Chapter Twenty-Three: The Previous Lesson

Huo Yan bought two bottles of water from the vending machine in the elevator lobby. When he returned, Ning Shuyi was no longer by the window at the end of the corridor.

Glancing around, he noticed her sitting on a chair along the opposite side of the hallway, waving to him.

Huo Yan walked over and sat beside her, handing her a bottle of water. “Why aren’t you by the window anymore? Tired of standing?”

“Don’t think of me as lazy!” Ning Shuyi raised a finger and shook it playfully in front of him. “I’m afraid you’re allergic to pollen, so I figured it’s better to sit over here.”

Huo Yan was momentarily taken aback, his expression slightly awkward, as if worried she might press further on that topic.

But after some silence, Ning Shuyi quietly drank her water and checked her phone messages, showing no inclination to start a conversation.

Her calm demeanor puzzled Huo Yan, and he couldn’t help but feel it was a little strange. “Aren’t you going to ask me anything?”

“Nope,” Ning Shuyi looked at him, shook her head, and smiled. “Are you hoping I’ll ask something?”

“No,” Huo Yan denied instinctively. After a pause, he spoke with a touch of self-mockery, “I thought maybe you’d have noticed something and wanted to dig deeper, maybe offer me some help.”

“Keep your heart tucked away,” Ning Shuyi said, patting his shoulder lightly. “I don’t have that sort of hobby. When someone asks for help and you respond, that’s kindness, a noble act. But if they don’t seek help and you insist there’s some hidden trouble, digging around to ‘help solve their problems’—that’s just hypocrisy. Ultimately, those people just want to satisfy their own curiosity.

“And if it’s pure curiosity or gossip, wanting to pry into someone’s privacy, how low is that? So it has to be wrapped up nicely: ‘I think you have some mental block! I think you need to talk! Maybe I can help!’”

As she said this, she deliberately wore an expression of faux compassion. Even Huo Yan, who rarely showed emotion, couldn’t help but lower his head slightly and chuckle softly.

Neither of them brought up anything related to Xinghua again. Sitting in the hospital corridor wasn’t the place for work talk, so they fell silent. One scrolled through accumulated messages on their phone, the other leaned back against the wall with eyes closed, resting.

No one spoke, yet there was no awkwardness or discomfort.

After nearly half an hour, a patient who had just finished surgery was wheeled back into the ward, surrounded by family members. Nurses immediately sprang into action. One of them, who had earlier assisted Ning Shuyi and mentioned that the surgery was performed by Dr. Xiao—the doctor they were looking for—now confirmed that Dr. Xiao would return to his office after handling some follow-up matters. They could speak with him then.

Ning Shuyi thanked the nurse quickly and stood with Huo Yan near the doctor’s office, mindful not to disrupt the ongoing work.

Amid the post-surgery rush, the patient was finally settled comfortably in the ward. From the excited voices of the family, the surgery seemed to have gone very well.

About ten minutes later, a weary-looking man in his forties approached the office. Still clad in surgical scrubs and wearing his sterile cap, he was easily identified as Dr. Xiao, the attending physician for Chang Rong back then, thanks to the staff introduction posted in the corridor.

Presumably, the nurse had already informed Dr. Xiao about the police inquiry before he saw the two strangers waiting outside his office. Yet he showed no surprise. When Ning Shuyi presented her credentials and explained their purpose calmly, he quietly opened the door and gestured for them to enter.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. Have a seat; I’ll grab some water and catch my breath,” Dr. Xiao said, removing his sterile cap and tossing it aside. He washed his hands again at the nearby sink, then took a large tea cup from his desk. “I was in surgery from just before nine this morning until now. No food, no drink, standing all that time. My throat is dry and sore; it’s hard to speak.”

Ning Shuyi offered polite words, acknowledging his hard work and assuring him their inquiry could be brief.

She had worried that Dr. Xiao might be reluctant to talk, as he was a direct witness to the entire treatment of Chang Rong. Hearing his open and straightforward manner was a relief.

After drinking half the cup in one gulp and resting for a moment back in his chair, Dr. Xiao sat up straight, signaling readiness to speak.

“Dr. Xiao, we appreciate your hard work on such a long surgery, and we don’t want to disturb you unnecessarily. We’ll keep it brief to let you rest,” Ning Shuyi said courteously.

Dr. Xiao waved his hand. “Between our professions, there’s no need to talk about who works harder. We’re like big brothers to each other.

“Which patient are you here about? I’ve dealt with quite a few cases involving forensic examination and legal disputes.”

“Chang Rong,” Ning Shuyi gave the name of the deceased Chang Junchao’s father from their case. “I wonder if you still remember him.”

“Chang Rong?” Dr. Xiao was taken aback to hear the name, then nodded immediately. “Yes, I remember him quite well.”

“After all these years, you still remember so clearly?”

“Yes. I’ve treated many patients over the years, but Chang Rong left the deepest impression. Not just now—twenty years from now, mention his name and I’ll recall those days right away.”

Dr. Xiao shook his head thoughtfully. “To others, patients are just patients. I’m responsible for treating and saving lives. Matters beyond the hospital—right or wrong, lawsuits and disputes—don’t concern me.

“But Chang Rong was different. As his attending doctor, I was given a real lesson by his family. After all my years in medicine, it was the first time I gained a new understanding of people and human nature. It truly broadened my horizons.”

(End of chapter)