Chapter 56.1

Getting an IV drip isn’t quick. It will probably take about two hours. Jiang Suihan told Wang Dahe to head back, reassuring him that she was fine and didn’t need company.

Wang Dahe glanced at Jiang Leyun, a child of about seven or eight was the only one staying with her. He wasn’t reassured and insisted on staying.

Jiang Suihan didn’t want to owe anyone a favor, so after some convincing, she finally managed to get him to leave.

“I’ll be here for a while. Why don’t you go back to class? You should still be able to catch the next lesson.” Jiang Suihan said, not wanting her brother to develop a habit of skipping school.

“No, I’m staying. I’ll keep you company.” Jiang Leyun shook his head, clinging to his sister’s knee with his chin resting on it, looking somewhat pitiful.

“Suit yourself,” Jiang Suihan ruffled his hair and saw an empty chair nearby, so she asked him to move it over and sit next to her.

Several nurses were huddled together, whispering.

“Is that the young wife Captain Xu brought back from his hometown? She really is pretty. So, that’s the type Captain Xu likes.”

“It’s not Captain Xu, it’s Deputy Regiment Commander Xu. He got promoted. You’re behind on the news.”

“Promoted again!? A Deputy Regiment Commander at such a young age, his future is bright! His wife is so lucky—pretty and married well. I’m so jealous I could cry.”

“Come on, if she wasn’t pretty, Deputy Commander Xu wouldn’t have chosen her. Who started the rumor that his wife was from the countryside? With that kind of poise, there’s no way she’s from a rural background.”

“She’s from the city. I heard her family is well-off, and she even went to university.”

“Tsk tsk, pretty and educated. Compared to her, it’s no wonder Xu Zhao didn’t want Doctor Zhong. A young and beautiful girl—what man wouldn’t be interested?”

“Exactly, if it were me, I’d like a young and pretty girl too. Doctor Zhong is fine, skilled even, but she’s too serious and never smiles. What man wants to marry a woman like that? And Doctor Zhong is already in her late twenties. At that age, women are usually the ones being picky.”

A nurse next to her elbowed the gossiping nurse, blinking rapidly as a warning to look behind her.

The gossiping nurse was confused, but when she turned and saw who it was, she jumped in shock. Caught bad-mouthing someone behind their back, and by the person themselves, she became flustered and stammered, “Doctor… Doctor Zhong.”

Zhong Xiangxue stood just a few steps away, arms crossed and expression cold, “Go on, why aren’t you talking anymore? You seemed to be having such a good time gossiping, so why did you stop when I showed up?”

It was a rhetorical question. Everyone knew better than to continue gossiping with her standing there.

The nurse who had been talking felt extremely awkward. She had been chatting away, not expecting to be so unlucky as to be caught by Doctor Zhong herself. Rumor had it that Doctor Zhong came from a powerful family, and she, a mere nurse, certainly couldn’t afford to offend her.

The nurse looked defeated, her confidence gone. But she knew when to back down, and quickly bowed to apologize, “Doctor Zhong, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said those things. Please forgive me.”

“What if I don’t?” Zhong Xiangxue’s face remained expressionless, not a hint of a smile.

She had worked hard, studying medicine and honing her skills, leaving her hometown to work in the military hospital. Her colleagues praised her for being young and skilled, yet to these nurses, she was just an old woman who couldn’t get married.

If she hadn’t happened to overhear their conversation, she wouldn’t have known that this was how they saw her. It did make her angry, and she wanted to lash out, but her upbringing held her back, leaving her feeling stifled.

“Doctor Zhong, I’m sorry. I’m really sorry,” the nurse apologized repeatedly, regretting her loose tongue. She feared that Doctor Zhong would report her to the head nurse, which would lead to a reprimand and possibly everyone in the hospital finding out. That would be more than just a loss of face. It would be humiliating. She hoped Doctor Zhong would be gracious and not hold it against her.

“It’s working hours, and everyone is busy, yet you have the time to gossip here. Do you really have nothing better to do? I’ll have a talk with the head nurse about this. The hospital’s management of nurses clearly needs to be stricter,” Zhong Xiangxue glanced at the group of nurses, and with that, she turned and left.

These were just a bunch of ignorant women. Some things were beyond their understanding, and it wasn’t worth wasting words on them. Instead of chatting with them, she might as well see another patient.

After walking a few steps, Zhong Xiangxue suddenly turned around. “The chairman once said that women hold up half the sky. Women are not just destined for marriage. They can also build successful careers with their own hands. Your hair might be long, but your perspectives are rather narrow. However, it’s not entirely your fault. People are different, and there are distinctions among them.”

“Some people are born smart, like me. I graduated from a military medical university. Some people, however, have minds as small as sesame seeds and spend their days on trivial matters, like you. That’s why I’m a doctor and you’re just nurses.”

After delivering her words, Zhong Xiangxue ignored the displeased expressions of the nurses and left with brisk steps. She had let out her frustration and felt much better.

Holding in anger only harms oneself. It’s better to settle scores on the spot.

As she passed the IV drip area, Zhong Xiangxue hesitated for a moment, then changed direction and walked over.

“Are you feeling better?”

Jiang Suihan was bored when she suddenly heard a familiar voice from above. Looking up, she saw Zhong Xiangxue. “Dr. Zhong, you’re here. I’m much better.”

“That’s good. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated, eat light meals for the next few days, and make sure to rest. Don’t overwork yourself.” Zhong Xiangxue glanced at Jiang Suihan. Although she was still ill and not looking her best, her face was indeed beautiful. Her delicate features combined with a hint of frailty created a compelling mix that made one want to protect her.

Her family was in the capital, and they initially opposed her decision to work at this remote military hospital, thinking it was too far and inconvenient for a young woman to be alone. She didn’t listen. Compared to the capital, remote areas had a greater shortage of doctors. Her grandfather supported her decision and approved it, while her parents had no choice but to comply.

The conditions at the military hospital were indeed poor—there were shortages of doctors, medicine, and everything else. However, she found working here quite fulfilling. Despite the hardships, being able to help more people brought her a sense of accomplishment. A hospital leader, who was a friend of her uncle, suggested introducing her to someone since she was already 25, busy with work, and still single.

She had met Xu Zhao a few times and didn’t expect that he would be the person the leader wanted to introduce to her. Initially, she wasn’t very interested but didn’t want to refuse the leader outright. Later, upon learning it was Xu Zhao, she couldn’t help but think about him.

Unfortunately, even though she agreed, Xu Zhao wasn’t willing. The leader later hinted that Xu Zhao couldn’t come due to some matter. She wasn’t naive and understood the implication, so she responded with a smile, saying it was fine. However, she couldn’t help but keep an eye out for news about Xu Zhao.

Later, a rumor spread in the hospital about her failed matchmaking with Xu Zhao, which was said to be due to Xu Zhao’s disinterest. As a woman, she couldn’t keep explaining and denying every time someone spread such rumors. She had her pride and chose to act as if she knew nothing.

A couple of months ago, she went away for further training. When she returned, she learned that Xu Zhao had gotten married. Her heart felt like it had been hit by a mix of emotions, as if a sauce bottle had been overturned.

Perhaps it was the longing for what she couldn’t have. She couldn’t pinpoint exactly how she felt about Xu Zhao, but it was too late to do anything now that he was married.

Jiang Suihan wasn’t sure if it was her sensitivity, but she felt that Dr. Zhong’s gaze was a bit complicated. It could also be that her illness was making her dizzy and causing her to overthink.

“Dr. Zhong, aren’t you busy?” Noticing that Dr. Zhong was standing and not leaving, she couldn’t help but ask.

“Just finished. I’m taking a break,” Zhong Xiangxue replied, snapping back to the present.

The silence between them was awkward, and the atmosphere was heavy.

Jiang Suihan smiled and said, “This is the first time I’ve met a female doctor. It’s really impressive that someone as young as you is already a doctor. When I was younger, I told my dad I wanted to be a doctor. But as I grew up, I realized I couldn’t do it.”

“Why?” Zhong Xiangxue asked, following up on her statement.

“I’m too timid. Every time I see a doctor giving an injection, I get scared. If I had to give injections myself, my hands would shake more than an old woman’s. I don’t want to cause unnecessary suffering to patients,” Jiang Suihan said earnestly about her own shortcomings, not at all embarrassed.

When she was young, she did think about becoming a doctor. Of course, everyone has a few “great” dreams in their youth. She had also thought about becoming a big businessman or flying a plane.

“Pfft.” Zhong Xiangxue couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, you have self-awareness and know when to cut your losses. You’re better than many who don’t realize when they’re hitting a dead end and end up causing harm to themselves and others.”

After a pause, she seemed somewhat hesitant. “Do you really think I’m impressive?”

The nurses in the hospital didn’t think much of her medical skills. They only saw her as a woman in her thirties who wasn’t married and lacked a partner, which they considered a disgrace.

“Of course, you’re impressive! Not everyone can be a doctor who saves lives. It takes talent, hard work, and unwavering determination. You need to endure hardships and tolerate loneliness. I can’t do any of that. I just have a small wish—to be a carefree salted fish, occasionally flipping over. So, you’re genuinely amazing.”

Jiang Suihan counted on her fingers seriously, without any hint of insincerity. She admired Zhong Xiangxue a lot. It’s much harder for women to pursue medicine than men. The gender discrimination, both conscious and unconscious, doesn’t disappear just because you ignore it. Female doctors face far more pressure, from society, their families, and themselves.

Seeing the sincere expression on Jiang Suihan’s face, Zhong Xiangxue felt a bit awkward and her cheeks flushed slightly. “I’m not as amazing as you say. I’m just an ordinary doctor, nothing exceptional.”

Being praised so directly was a bit embarrassing for Zhong Xiangxue. She felt Jiang Suihan might have exaggerated a bit, but she couldn’t help feeling a bit proud. The recognition felt really nice.

She found herself liking Jiang Suihan a little, thinking that being friends with someone like her should be quite pleasant.

Who was Xu Zhao? At this moment, she had completely forgotten about him, her mood as if she had just enjoyed a piece of candy, thinking, if she speaks so well, she should speak more; she liked listening.

“Your ambition of being a salted fish is rather…” Zhong Xiangxue thought for a second, trying to find the right word to describe it, “unexpected.”

“Not really. I have a job, so I’m not a parasite on society. I just lack ambition. As long as I’m happy, what others think doesn’t matter. They can’t add extra meat to my plate,” Jiang Suihan shrugged, her expression relaxed and content.