Hospital farce

In the empty hospital corridor, footsteps were particularly clear, rumbling and gurgling, as nurses pushed carts, making their rounds and dispensing medication from ward to ward...

The light shone on the tile floor, making it appear even whiter, so bright that you could see every single hair.

Holding the lab report in both hands, Qingcheng carefully examined every subtle rise and fall. She guessed correctly; her father-in-law probably didn't drink much or at all at the banquet. Whenever she ate a plate of drunken shrimp, the alcohol concentration was higher than what was on the report.

The human body is truly amazing; standards are like a balloon—too much or too little air will cause problems. This blood sample was drawn before the surgery, before my father-in-law was even anesthetized. The trace element levels were already off, the toxicology test was positive, and his urine was weakly acidic for three consecutive days after the surgery.

If we rule out any underlying liver or kidney conditions in my father-in-law, then he must have been drugged. However, Gao Junxiao has been away from home for too long; he only knows that his grandfather has high blood pressure, and he would have to ask his grandmother about other changes.

As they talked, a nurse wearing a mask brushed past them. Kiyosumi glanced at her, as if she had never seen this nurse before.

Gao Junxiao, who was beside her, noticed her pause and deliberately lowered his voice to ask her what was wrong. Qingcheng smiled and shook her head, probably because she had switched to the early shift.

In the ward, Grandma Gao and Lu Xian were chatting in a harmonious atmosphere. Seeing that Lu Xian was also wearing a military uniform, Qingcheng suspected that Gao Junxiao had gone straight to the hospital after getting off the train. He was really filial.

The old man lay half-reclined on the bed, lost in thought. On the movable table sat a half-full glass of water and a small paper bag, which probably contained pills.

Everyone greeted each other. Grandma Gao took the cup, blowing on it and fanning away the steam with her hand, while Gao Junxiao sat on the edge of the bed, concerned about his father's health.

As usual, Qingcheng picked up the logbook at the foot of the bed to check it. Strange! Today's logbook only updated the records of the afternoon rounds. Suspicion began to grow in her heart. The nurse had just left, so why hadn't the old man's blood pressure and temperature been updated? How unprofessional.

"Husband, the water's cooled down enough, let's take the medicine quickly." Grandma Gao said, pouring the pills into her hand and counting them. Qingcheng noticed that there was an extra pill today.

"It's still too hot, I'll eat it later." Old Master Gao turned his face away, refusing to take the medicine.

However, before Qingcheng could identify the new medicine, Grandma Gao stuffed all the pills into the old man's mouth. Just as she was about to feed him water, Qingcheng snatched the water cup away without saying a word, and the hot water spilled out scalded the back of her hand red.

The turn of events was too sudden. Gao Junxiao snapped out of his daze and quickly patted the old man's back, urging him to vomit. The old man choked, his face turning red, and after coughing for a while, he spat out a cloud of colorful stuff.

In a moment of panic, Gao Junxiao caught it with his hand. Qingcheng, ignoring the pain in her hand, took a handkerchief and helped the old man wipe his mouth and rinse it. After a long while, the old man finally managed to stammer out, "Cough cough, old woman, are you trying to choke me to death?"

"The nurse specifically told me not to chew them. I... I see you usually eat five or six together. I'm so sorry, husband." Grandma Gao said helplessly, tugging at her trouser leg.

“Normally, five or six grains are only the size of mung beans, but these are at least the size of a fingernail each. Oh dear, you’ll be serving me to death sooner or later.” Old Master Gao leaned against his son and rolled his eyes. Gao Junxiao, used to this, chuckled and casually hooked the trash can with his foot.

At this moment, Qingcheng grabbed Gao Junxiao's wrist and peeled off the colorful ball in his palm. It was a ball of slightly melted pills and capsules, with a milky white oval pill mixed in, which was the most melted.

Sensing something was wrong, Qingcheng turned to Grandma Gao and asked, "Grandma, don't worry about that for now. Does Grandpa have asthma or rhinitis?"

"No, he just has high blood pressure and has been taking Chinese medicine, but it's not very well controlled. I mentioned it to the doctor this afternoon, so he prescribed an extra Western blood pressure medication tonight. I thought I'd give it a try," Grandma Gao explained eagerly.

"It's alright, it's alright. Next time, feeding her one or two pills will prevent her from choking." Qingcheng gently patted her mother-in-law's back, her tone relaxed, but she gave Gao Junxiao a look, signaling him to come out and speak.

Seemingly having guessed something, Gao Junxiao's gaze sharpened. He carefully wrapped the evidence in a handkerchief, put his arm around Qingcheng, and quickly walked out of the ward.

Qingcheng didn't mince words, frankly admitting that the medication was problematic. The newly added drug resembled her younger cousin's ephedrine for treating rhinitis, a drug that could also be used to treat low blood pressure. In other words, it was absolutely contraindicated for patients with high blood pressure.

The two realized almost simultaneously that there was something wrong with the nurse from earlier, but the person was no longer in the corridor. Gao Junxiao ran to the nurses' station first to ask where the nurse who dispensed the medicine had gone.

Upon learning the purpose of the visit, the on-duty nurse fluttered her eyelashes and pointed down the stairs. They had just changed shifts and were going down to the break room to change clothes. Gao Junxiao, upon hearing this, seemed to be stuck in wet cement, unable to move, and glanced at Qingcheng with pleading eyes.

Qingcheng gently shook her head, glanced around the nurses' station, and noticed that the medication cart was not in its place. Qingcheng touched the logbook and pretended to ask, "It's fine that she left, but could you please take the blood pressure of the patient in bed 6? The elderly person is feeling unwell."

The nurse on duty nodded, looked down at the table and searched for a blood pressure monitor. His clear eyes darkened, his leather shoes lightly touched the man's military boots, and he quietly walked around to the nurse's side, skillfully taking out the arm-length blood pressure monitor from the first drawer.

"Thank you." The nurse on duty looked embarrassed and was about to take the blood pressure monitor when Qingcheng let go of it. The nurse caught the falling monitor steadily, but the beads of sweat on her forehead betrayed her.

The corridor seemed frozen. The nurse turned around mechanically, when suddenly the blood pressure monitor whistled and swung towards Qingcheng's face. In a flash, Qingcheng felt a tightness in her lower back as the monitor grazed her nose. When she came to her senses, she had already crashed into a hard chest.

Gao Junxiao, who had been waiting in ambush, shoved Qingcheng aside and swung his right fist at the nurse on duty. The nurse took a half-step back and barely dodged the attack. Taking advantage of the gap in their fight, Qingcheng immediately locked the nearest exit, not having time to run to the other side.

Clang!

The basin stand fell to the ground, and the basin landed at Qingcheng's feet. The nurse, unwilling to sit and wait for her fate, suddenly swept her leg out at Gao Junxiao. Gao Junxiao dodged to the side and grabbed her with his other hand, but the nurse slipped through his fingers like a slippery eel.

He ran away, but Gao Junxiao pulled off his wig, revealing his short hair covered by a hairnet.

Good heavens, a man! Qingcheng never expected that the nurse was actually a man in disguise. The patients were all leaning against the door frame, whispering among themselves.

With eyes as sharp as a hawk, Gao Junxiao's lips pressed into a line. He suddenly sprang to his feet, and the fake nurse, unable to escape, twisted her arms rapidly. With two crisp cracking sounds, her arms hung limply at her sides like noodles.

Bang! Another dull thud. The fake nurse fell backward onto the tiles, a large black footprint on his chest. He didn't even have the strength to scream; he could only make a soft, popping sound from his throat, like bubbles bursting, because his jaw was also dislocated.

After dealing with the suspect in just a few minutes, Gao Junxiao, suppressing his anger, shouted with a flushed face, "Lu Xian!"

Lu Xianxu seemed to have super hearing. As soon as his older brother called, the boy immediately sprinted over at top speed. He was really eager. Qingcheng smiled slightly, but she always felt that something was not right. She could feel a pair of cold eyes staring at them from behind.

While Takashi and Riku were talking, Kiyosumi smiled and waved to disperse the onlookers. "That's just a petty thief. He tried to steal something but has already been subdued. Everyone, go back and rest."

As Qingcheng walked along the corridor, she called out to people while searching for the missing medicine cart. People, having had their fill of the commotion, returned to their rooms to rest, and the corridor gradually returned to quiet.

The medication cart wasn't particularly big or small, but Qingcheng didn't notice it in the open wards; she was focused on the closed wards.

This floor is the orthopedic ward, and it's full. Excluding patients like her father-in-law who can't move their legs, and patients without family members, there's only one room left that has a problem. She remembers it was a regular four-person ward. Could it be that not a single patient or family member is a busybody?

"Xiao He, what's going on?" Grandma Gao poked her head out of the ward and waved to Qingcheng.

"It's nothing, Xiao just caught a petty thief. You should go back and rest." Qingcheng escorted the old man back inside, and just then she caught a glimpse of the light switch on the wall, and an idea suddenly popped into her head.

Hehe, the mysterious switch in the ward—others don't know, but He Qingcheng does.

Click! The corridor was plunged into darkness in an instant, causing everyone to gasp in surprise. Only the stairwells at both ends were still lit.

However, one end was already locked, and Qingcheng Hou, standing next to the only exit, screamed at the top of his lungs: "Ah—the power's out! Call security!"

"Don't be afraid, I'll go call security." Gao Junxiao's voice came from the nurses' station.

The door to the four-person ward opened, and accompanied by heavy footsteps, a dark figure rushed desperately toward the end of the brightly lit corridor. Qingcheng felt a cool breeze beside her, seized the opportunity, and tripped him.

Unexpectedly, the person staggered but managed to regain his balance. Interesting. Qingcheng flicked her finger, and the incandescent light bulb crackled a few times, instantly illuminating all the darkness.

In the corridor, the fake nurse who was blocking the light with her hand had already changed into a hospital gown, but she hadn't had time to take off her wig.

"Stop!" Kiyosumi shouted with great force.

The suspect realized what was happening and ran away. Qingcheng also took steps to chase after him. The suspect slid down the stair railing and went downstairs. Qingcheng was not going to be outdone, so she grabbed a decorative painting from the wall and threw it at him.

With a loud bang, blood exploded from the suspect's head. He hesitated for a moment, and Qingcheng caught up with him. The two were within arm's reach. Qingcheng steeled her heart, grabbed the suspect without hesitation, and used the momentum of her sprint to push him against the wall.

During the struggle, the man's wig became askew. He fought back fiercely, when suddenly a cold light flashed from his sleeve. The blade was almost touching Qingcheng's neck. In the instant the cold light brushed past, Qingcheng tilted her head and slammed her knee into the man's groin.

Ah! After a piercing scream, Kiyosumi was lifted up by two strong arms.

She was so nervous that her ears were ringing and she couldn't hear anything. All she could see was Gao Junxiao's anxious questions and the slight redness on his fingertips.

Hiss~ The moment the stinging pain reached her brain, Qingcheng's hearing finally returned. She touched her neck; it was hot and sticky, and there was a cut that was spurting blood.

"What are you showing off for? Doesn't it hurt?" Gao Junxiao's voice trembled, and his warm breath sprayed rapidly onto Qingcheng's face, making it a little itchy.

"It's just a minor injury. I'm already at the hospital, so I'll just get it bandaged up." Kiyosumi casually smoothed her bangs; this kind of injury would only be considered a scrape on the battlefield.

During their brief moment of tenderness, the fake nurse, his expression contorted with rage, ripped off his wig. He endured the excruciating pain and reached for a fallen knife, seemingly wanting to struggle a little longer. But Qingcheng wouldn't allow it. In an instant, she drew Gao Junxiao's sidearm and pressed it against the man's forehead, demanding sharply, "Don't move. Who sent you?"

Seemingly never having seen Qingcheng so ruthless, Gao Junxiao froze for a few seconds, then snatched his sidearm and bang! In an instant, a bloody hole appeared in the suspect's calf.

The deafening gunshots made Qingcheng's head buzz again. She tugged at her ear, irritably pushed Gao Junxiao away, stepped on the suspect's wound, and asked in an even louder voice, "Who sent you?"

However, the only response she received was the suspect's screams.

"Stop asking questions, come with me!" Gao Junxiao roared, his eyes seemingly burning with two fireballs.

A somber atmosphere filled the air. Kiyosumi struggled to break free of her restraints, her lips trembling uncontrollably: "I helped you catch the thief, and you're yelling at me."

"I, I didn't yell at you, I, I didn't mean it... Lu Xian, get down! One, two..." Gao Junxiao held Qingcheng's waist, unable to speak coherently, and could only change the subject.

In less than three counts, Lu Xian appeared beside the suspect. He patted his chest and assured him that he could handle it and urged them to get Miss He to the hospital quickly.

That was exactly what he was waiting for. The next second, Gao Junxiao half-dragged and half-brooked Qingcheng away from the scene.

Even after the wound was bandaged, Qingcheng was still very angry, especially Gao Junxiao's arrogant attitude that made people feel suffocated.

Gao Junxiao caught up and complained, "Why are you throwing a tantrum? It was so dangerous just now. Couldn't you have told me to go after them? Do you think I'm just a decoration, a grown man with hands and feet?"

So what if he's a grown man? What he can do, I can do too! It's just catching a killer, what's the big deal? Why should everyone do what he says and obediently stay on the sidelines? Or does Gao Junxiao think he's only fit to stay home and take care of the elderly, that he's not good enough for anything significant?

The more Qingcheng thought about it, the angrier she became. She didn't want to talk to him and left the hospital lobby quickly, suppressing her anger. As soon as she got into the driver's seat, Gao Junxiao followed her into the passenger seat.

"Get out, I'm going home." Kiyosumi said coldly as she fastened her seatbelt.

"Let's talk. Can you tell me why you're angry?" Gao Junxiao looked at her pleadingly, his calm tone tinged with a hint of grievance.

With the roar of the engine, the car suddenly accelerated and sped onto the highway. Gao Junxiao swayed as he fastened his seatbelt, his face pale as he opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing.

Large sycamore trees line both sides of the road, their dense foliage covering the road surface, making it almost impossible for the bright moonlight to penetrate.

Back in the familiar stairwell, Qingcheng opened the door and walked into the room without looking back. Soon, her hand was grabbed, and she was spun around. Gao Junxiao held Qingcheng tightly, his brows furrowed, but he didn't say anything.

The living room lights hadn't been turned on yet, and the two of them were enveloped in a deep, gloomy purple. The only sound in the room was the rhythmic beating of their hearts, like the drumbeats of their progress.

"Let go." Kiyosumi glared fiercely at the man.

"He Qingcheng, I can hardly keep up with your train of thought anymore." Gao Junxiao's eyes were filled with sorrow, and his lips were trembling as he tried his best to suppress them.

Seeing Gao Junxiao on the verge of tears, Qingcheng was momentarily moved, then turned her face away and snorted coldly: "Hmph, I didn't ask you to come with me."

"You're a real piece of trash," Gao Junxiao muttered softly, his voice slightly hoarse.

"You're the one who's no good... you know." Qingcheng gasped, seeing Gao Junxiao's damp eyelashes concealing the desolation in his eyes.

Wow, what did I do to deserve making a grown man cry? Hahaha... My heart was filled with joy, like fluffy cream, and the unpleasantness from before vanished.

"You're still laughing. I was scared out of my wits just now. If your knife wound had been any deeper, you wouldn't have survived." Gao Junxiao's eyes were red, and he accused her with a sob in his voice, "You still refused to get it bandaged and kept pushing me away. I was so worried."

"Sorry, I was being silly~ Hahaha, don't cry." Qingcheng tried her best to control her facial muscles and patted the man's back like she was comforting a child. She could coax a thirty-year-old man like that.

"I didn't cry, sand just got in my eyes," Gao Junxiao said, his voice thick with a nasal tone as he denied it.

"Really? Let me blow on it for you. Oh dear, my vision is blurry, let me turn on the light so I can see clearly." Qingcheng teased the man, cupping his head in her hands.

"Don't turn on the light!" Gao Junxiao angrily pulled her into his arms, but Ke Qingcheng strained and giggled as she reached for the light switch.

The clothes rustled and rubbed against each other in a fierce struggle, which ended with Qingcheng losing because she was not strong enough. She was also tackled to the sofa by Gao Junxiao.

Their eyes met at just the right moment, their body temperature gradually rose, and Gao Junxiao couldn't help but tremble: "I'm leaving, you can make a scene by yourself."

"Come back." Qingcheng, panting, rolled over and pinned Gao Junxiao down, playfully pulling at his face in annoyance. "You bullied me and then tried to run away without even apologizing. Arrogant—rude—"

In contrast, Gao Junxiao was like a exhausted deer that had been chased, obediently letting her ravage him without the slightest struggle. Tch, boring. Qingcheng didn't like his submissive manner; it was as if he were the victim, what was he pretending to be pitiful for?

His hand was suddenly gripped, and Gao Junxiao spoke after a long silence: "I'm sorry. I'm useless. I can't protect you."

He had always thought that everyone around him was a fool, arrogant and conceited. Even when he suffered a great calamity, he simply suppressed his arrogance.

After that commotion, he realized he wasn't any better than other men. When choosing a wife, one should seek virtue; a wife isn't just a person, but a man's face. A good face makes a husband proud, but even pride is just a face. He initially thought the same way, until he met Qingcheng.

He discovered that beyond external conditions, he also had a more superficial desire: he longed for her to be obedient and docile in his arms for a moment, preferably with adoration in her eyes, which would make him happier than winning a hundred battles.

The elders must have seen through his despicable intentions, which is why they all jumped out to oppose him. Only he shamelessly refused to admit that his ideas were mediocre. He clearly needed He Qingcheng's care and affirmation more, and he didn't want to be a superfluous person in Qingcheng's heart.

Qingcheng was momentarily at a loss for words when Gao Junxiao confessed. His thoughts were quite ordinary; human relationships begin with needing and being needed. She couldn't expect Gao Junxiao to go against human nature from the start, and she herself couldn't do it immediately either.

Seemingly misunderstanding Qingcheng's meaning, Gao Junxiao's face turned extremely ugly. He acted awkwardly, like a student who hadn't done his homework and was being checked by the teacher. He clenched his sleeves and his eyes went unfocused.

Finally, he gritted his teeth and spoke very slowly, explaining that he had accompanied the principal on a tour of West Lake in Hangzhou, and the principal had expressed interest in transferring him to recruit members of the miscellaneous troops. He didn't immediately agree, because taking sides would inevitably lead to some gossip.

"Given the current environment, it would be strange if you didn't support your own faction. Regardless of what others say, they're just jealous," Kiyosumi said nonchalantly.

She vaguely guessed that Gao Junxiao had been holding back his frustration for several days. Ever since she sent him to Hangzhou, the man had been unhappy, probably feeling similar to being forced into prostitution and powerless to resist.

"I know, I'm afraid you... will be disappointed." Gao Junxiao's eyes burned with suppressed rage, as if he were caressing the person in front of him with his eyes.

How could she resist such clear and bright eyes? She pinched his nose and gently comforted him, "I know you are not a subject of one family. Do whatever you want. If you are still worried, then let me ask you, after you gain power and wealth, will you do something that would betray the parents who raised you?"

"No." Gao Junxiao shook his head.

"Would you do anything that would betray the country or harm the people?" Qingcheng pressed.

“Of course not, I would rather resign,” Gao Junxiao replied firmly.

For the last question, Kiyosumi pondered for a moment before asking, "Even if you are misunderstood or wronged, will you still fight for your beliefs?"

"Absolutely." Gao Junxiao blurted out without the slightest hesitation.

"Then you will always be my husband." Kiyosumi lowered her head and pressed a vow kiss on his forehead.

Gao Junxiao's face flushed instantly. He wrapped his strong arms around her waist, pulling her firmly into his embrace, and whispered a thank you in her ear.

Even with Qingcheng's assurance, Gao Junxiao still said he didn't want to go with the principal. He originally thought that as someone the principal was trying to win over, Dai Yunong wouldn't dare to go against his master and would restrain himself. But he was naive.

"Not necessarily. You can't be sure if the assassin is Dai Yunong's man. I think the assassin isn't targeting you, but your father-in-law." Qingcheng had a sudden realization; there was a blind spot she had been overlooking.

"The old man has no enemies in Shanghai," Gao Junxiao said noncommittally.

"How much alcohol does your father-in-law have?" Qingcheng asked curiously.

Gao Junxiao frankly stated that his father had an excellent alcohol tolerance and could drink a thousand cups without getting drunk when he was young.

"Then why didn't he drink at the banquet? If he was worried about his wife, shouldn't he have declined the banquet? He attended the banquet but didn't drink..." Qingcheng gave him a look.

Gao Junxiao immediately chimed in, "He's looking for someone to talk to."

“That’s right. I’ll go sound out Master tomorrow, and you can sound out Father-in-law. They’re definitely up to something big lately.”

The following evening, the two sat on the sofa again to exchange information and came to a common conclusion: Ms. Xia and Mr. Gao had both joined the "Committee to Save International Friends" established by Mrs. Sun. They were going to rescue the Su couple, codenamed "Nougat," and Mr. Gao happened to be their legal advisor.