Chapter 127 The Battle Begins
February in the northern city is like a season where the cold is tightly gripped in one's hand, yet one has to loosen a little to let spring slip through one's fingertips.
Chen Yun had worked at the Workers' Hospital for over a decade, and this was the first time she had stopped to look at the few trees at the hospital entrance that appeared bare but were actually covered with countless large branches.
Compared to people scattered all over the world, these few trees have presented different views in the same location for decades.
"People thrive when they move, but trees die when they're moved... I wonder how Ruanqiu and Shuaishuai are doing after moving to Shenzhen?"
Chen Yun stroked the tree trunk and muttered to himself.
"I'm already thinking about having two kids again!"
Without even looking at Chen Yun, Zuo Lingling knew who it was. With her hands in her cotton coat pockets, the smell of hair dye wafted over even before the person got close.
“That’s right.” Chen Yun didn’t deny it, and smiled as she took an apple out of her pocket: “Try it, these are some apples that my eldest daughter brought back from filming. She said they were gifts for me and her dad.”
“Nian’an is a big star now, and she doesn’t even buy you some imported fruit to try.”
Don't let the apple's ugly appearance fool you; Gao Nian'an must have tasted it exceptionally delicious to bring it back to his parents from so far away. The fact that he thought of his parents even when it was just a piece of fruit is truly enviable.
“Bringing me apples is always a good thing. Last month when I came back, they even brought me an egg made of straw, saying it was a black-boned egg or a wild egg. When I opened it... the egg was rotten.”
“I know you have a good daughter…” Zuo Lingling stuffed the apple into her purse and gestured with her chin towards Chen Yun: “Let’s talk as we walk.”
"Your daughter and son-in-law aren't coming home for the New Year?"
"She's not going back, saying she's taking the child to her in-laws' house... No wonder the older generation says that daughters are raised for other families, and once they get married and have children, their husband's family becomes their home..."
Zuo Lingling remembers clearly that her daughter got married in the winter of the year Hong Kong returned to China, and six years have passed in the blink of an eye.
Not long after her granddaughter was born, her daughter and son-in-law decided to move to her parents' house, saying it would be more convenient for the grandparents to take care of the child when she went to school. No matter how good Beicheng was, it was still a foreign land to them.
Six years have passed since she left. Her two granddaughters have already graduated from kindergarten, and Zuo Lingling has only seen them a few times.
"Once I retire, I'll go and reunite with my daughter's family. You'll be very busy then," Chen Yun said with a smile.
Adding to their time working side-by-side at the Hongri Machinery Factory Health Center, the two have been working together for decades. Chen Yun is about to turn fifty, and Zuo Lingling will be retiring in two years!
Time always slips away unnoticed...
"Nianping should be graduating from university this year! Should he stay in Guangzhou or go back to Beicheng to work?"
“He came back last week. Gao Ming keeps saying he wants Nianping to come back and take over the company because he wants to retire… How can Nianping find a job?”
The eldest daughter is constantly traveling all over the country, either filming movies or participating in commercial activities, so the possibility of her taking over the company is extremely slim.
Although my son studied computer science, during his summer vacation in Beicheng during his sophomore year, he helped [Anping Transportation] develop a vehicle dispatching system, which completely replaced the work of the entire dispatching department.
Gao Ming was so happy that he bragged about it everywhere. From then on, Gao Nianping became his father's assistant during winter and summer vacations, helping him with all kinds of work at the company.
During his senior year internship, he went straight into a full-time job at the company. Last month, he flew back to school to prepare for submitting the first draft of his graduation thesis. Before the month was even over, Gao Ming urged him to come back to handle the work.
“It’s good to stay here. When you retire, you can help Nian’an and Nianping take care of the children.”
"retire?"
For Zuo Lingling, these two words meant she could count the exact date on her fingers, but for her, they were a distant prospect.
"Why……"
Zuo Lingling quickly realized that Chen Yun's current position made it impossible for her to simply step down, and couldn't help but sigh.
Having just achieved a partial victory in my previous research direction, I now have another project on hand—[Comprehensive Intervention and Follow-up Study of Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants].
The research team for this project has just been successfully formed, and Chen Yun, as the leader, cannot easily retire.
not to mention……
Zuo Lingling looked up at the banners on the registration window in the outpatient hall.
The Neonatal Department of Workers' Hospital has become a representative department of hospitals in Beicheng and even across the country. Chen Yun, the head of the department, not only has to lead the entire department forward, but also has to teach batches of young doctors who come for further training.
With great power comes great responsibility. This saying perfectly describes Chen Yun.
"Director Chen."
Good morning, Professor Chen.
"Does Director Chen have outpatient services today?"
"Dr. Chen."
Doctors, nurses, and even patients who registered for appointments all knew Chen Yun.
No wonder she stood at the door and sighed, "As soon as you step into the hospital, Chen Yun becomes a doctor or a teacher... instead of Chen Yun."
"Director Chen, the dean wants you to go to his office on the twelfth floor for a meeting as soon as you arrive."
As soon as Chen Yun stepped out of the elevator, Nurse Xiao Wang, who had been waiting at the elevator entrance, suddenly stopped her and quickly relayed the notification she had just received.
"I'll go after I change my clothes."
The atmosphere in the office was heavy. The department heads, who rarely gathered together, were all present in the office at this time.
With his head full of white hair, Hu Xiangming held an unlit cigarette between his fingers and frowned and sighed countless times in the past few minutes.
"Has Director Chen not arrived yet?" asked Director Wu of the Orthopedics Department.
When patients visit the orthopedics department, doctors always remind them that crossing their legs can damage their spine. But as soon as the doctor asks them a question, they switch legs and put their knees on the table, or even lean on the table with their bodies crooked.
Dr. Luo, the head of the endocrinology department, pushed up his reading glasses, picked up his thermos, and took a sip.
"It's not that Director Chen arrived late, it's that we received the notification early."
What appeared to be a refreshing sip of tea was actually, in fact, a glass of calm cola—a cola without any fizz—only the assistant knew.
"What news is the dean calling us all together to announce?" Director Zeng of the Gynecology Department had just been chatting with the Director of the Dermatology Department about their recently permed hair. Hearing the two senior directors talking, she couldn't help but quietly join in the conversation.
Dean Hu Xiangming tapped on the table and finally took the cigarette off and placed it on the table.
"Now that Director Chen has arrived, let's officially begin today's meeting."
While the group was chatting, Chen Yun quietly entered the conference room and sat down to the left of the head of gynecology.
"I won't rush to talk about the meeting content. Take a look at this newspaper..." Hu Xiangming handed two newspapers to the directors sitting on either side of him, his tone low: "Pass them on after you've read them."
"..."
When it was finally Chen Yun's turn to receive the newspaper, everyone in the conference room changed their expressions, and only a few muffled breaths could be heard rising and falling.
Chen Yun looked down.
A news item in the newspaper was highlighted in red, and Chen Yun went straight to look at the red text.
A brief news report: "[Cases of atypical pneumonia have been reported in Guangzhou]".
Chen Yun gasped for breath, suddenly remembering that a similar infectious pneumonia had occurred in her previous life.
But at that time she was only in elementary school and the city where she lived was a small town. Her memories of that time were limited to trivial things like brewing herbal medicine for all the teachers and students at school.
She had no way of knowing what big cities were like back then.
"I just received confirmation." Hu Xiangming picked up a cigarette and subconsciously put it in his mouth, then suddenly realized and quickly took it out: "An outbreak of atypical pneumonia of unknown cause has occurred in Guangzhou, and it has gradually spread from a local outbreak to the neighboring province."
"..."
The roommates held their breath, their expressions so grim they seemed to be dripping with gloom.
"The Beicheng Health Bureau has several confirmed pieces of information: the disease is contagious and common antibiotics and antiviral drugs are not very effective; it can be transmitted through the air; and... there has been a cluster infection among medical staff in hospitals in Guangzhou."
A deathly silence.
The head of the respiratory department looked particularly grim. After thinking for a moment, he immediately asked, "Beicheng has seen a surge in respiratory illnesses recently due to the changing seasons. How do we differentiate between the common cold and this atypical pneumonia?"
"Now that a large-scale outbreak has occurred, the Beicheng City government should introduce management measures as soon as possible to reduce the speed of virus transmission."
The head of the emergency department calmly offered his opinion.
Based on the infection symptoms described by Hu Xiangming, their two departments will face the greatest challenge.
"Yeah! Why haven't we heard anything?"
"What kind of medicine can treat the symptoms?"
"Our department has recently admitted several pneumonia patients..."
"Listen to me quietly!" Hu Xiangming raised his hand to urge everyone to stand up, his expression serious. "I know what you're worried about, but this is a fait accompli. Instead of hoping that no cases will be imported into Beicheng, we should think about how to prepare for the future... As one of the top three tertiary hospitals in Beicheng, what can we do for this country and for society!"
"Following a decision made at a meeting of the Beicheng Health Bureau, all hospitals in Beicheng will now enter a temporary emergency preparedness phase..."
Hu Xiangming announced the next steps in the handling of the situation, one by one.
The emergency department took the lead, establishing a fever screening channel, and all medical staff upgraded their protective equipment, including wearing masks.
The heads of the respiratory and emergency departments need to take the lead in developing a preliminary diagnosis and consultation process.
Medical staff from other departments are seconded to the respiratory and emergency departments. In the event of an outbreak, the emergency department will immediately become an isolation ward.
Hu Xiangming emphasized the last point twice.
"All information must be based on official announcements. No medical staff in the hospital are allowed to spread information privately, so as to avoid causing public panic!"
At the end of the meeting, Hu Xiangming's gaze swept across the faces of each director.
"I know that you may have had some minor work-related conflicts in the past, but now is a critical moment when the whole hospital needs to work together as one. I will not allow any backstabbing or infighting. I hope that our hospital can unite as one and fight against the difficulties that may come!"
"You will be responsible for conveying the contents of today's meeting to all departments. I hope you can calm everyone's panic and prevent the hospital from becoming chaotic before the epidemic even arrives. Our Workers' Hospital must not become a breakthrough point for the spread of the epidemic. Protecting the hospital means protecting the safety of all the people in the city!"
Meeting adjourned!
People gradually left the office.
Chen Yun stood by the window at the conference room door for a while, silently looking down at the still bustling streets below.
A war without gunpowder smoke may... or rather, it has certainly already quietly begun.
After making a decision in her heart, Chen Yun quickly walked into the elevator.
***
Zhonghuai Prefecture.
Ring ring—
The food that had just been prepared was still steaming on the table, but after receiving a call from his wife, Gao Ming didn't look at the table again.
"Nianping, drive to your grandparents' house right away and bring them and your uncle's family home."
After hanging up the phone, Gao Ming immediately took his coat off the hanger and, while putting it on, told Gao Nianping, "I'm going to the film studio to pick up your sister. I'll be back by midnight at the latest."
"Dad, what happened?"
Gao Nianping was startled. Just ten minutes ago, they were waiting for their mother to come home for dinner. How could they suddenly be setting off to pick up their grandparents?
"If your grandparents ask, just say I have something to tell them... We'll talk about the rest after I bring your sister back."
Gao Nianping nodded hurriedly.
The father and son got dressed and drove off in different directions.
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