Chapter 5 Are you a nurse?

The man dressed in black across from them really seemed startled by the sudden roar and quickly lay back down.

Xue Qingdai leaned against her third brother’s shoulder, heart pounding, hesitant to step away for fear their belongings might be rummaged through. In recent years, many educated youths had returned from the countryside—millions were jobless and idle. Some sold tea on the streets, others turned to crime. On a train, you could be sitting right next to a serial killer—maybe even one carrying a gun.

She gently tugged her brother’s sleeve. Since they were carrying cash and ration tickets, they had to stay vigilant. At the same time, Qingdai reached for the spare set of silver needles tucked into her waistband. She wasn’t someone to be trifled with either.

The two of them sat tightly wound, not even drinking a sip of water, enduring the journey in silence for half a day. The scent of narcissus-brand medicated oil lingered at the tip of Qingdai’s nose as Xue Yongkang gently patted her shoulder, lulling her into a doze.

Once she fell asleep, Qingdai’s delicate, lovely face was fully revealed. The middle-aged man in black nearby stared, his murky eyes filled with stunned desire. He rolled over and began making rustling, suspicious movements.

Then came an urgent banging—one clang after another. Something had happened in Car 14.

“Excuse me, is there a nurse or doctor here?”
“I’d like to ask the passengers—anyone with medical experience?”
“Any nurses or doctors on board?”

Most people shook their heads. Liu Zhihong, dressed in military uniform, had already asked all the way to the last car with no luck. He was nearly out of hope. If this Hong Kong businessman died on the mainland, not only would the deal be ruined, but many other overseas Chinese would be hesitant to do business with China.

In a newly opened-up country, every step had to be taken with caution. He and his comrades had escorted the businessman for two days and nights—only to run into trouble. Fortunately, they still had their rock, Commander Xie.

Liu Zhihong, out of breath, ran to the car where Xie Yan was seated. “Commander Xie, this might sound crazy, but I haven’t found anyone with medical training.”

Xie Yan, who had learned first aid during his spare time, had managed to get the businessman Li Zhonghao’s heartbeat back, but the man still couldn’t move.

Just then, the train entered a tunnel, and darkness fell. Xie Yan tilted his head, ears alert—he heard the sound of a gun being cocked.

His sharp jaw was grazed with a fresh scratch, eyes cold and unreadable under the brim of his military cap.

“I understand,” he said calmly.

Liu Zhihong, who had been panicked moments ago, felt suddenly calm—as if a cool spring had washed over his mind.

“Commander, I didn’t finish checking all the cars—maybe I missed someone. I’ll go back and look again!”

Xie Yan grabbed his collar. “I’ll go. You’ve run enough. Stay here and look after Mr. Li.”

Placing his right hand over the sidearm at his waist, Xie Yan pulled on a pair of white gloves and moved swiftly through the train cars. With just a glance, his sharp gaze could tell who was most likely to have medical experience—or who was quietly preparing to pull a trigger.

In five minutes, he had combed through most of the train. His steps light, careful not to alert the target, he narrowed his search.

Xue Qingdai stirred, sensing someone approach. Her clear eyes snapped open. Her brother Xue Yongkang was unnaturally unconscious beside her.

Thanks to the medicated oil and her natural immunity to most substances, she had awakened in time. A foul-smelling rag was nearing her face when she grabbed a silver needle and aimed straight for the assailant’s vital acupoint.

Just as she was about to strike, Xie Yan appeared, so she shifted her aim to the criminal’s knee instead. The silver needle pierced deeply.

Covering her face with her gray cloth shirt, she leaned close to Yongkang, trembling. The man in front of her looked dangerous—best to stay close to her brother for comfort.

The thug, Hu San’er, collapsed to his knees in agony. The needle, jarred by the metal floor, dug in deeper—half his leg was practically ruined, his whole body twitching violently.

He screamed in pain, causing confusion among the passengers. The soldiers hadn’t even touched him—was he faking an injury?

But Xie Yan’s attention had already shifted—his cold gaze locked onto a pair of pale, slender, elegant hands. Hands like those only belonged to a skilled doctor.

Found her.

As Hu San’er was dragged away, he kept shrieking, “Poisonous beauty! Viper woman! You ruined me! RUINED ME!”

Liu Zhihong slapped him twice, leaving him dazed. He quickly turned to the crowd and explained, “Don’t listen to his nonsense! He’s a suspect in a serial murder case. Don’t believe anything he says!”

Xie Yan had the car cleared, leaving only Xue Qingdai and her unconscious brother.

He sat across from her, tall and lean like jade, military uniform outlining his firm physique. His gloved hand rested habitually near his holstered pistol, expression solemn.

His gaze returned to her hands again, as if it had physical weight. Flustered, Qingdai pulled her hands back into her oversized shirt.

“We’re just visiting relatives. We didn’t do anything wrong,” she whimpered softly. She knew her needles couldn’t harm this man—and his intimidating presence in uniform was honestly a little terrifying. Her face remained mostly hidden under her collar, head lowered, eyes not daring to meet his.

She wasn’t sure if he’d seen her strike with the needle.

“Have you worked as a nurse?” Xie Yan tried to make his cool voice gentler, afraid to scare the clearly young girl.

Qingdai gave a vague answer: “My grandpa gets hurt a lot. I know a little bit of medical stuff.”

A flicker of concern passed through Xie Yan’s eyes. But with six hours still to go before they reached the capital, they couldn’t afford to wait any longer—it would delay future project progress.

“Come with me. We have a patient who needs treatment. Afterward, our unit will award you a banner of honor.”

“…”
Qingdai didn’t really want a banner.

She discreetly held her third brother Xue Yongkang’s hand. There was still no sign of him waking up. After checking his pulse again and confirming he was safe and unharmed, she made a request.

“Officer, my brother and I—our safety is important. I hope you can do your best within your capabilities. I’ll do my best to help you too, since earlier…”

Xue Qingdai had only ever healed people before—never harmed anyone. In that critical moment, her only thought was that no one could be allowed to ruin the peaceful life she had worked so hard for. Given the outcome, she had no regrets. In fact, she wished she had stabbed the criminal a few more times, to make him suffer even more.

Xie Yan didn’t hesitate. He simply said, “Alright.”

Walking ahead, he slowed his pace to match hers. He kept glancing back at the girl, her face mostly hidden beneath a gray cotton shirt—completely different from the flashy women in red dresses often seen on the streets.

Xue Qingdai glanced back at the now-closed train car door and, for a brief second, felt a pang of regret. She had just followed this man without thinking it through.

Xie Yan lowered his gaze and saw her long eyelashes and slightly resentful, watery eyes. He quickly looked away. Not only were her hands beautiful—her eyes could stir the soul.

Li Zhonghao was a key figure in China’s economic reform movement. Brimming with patriotism, he had invested in nearly a dozen private projects, covering real estate, heavy and light industries—basically any field that could turn a profit. He had immense trust in the PLA, but had underestimated his own health. As soon as he boarded the train, he started wheezing. His hereditary asthma flared up, and he hadn’t brought his medicine.

Liu Zhihong urgently explained, “This is the patient. Due to confidentiality, we can’t disclose any other information. Just do your best to keep him stable—he just needs to hold on for six more hours.”

Xie Yan stood by the window, his long fingers touching the bridge of his tall nose, phoenix eyes narrowing slightly. He’d overlooked something—where was that scent coming from?

Xue Qingdai pressed her red lips together, her eyes scanning over Li Zhonghao’s familiar appearance—thick black-framed glasses that hadn’t changed in over a decade, a simple black suit, two drooping mustaches, and a large mole at the corner of his mouth.

He looked simple and slow, but beneath that exterior was a shrewd mind.

She knew this man very well.