Chapter 57: With me here, no one will let you suffer.
"Dr. Zhou...you've misunderstood, that's not what I meant."
Although they were both department heads, Wang Yan couldn't afford to offend Zhou Hairong, as their families were worlds apart in power.
Zhou Hairong remained expressionless and gave a cold laugh:
"That's not what I meant?"
"I stood behind the door and listened from beginning to end, so what do you mean?"
I must have forgotten to check the almanac before going out today!
I was already upset enough by being publicly scolded by the dean early in the morning, so I was thinking of venting my anger on Ning Tang. But I didn't expect that old woman Zhou Hairong would be here too!
Wang Yan was practically cursing Ning Tang and Zhou Hairong to death in her mind.
He shamelessly tried to continue feigning ignorance and smiling, but before he could even open his mouth, Zhou Hairong pointed to the doorway.
"I saw Director Wang was quite assertive when he was talking badly about me behind my back, why is he backing down now?"
“From now on, I, Zhou Hairong, will never let you get away with this. I will report to the leadership that the position in the surgery department should be replaced.”
Wang Yan nearly knelt down in embarrassment after her attempt to steal a chicken backfired.
She pleaded in regret, "Dr. Zhou, please let me explain..."
There is only one military hospital in the city, and those who can get in are all top talents, but there are also those who try to get in by using connections.
A secure job offers good benefits and a respectable position; whether you're a doctor or a nurse, you take your position very seriously.
People like Wang Yan, who are not very capable but have good luck and rely on their seniority, are a minority.
Many people are eyeing her position. Now that she has offended Zhou Hairong, how can she continue to work at the hospital?
Zhou Hairong didn't want to listen to Wang Yan's explanation, nor did he care to.
"Ning Tang, don't let trivial matters distract you. Focus on your case analysis." She raised her chin and continued, "A patient is coming for a consultation this afternoon, but I have to go to a meeting in the provincial capital. You'll have to come by yourself."
"If you're not capable, pack your bags and leave as soon as possible."
After saying that, he took off his white coat and walked outside.
Seeing this, Wang Yan quickly chased after him like a lackey.
From a distance, Ning Tang could clearly see Wang Yan's awkwardness as she bowed and scraped, but she remained unfazed and returned to her seat to continue her work.
With her past life's experience and the added advantage of her current space, this information was a piece of cake for her.
It was noon before long.
Although the Traditional Chinese Medicine department is quiet, I have a good relationship with my colleagues in the next office.
Moreover, everyone in the hospital now knows that Ning Tang is Xu Qiaofeng's wife, and they can't wait to go and see what's going on.
Those who are bold enough can go directly to the Traditional Chinese Medicine department.
"Dr. Ning, it's lunchtime, shall we go have lunch together?"
"I know a route that's closer to the cafeteria, wanna go together?"
"Okay, thank you for your help."
Ning Tang smiled and nodded in agreement.
Seeing this, several young nurses gathered around her, chattering as they led her toward the cafeteria.
Everyone was thinking to themselves, "How can someone be so beautiful? She speaks so softly, and even smells wonderful..."
No wonder Captain Xu, that ruthless guy, protects people like the apple of his eye.
Zhang Jiaman was kicked out of the hospital a few days ago because she offended Ning Tang. Now she has a criminal record and no one will dare to hire her in the future.
Everyone knows that Xu Qiaofeng's reputation in the military region is even more formidable than that of Zhou Hairong and Lu Jiaxiang, the most powerful couple in the hospital.
The cafeteria was crowded and noisy, and Ning Tang became the center of attention as soon as she entered.
Many people helped her grab a seat and even kindly helped her get her food.
Even the braised lion's head meatballs, which are usually the hardest to get in the cafeteria, were specially reserved for a few portions.
All eyes were on Ning Tang's still-flat stomach.
His eyes were full of curiosity and gossip.
Someone couldn't help but ask, "Dr. Ning, how many months pregnant are you now? Our hospital is quite busy, are you able to handle it?"
Ning Tang paused.
She looked up with a gentle smile on her lips: "Thank you for your concern. It's only been two months, and I'm not feeling any discomfort yet."
Anyway, the fact that she and Xu Qiaofeng had registered their marriage could no longer be kept secret.
Rather than being gossiped about by others, it's better to speak up yourself.
"Dr. Ning, you should also take care. If there's any strenuous work, just call us. If Captain Xu finds out how hard you're working, he'll definitely feel sorry for you!"
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone around him burst out laughing.
The somewhat reserved atmosphere instantly relaxed considerably.
Ning Tang smiled and was about to say something when a commotion broke out at the entrance of the cafeteria.
Several soldiers in camouflage combat uniforms are walking this way.
The man walking in the middle, surrounded by others, stood tall and straight, with the five-pointed star on his shoulder particularly eye-catching.
Someone in the crowd immediately exclaimed, "It's Xu Qiaofeng!"
"Looks like the special forces are all here! Ahhh! Everyone's in for a treat!"
Xu Qiaofeng seemed oblivious to the gasps of astonishment around him.
His eagle-like gaze locked onto Ning Tang, who was sitting in the corner, almost instantly.
He strode forward, walking straight through the crowd to her side.
He sat down naturally next to Ning Tang, raising an eyebrow and asking, "Is this all you ate for lunch?"
With so many people watching, Ning Tang's ears turned slightly red.
"Eating too much is bad for thinking."
Especially in the afternoon, after eating too many carbohydrates, and being pregnant, she would always feel sleepy and want to sleep.
This greatly affected work efficiency.
Xu Qiaofeng knew she was a strong-willed person, so he stopped nagging and instead brought up himself.
"Today all the special forces teams in the unit gathered together for a simple competition. One of our team members was injured and was sent to the hospital for treatment. We just happened to be passing by to see you."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Pang Bo slapped him in the face, looking utterly speechless.
"Captain Xu, Lao Liu just twisted his thigh muscle. It was you who insisted on coming to the hospital, okay?"
"What do you mean 'on the way'? I think you just miss your sister-in-law, that's why you made up an excuse to come here."
A hint of embarrassment flashed across Xu Qiaofeng's handsome face as he turned and glared at Pang Bo.
Pang Bo immediately shut up.
Okay, looks like he's still a proud old man.
Those around couldn't help but laugh when they saw this.
Ning Tang looked at Xu Qiaofeng's slightly embarrassed profile and couldn't help but smile.
She reached out and tapped his arm: "Don't be so fierce, everyone's watching."
The moment the words fell.
Xu Qiaofeng immediately looked away, his eyes softening, just like a tamed dog.
There are too many people here, and it's very uncomfortable to be stared at.
After finishing her meal, Ning Tang quickly pulled Xu Qiaofeng away.
The hospital has a lunch break, and she usually sits in the garden downstairs enjoying the scenery.
The two walked to the stone bench and sat down.
"Oh, right, there's something I almost forgot to mention." Xu Qiaofeng took off his hat and casually placed it aside, revealing his sharp eyebrows and eyes.
"What's wrong?"
“Your nominally fake sister, Ning Xin, went to the military district gate early this morning to cause a scene, saying that Zhang Yanfei abused her. I don’t know the specifics, but the whole building was filled with her screaming like she was slaughtering a pig.”
Ning Tang was taken aback.
In her past life, Ning Xin often did similar things, except that she made a scene in front of her mother, just to get herself beaten.
She just didn't expect Ning Xin to be so bold as to cause trouble at the military region.
Moreover, Zhang Yanfei is very concerned about his image. He usually acts like a gentleman in the team, but after Ning Xin's outburst, he probably wants to kill her.
Xu Qiaofeng continued, "The matter has become quite serious. Zhang Yanfei was summoned for questioning by the leaders, and we didn't see him at the competition today."
Seeing Ning Xin throw a tantrum, he couldn't even imagine what kind of life Ning Tang had as a child.
Especially since she's so thin, she looks like a tiny bundle when she's nestled in my arms.
The more Xu Qiaofeng thought about it, the more uneasy he felt.
His large hand gently grasped Ning Tang's hand, his voice carrying a barely perceptible tenderness:
"When she used to make a scene like this, did you always feel wronged?"
Ning Tang was slightly taken aback.
Wronged?
When she first arrived at the Ning family, she did feel very wronged. She would hide in the closet at night to sleep, where the room was enclosed and felt like her mother's embrace.
But later on, she had long since become numb.
Ning Tang whispered, "At first, I would hide and cry, but later I didn't care anymore."
"Let her make a fuss, it's no use me explaining. No one in the Ning family really takes me seriously."
Xu Qiaofeng felt even more depressed as he listened.
This feeling is strange, an indescribable discomfort, as if a little person is slashing wildly in his heart with a knife.
It tastes sour and astringent.
Xu Qiaofeng's Adam's apple bobbed, his tone full of assurance:
"It won't happen again."
"With me here, no one can make you suffer anymore, not even me."
"I've already spoken to the hospital's security department. If she dares to cause trouble at the hospital again, just throw her out."
Ning Tang looked up at him.
The man's deep eyes were full of seriousness, without a trace of joking.
A warmth filled her heart.
She couldn't help but smile slightly. "Okay, I understand."
The two sat in the garden downstairs for half an hour.
Ning Tang had a patient come for a follow-up appointment in the afternoon. Xu Qiaofeng personally escorted the patient back to the department and then returned with his team.
During my afternoon clinic hours, I happened to run into Zhang Jiaman, who was returning to the hospital to move some things.
Knowing full well that she was angry, he didn't want to argue and turned to leave.
Just now downstairs, Zhang Jiaman overheard others talking about how good Xu Qiaofeng was to Ning Tang, and she was already seething with anger.
Seeing Ning Tang's arrogant attitude only fueled his anger.
He rushed forward and stopped her: "Ning Tang, don't play dumb!"
"If you hadn't seduced Captain Xu, how could I have been fired from the hospital? You're so cunning, don't you get tired of pretending like this?"
Ning Tang paused in her steps.
When he turned around to look at people, his face was expressionless and cold.
"Dr. Zhang, no, you're not a doctor anymore. You've been fired from the hospital."
"You were fired because you violated the rules and had a bad reputation. It has nothing to do with me, let alone Xu Qiaofeng."
"Unrelated?" Zhang Jiaman's face twisted with anger. "You dare say you didn't complain to the dean? Otherwise, no one would know about this, and I would never have been expelled!"
Ning Tang was truly speechless at this person's ability to argue unreasonably.
Yes, everything is her fault.
She doesn't even think about the time when she and Ning Xin teamed up to spread rumors about her at the hospital.
As more and more patients and nurses gathered around, some, unaware of the situation, unconsciously joined in the discussion.
However, most of the comments were negative about Zhang Jiaman.
After all, with her fierce and menacing appearance, she didn't look innocent.
Zhang Jiaman became even more agitated after hearing the discussion.
She lost her job and offended her aunt's family. Now the whole family dislikes her. If she can't go back to the hospital, she will be abandoned by everyone!
The more she thought about it, the more terrified she became. Zhang Jiaman even reached out to grab Ning Tang's collar:
"You have to explain this to me clearly today! Otherwise, I'll take this to the provincial level and let everyone see your true colors hidden beneath your hypocrisy!"
Ning Tang anticipated this move and quickly dodged to the side.
Before she could speak, the dean's angry voice suddenly came from behind her.
"Zhang Jiaman! Haven't you caused enough trouble?!"
The dean strode over and, upon seeing Zhang Jiaman's actions, nearly jumped out of his throat. He immediately stepped in front of Ning Tang.
His eyes were like he was looking at a villain:
"The hospital notified you to come and move your things after get off work, but you came in the middle of the day and are now harassing Dr. Ning. Do you believe I'll call security to kick you out right now?"
Zhang Jiaman, who had been so arrogant just moments before, immediately backed down.
His face flushed red and then turned pale, all his fierceness gone.
The dean glared at her again, as if he were shooing away some stray dog:
"What are you waiting for? Hurry up and move your things!"
Zhang Jiaman bit her lip, glared fiercely at Ning Tang, but dared not say another word, and turned to leave in a disheveled state.
After she left, the dean's dean changed completely, becoming much more professional than him.
"Dr. Ning, are you alright?"
"How about I give you the afternoon off so you can go home and rest?"
Her eyes were so wide open from laughing that they almost couldn't open, like chrysanthemums.
Ning Tang shook her head: "Thank you, Dean. I'm fine. I have patients waiting for me this afternoon."
"Then I won't keep you any longer. I'm glad you're alright, Dr. Ning."
Not long after I returned to the clinic, the first wave of patients arrived.
He was an old man with a white beard and very sharp eyes; he looked like he must have been a general in his youth.
Tian Guoan squinted and looked the girl in front of him up and down.
This girl is actually Old Xu's granddaughter-in-law! It's like throwing good money after bad.
He also has a grandson who's much better than the third son of the Xu family; I wonder if he can steal this girl away...
Ning Tang had no idea what the person in front of her was thinking.
She was frowning, calming herself as she took the pulse.
After a long pause, he raised his head and said seriously:
"Sir, your pulse is deep and tight, which is due to long-term stagnation of wind and cold in your joints."
"Judging from your walking posture, your knees must be a chronic problem. They hurt more on rainy days or after getting cold, and sometimes they feel stiff and rigid, right?"
Tian Guoan's eyes lit up, and he immediately sat up straight.
"That's right! It was cloudy the other day, and my knees hurt so much that I couldn't sleep all night. Even the plasters didn't help. And you, girl, you could tell just by touching them?"
Ning Tang nodded.
This is the magic of the four diagnostic methods in Traditional Chinese Medicine: observation, auscultation, inquiry, and palpation.
She lowered her head and began writing the prescription, explaining as she wrote.
"In your case, we need to first warm and unblock your meridians and dispel the cold."
"I'll prescribe a medicine for you. You should decoct one dose every day and drink it in the morning, noon, and evening. The medicine is mild and won't irritate your stomach, so you can rest assured."
Ning Tang went on to give a long list of precautions, and by the time they got the medicine and came out, half an hour had passed.
She gestured for Tian Guoan to leave, but the old man hesitated.
Touching his cane, he hesitated for a long time before finally saying, "Girl, I heard you know acupuncture. Once you insert those gold needles, you'll feel better immediately."
"Drinking Chinese medicine is too slow. If it really doesn't work, can you give me a couple of acupuncture needles like you did for Old Xu?"
Old Xu?
Could this be Grandpa Xu's friend?
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