stepped forward nervously, her voice trembling, "Doctor, please show some compassion. He's the only child we have. We've sold our house and land. If he's gone, it would be the end of our family."
Director Wang continued to eat his congee, laughing without responding.
His confidant, Doctor Liu, corrected her with contempt in his eyes, "What doctor? He's the head of our Tumor Surgery department! You can't even get the title right; you should call him Director Wang."
The old woman was taken aback but quickly pleaded, "I misspoke, Director Wang. Please, can you do the surgery for my child today?"
Director Wang laughed and said, "I'm aware of your family member's condition. How it's arranged depends on the situation. Go back and wait for news."
Upon hearing this, the old woman's tears fell steadily, and then she knelt down in front of the director's desk, pleading through her tears, "Director Wang, I beg you, please operate on my son. Our family will never forget your kindness."
Director Wang, as if he saw nothing, scooped another spoonful of congee with delight and glanced at the beautiful young wife, "I bought too little of this side dish this morning."
Doctor Liu immediately laughed, "Director, I have salted duck eggs from Six River, would you like one?"
Director Wang nodded with a smile, "Go get it, I have quite the appetite today!"
Doctor Liu was just getting up, laughing.
Shen Qiang, who had been watching at the door, walked into the director's office with a grave expression and quickly pulled the old woman up from her knees, his voice cold as he said.
"Why beg such scum?"
The beautiful young wife, holding her child, broke into tears upon seeing Shen Qiang, sobbing, "Doctor Shen, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked you to let that bastard off!"
Shen Qiang comforted her, "It's alright, dry your tears. I, Shen Qiang, guarantee that your husband's surgery will definitely take place today!"
Slap!
Before Shen Qiang could finish, Director Wang's spoon loudly hit the table, and he then said in a cold, angry voice, "What right do you have to say such a thing? You're not even a doctor at this hospital; what can you guarantee?"
The old woman was stunned.
Doctor Liu, who was standing by, sneered, "Shen Qiang, don't forget, you're just an intern."
Doctor Liu's words, like a bucket of cold water, quickly extinguished the glimmer of hope that had just sparked in the old woman's eyes.
But just then, Shen Qiang, with a steely look in his eyes, stepped forward and declared, "You ask me what right I have to say such a thing? Then let me tell you!"
"It's because I still have a conscience. It's because I still know what medical ethics are. It's because in my chest, Shen Qiang, there is still justice!"