Chapter 11: “I’m Sorry, We Did Our Best”

Su Miaomiao waited outside the operating room for a while when Old Zhao came hurrying over in a panic.

“How’s the situation?”

“He’s already been taken into surgery. We don’t know the outcome yet,” Su Miaomiao replied.

“Let’s hope it’s not too late.” Old Zhao stared nervously at the tightly shut doors of the operating room.

Time ticked by, minute by minute. Before the doctor came out, Wang Hongjie arrived with a group of people, hurrying toward them.

“Grandpa Zhao, how is our Goudan?” A tanned, middle-aged woman rushed over the moment she saw Old Zhao, her voice choked with emotion.

“Don’t panic, don’t panic. The doctors are still trying to save him,” Old Zhao comforted her.

“Trying to save him?” The middle-aged woman nearly collapsed on the spot upon hearing those words.

The man behind her quickly caught her. “Don’t scare yourself. Goudan will be okay.”

Wang Hongjie noticed Su Miaomiao standing off to the side and frowned slightly. “What are you doing here?”

Old Zhao immediately explained, “She’s the one who brought Goudan to me.”

“You saved Goudan?” Wang Hongjie was surprised.

“It’s not really saving—I just carried him down the hill,” Su Miaomiao shook her head.

“Even so, you did save him. I’ll remember this favor,” Wang Hongjie said sincerely.

He had the vision and awareness that made him fit to be the village head. If it were someone else familiar in the village, of course they’d help without hesitation. But Su Miaomiao had just been sent down the day before as a “reform target.” If she hadn’t stepped in, no one would have blamed her.

When Su Miaomiao heard that, her gaze toward Wang Hongjie changed slightly.
This village head wasn’t bad.

As they were speaking, the doors to the operating room finally opened, and a doctor in a white coat walked out.

“Doctor, how’s my son?” Goudan’s mother immediately rushed forward.

“The patient’s condition is very serious,” the doctor began. “The marble directly ruptured his right eye. We had to remove the eyeball and tried to extract the marble. But… the marble is lodged in a highly dangerous position. Even with our full medical staff, no one has the ability to safely perform this operation. I’m sorry… you should prepare to take the child home.”

Though the doctor didn’t say it explicitly, everyone present understood clearly.

With an injury that severe, taking him home meant waiting for death.

Goudan’s mother immediately grabbed the doctor’s arm and fell to her knees.
“Please! I’m begging you! Save my son! He’s my only child—if I lose him, I won’t survive either!”

The doctor quickly helped her up. “Please, don’t kneel. We would never give up on any patient. But this is a small hospital—no one here has the skill to perform such a complex operation.”

The moment she heard that, Goudan’s mother fainted dead away.

“Goudan’s mother?!” Her husband quickly caught her in his arms.

“There’s really no way?” Wang Hongjie stepped forward. He had been the calmest of everyone until now, but even his voice trembled.

“I’m truly sorry,” the doctor said, shaking his head. “If this were in the capital, there might still be hope.”

Wang Hongjie staggered back a step but managed to steady himself. After taking several deep breaths, he clenched his jaw and spoke through gritted teeth:

“Take Goudan home.”

Goudan’s mother had just regained consciousness, but the moment she heard her father’s words, she nearly fainted again. She scrambled forward on hands and knees and clutched Wang Hongjie’s pant leg.

“Dad, I’m begging you—please save Goudan. He’s my life!” Her tears poured down uncontrollably.

“It’s not that I won’t save him, it’s that even the doctors said there’s nothing they can do. This is Goudan’s fate. Take him home… at least let him pass away at home,” Wang Hongjie replied, unable to look directly at his daughter, turning his head away.

“No! No one is taking my child away!” Goudan’s mother let go of his pants, got up, and tried to rush toward the operating room.

But after just two steps, she collapsed and fainted again.

“Goudan’s mother!” Goudan’s father caught her immediately.

The others who had rushed over were all family from the Wang household, and everyone was wiping away tears.

“Goudan’s mother fell into cold water when she was younger and developed a chill illness. She couldn’t get pregnant for three years after getting married. She finally had Goudan after taking all sorts of medicine… and now this happens? It’s going to kill her.”

“He was such a good child… I just saw him this morning, and now…”

“…”

Su Miaomiao stood to the side, watching everyone cry until their eyes were red. Her gaze flickered slightly. She stepped around the crowd and approached the doctor.

“Can you let me try?” she asked calmly.

Everyone turned their eyes to her at once.

“You?” the doctor looked at Su Miaomiao in surprise. “Are you a doctor?”

“I’ve studied medicine,” she said.

But that was in her past life. In this life… she’d only slaughtered pigs.

“You studied it—so you’re not a doctor, then. This is a matter of life and death. A young girl like you shouldn’t be getting involved,” the doctor frowned. Seeing how young and delicate she was, he thought she was joking and his tone turned serious.

“I’m not joking with you. You just said it yourself—no one in your hospital has the skill to do this operation. Taking the child home is as good as waiting for him to die. Since the outcome is already doomed, what’s the harm in letting me try? After all, it can’t get worse than death, can it?” Su Miaomiao responded calmly, analyzing the situation clearly and without offense despite his doubt.

“But… this doesn’t follow protocol,” the doctor frowned deeply.

“As long as the family agrees, it shouldn’t be considered against protocol, right?” she countered.

“This…” The doctor hesitated.

“Let her try. No matter what happens, we will not hold the hospital responsible for anything!” Wang Hongjie suddenly spoke up.

“Dad, isn’t this a bit too reckless?” someone from the side quickly interjected.

“Didn’t you all hear what the doctor just said? Taking Goudan home is a death sentence. Why not give him this last sliver of hope?” Wang Hongjie said firmly, his gaze never leaving Su Miaomiao.

The others might not know much about her, but as village head, he was well aware of her background. Their family had been sent down from the capital—Su Miaomiao was no ordinary person. Maybe… she really could save his grandson.

“You really are bold, Village Chief,” Su Miaomiao smiled faintly.

She had spoken up precisely because she knew Wang Hongjie was someone who could assess the situation clearly.

“Doctor, just let her try. She’s from Beijing,” Wang Hongjie said to the doctor, revealing a hint of Su Miaomiao’s background.

“You’re from Beijing?” Sure enough, the doctor’s attitude visibly softened upon hearing that.