Zhang Cheng chuckled inwardly; the nurse's question was truly thoughtless.
He looked somewhat embarrassed and helpless as he explained, "Nurse, we didn't come here for a medical appointment."
"We left in such a hurry that we forgot to bring any money."
"Since I couldn't stay at the guesthouse, I thought I'd come to the hospital to see if I could make do for the night."
These days, people are generally honest and simple, and speaking the truth is often easier to gain understanding.
Sure enough, the nurse visibly breathed a sigh of relief when she heard that Zhang Cheng wasn't there for the emergency room.
She chuckled, a hint of mockery in her voice: "You guys are really something, going out without any money."
"By the way, where are you from?"
As she spoke, the nurse deftly picked up a white porcelain cup with red lettering, grabbed the thermos next to her, and poured Zhang Cheng a full cup of steaming hot water.
"It's cold, drink some hot water to warm yourself up first."
"Thank you." Zhang Cheng took the warm white porcelain cup, holding it in both hands and feeling the warmth from his palms. "We are from Zhangjia Village."
"Zhangjia Village?" The nurse's eyes lit up. "I've been there! Are there apple trees all over the mountains there?"
“Yes, yes, that’s it!” Zhang Cheng nodded in agreement.
Perhaps it was because working the night shift alone was too boring, the young nurse suddenly started talking.
"So you came to the county in this cold weather to sell apples?"
"No, there are no apples here in this freezing weather."
Zhang Cheng turned his head and looked at Zhang Da's head, who was sitting on the bench outside the infusion room.
The guy was nervously rubbing his hands together, glancing in this direction every now and then.
Zhang Cheng looked away and said to the nurse, "We got some Solomon's Seal from the mountains, dried it, and wanted to bring it to the county to sell for some money."
"Hoping to exchange it for some coarse grains to take back."
"It's so cold this year, and the snow is so heavy that every household is short of food!"
"Yes, it's unusually cold this year!" The nurse nodded in agreement.
Suddenly, her eyes lit up, as if she had remembered something, and she lowered her voice and said, "You're going to the supply and marketing cooperative to sell Solomon's Seal, right?"
"Okay!" Zhang Cheng replied.
"Director Zhao from the supply and marketing cooperative happens to be hospitalized upstairs!"
"Third floor! Why don't you go up and ask him?"
Zhang Cheng raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly.
Without any introduction, he just rashly went to the door, and it was the director of a supply and marketing cooperative...
These days, doing this will most likely result in a rebuff, and may even backfire.
The young nurse seemed to see through Zhang Cheng's concerns and quickly added, "Director Zhao is different from other leaders!"
"He was hospitalized this time because he went to Gehong Village to deliver grain to the disaster-stricken households a couple of days ago and got cold on the way back."
"Director Zhao is a truly caring and good leader who really cares about the people. He's a very nice person!"
The nurse glanced at the wall clock.
"It's only 6:45, not even 7 o'clock yet. Director Zhao definitely hasn't gone to sleep. Why don't you give it a try? Maybe it'll work!"
"I see..." Zhang Cheng pondered for a moment.
If what the nurse said is true, and this Director Zhao is indeed that kind of person, then it's definitely worth a try.
He looked at the nurse and gave her a grateful smile: "Thank you so much, nurse. If this really works out, I'll treat you to dinner later!"
“Sure! I’ll be waiting!” the nurse readily agreed.
Zhang Cheng, holding the still-warm white porcelain cup, turned and walked towards Zhang Da Naotou.
Upon seeing Zhang Cheng approach, Zhang Da Tou immediately jumped up from the bench.
He glanced furtively at the nurse behind the counter, lowered his voice, and asked with a curious look, "Er Gouzi, do you... know that nurse?"
"I don't know him," Zhang Cheng said calmly.
"Don't you know her?" Zhang Da Nao's eyes widened. "Then how come you can chat with her so enthusiastically?" Zhang Da Nao's face was full of doubt, his eyes wide like copper bells.
"We're all Chinese, from the same village, what can't we talk about?"
Zhang Cheng smiled and handed the white porcelain cup to Zhang Da Nao, gesturing for him to drink water to warm himself up.
"You wait here, I'll go check the situation on the third floor."
Zhang Da Nao took the cup, even more confused.
What is Er Gouzi going to do on the third floor of the hospital?
However, he had always trusted Zhang Cheng and didn't ask any further questions.
Zhang Cheng picked up the sack on the ground, the heavy Solomon's seal making his shoulders sag slightly.
He turned and walked towards the stairwell.
Seeing that Zhang Cheng was really going up to the third floor, the nurse quickly stepped out from behind the counter, caught up with him, and whispered, "Director Zhao is in room 306. If he asks how you found him, you absolutely mustn't say I told him!"
"I know, I know!" Zhang Cheng replied with a smile, continuing to climb the steps without stopping.
...
Ward 306, third floor of the hospital.
The corridor was quiet, with only the emergency light in the corner emitting a dim yellow glow.
The door to ward 306 was ajar.
Zhang Cheng gently knocked on the door.
Knock knock knock!
"Come in!"
A deep, powerful male voice came from inside the ward.
Zhang Cheng pushed open the door and slowly walked in.
The ward was spacious, with four beds placed against the wall, separated by white curtains.
However, the ward seemed rather empty at the moment. The first three beds were empty, and only the innermost bed was completely covered by a thick curtain.
"Who are you?"
A slightly authoritative voice came from behind the curtain.
Immediately afterwards, the curtain was pulled open, revealing the person on the hospital bed.
He was a middle-aged man around fifty years old, leaning against the headboard, wearing a faded gray-brown Zhongshan suit, with black-rimmed glasses perched on his nose, and reading a newspaper in his hand.
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