The patient was only 23 years old, and his father, at most in his forties, looked like a man in his sixties or seventies—his face weathered with deep lines etched by years of relentless labor.
Looking at him, Xia Tian was reminded of his own father.
The hospital had awarded him a bonus of a hundred thousand yuan. He gave eighty thousand to his mother and younger brother, keeping twenty thousand for personal expenses. The hospital provided accommodation, and daily meals cost next to nothing—three thousand yuan was within his means.
But for the patient's family, that amount was nothing short of life-saving.
"Doctor, thank you. Truly, thank you!"
With reddened eyes, the patient's father dropped to his knees and bowed deeply in gratitude.
Startled, Xia Tian rushed to lift him up. "Uncle, please—there's no need for that. This is my duty."
"Go now, pay the fees. Treating your son is the priority."
The old man nodded quickly, clutching the cash as he ran out to settle the hospital charges.
Xia Tian exhaled deeply. As he turned around, he saw Li Yajun standing at the doorway, flanked by a line of medical interns, all staring silently at him.
He kept his composure. He knew Li Yajun didn't like him. She was a seasoned doctor, so in front of her, he had to appear obedient, modest, and maybe a bit charming.
"Hello, Sister Li."
She didn't move. Neither did the interns.
The air hung heavy with a strange tension. Xia Tian paused for a beat, then continued casually.
"Did you see the patient just now? I spoke with his father—he fell from the seventh floor. Luckily, a safety net broke his fall, but he landed on one leg and sustained a fracture. No visible head trauma."
"Out of caution, I ordered a cranial CT to rule out any brain injury."
Still, no one spoke.
They stared at him like he had grown a second head.
Why were they all gawking like this?
He shot Wang Xiaobei a look.
Say something already. I'm not some bombshell actress!
Finally, Wang Xiaobei stirred. He glanced at Li Yajun and asked tentatively, "Sister Li, what was it you said earlier? About his... character?"
You just saw this man spend his own money to treat a patient—that's your example of poor character?
What kind of sick joke is that?
Li Yajun flushed with embarrassment, quickly recovering her composure. "What are you all standing around for? Go escort the patient for an X-ray and a CT scan!"
Everyone scattered into motion. Xia Tian and Wang Xiaobei flanked the gurney, two interns at the rear, wheeling the patient toward the radiology department.
As they walked, Xia Tian asked curiously, "What was with that whole stare-fest just now?"
Wang Xiaobei repeated what Li Yajun had said earlier, chuckling. "It was comedy gold! Total face-slap moment. If she knew you paid out of pocket to help that patient, she'd swallow her words about your morals."
"But seriously, why does she always have it out for you?"
"I honestly have no idea," Xia Tian replied. "I don't even know her well enough to offend her."
"Maybe…" Wang Xiaobei smirked mischievously, "you look like her ex-boyfriend. She got dumped and transferred all her resentment onto you."
So melodramatic. But not entirely impossible.
"Enough gossip. Go let the CT department know we're bumping the queue—this is an emergency."
In the ER, emergencies always took precedence. Outpatients could wait for hours if necessary.
"By the way, Tian-ge," Wang Xiaobei whispered excitedly, "Jin Qiaoqiao is in today."
"You take care of the patient. I'll go handle this."
Jin Qiaoqiao was the radiology department's CT technician—and famously known as the hospital's belle. She had joined the hospital two years before Xia Tian and his cohort, nicknamed "Provincial Hospital's Lin Jiaxin." With her statuesque figure, fair skin, and flowing black hair, she captivated everyone's imagination.
Xia Tian had heard her name as soon as he arrived at the hospital.
Rumor had it she had countless admirers, though no one had ever succeeded in winning her heart.
Wang Xiaobei had long been smitten. At the sight of her, his drool practically hit the floor.
Fatty Yang snorted. "Wipe your chin. If Dr. Jin sees you like this, she'll think you're a mutt in heat."
Wang Xiaobei glared at him, straightened his lab coat, and strutted off toward Jin Qiaoqiao with unearned confidence.
Meanwhile, Xia Tian turned his attention to the patient's CT scan.
The machine whirred to life.
Images of the brain appeared on the screen.
Frontal lobe—normal.
Parietal lobe—normal.
Corona radiata—normal.
Paracentral lobule—also normal.
A quick scan showed no tumors, no hematomas, no bleeding. Everything in the cerebral cortex looked fine. No sign of trauma.
"Old Yang, help the patient down. The brain's fine."
"Get him over to the X-ray room for a leg scan."
The patient couldn't walk, so this was where interns came in handy. Two strong ones lifted him under the arms while the third carefully supported the injured leg. They repositioned him gently onto the gurney.
Just then, Wang Xiaobei returned, looking deflated.
The three others glanced at him—no need to ask. Clearly rejected again.
Fatty Yang chuckled. "Bro, Dr. Jin looks like a movie star. You? You look like Song Xiaobao. You're punching way above your weight."
"I heard her uncle is Director Jia, and her mom is his sister. Her dad runs a major bank."
"You don't have the looks or the background. Going after her is like a toad dreaming of swan meat."
Wang Xiaobei's eyes flared. "So what if I'm a toad? I'll be the most ambitious toad you've ever seen!"
"And she didn't say no—just said she was busy tonight. I can ask her again another time!"
Xia Tian shook his head, amused.
This guy—always thinking about romance. As if relationships were so easy. He'd dated Li Tiantian for five years—no gaming, no drinking, constant arguing and apologizing…
Honestly? Being single felt like freedom.
Why go looking for trouble?
"Alright, enough daydreaming. Get that X-ray. His leg's clearly fractured in at least two places."
The patient's right leg was grotesquely twisted. Swelling had already started, skin flushed red. It was a closed fracture, but there was internal bleeding. Time was critical—the longer the delay, the greater the risk.
They picked up the pace.
Under the harsh clarity of the X-ray, all four of them gasped.
"Three fractures on the tibia!"
"One bone snapped into four pieces. Tian-ge, look at this—one shard's pierced the calf muscle. It didn't break through the skin, but the muscle's torn. Major hematoma too. Should we call Director Zhang?"
Minor issues could be handled by interns, but for a case this severe, the ER director had to be informed.
Xia Tian stared at the image, mentally reviewing the entire surgical procedure.
Anesthesia.
Reduction.
Blood work.
Leg stabilization.
Casting.
In his mind's eye, a pair of hands began to move—graceful, deliberate—fluttering like butterflies through the choreography of surgery.