In recent years, Grandpa’s health has significantly declined.
He no longer performs surgeries as often as he used to.
However, he still holds an expert consultation slot at the city hospital. When I was young and being groomed as the future successor of the Xue family, I would accompany him during his consultations at the city hospital.
It’s just that I wasn’t as clever as my younger brother.
“What time can we visit the ward tomorrow?” Xue Li asked.
“From seven to seven-thirty, just half an hour.”
“Thank you, Uncle Zhang.”
Xue Li expressed his gratitude and walked back to Wen Ci, patiently explaining, “Sister-in-law, we’ve already missed today’s visiting hours. We can only come tomorrow at seven, and visiting ends at seven-thirty.”
“Can’t we make an exception? Let me see him just once.”
Seeing the anxiety flash across Wen Ci’s face, Xue Li softened his tone and said gently, “The fact that they’re allowing us to visit means Brother Huo is already out of danger. He just needs more rest. We’ve had a long journey and should go back and rest. We’ll come again tomorrow.”
Wen Ci glanced at Yu Qing and said unhurriedly, “Then let’s go back and take a shower first, and have lunch at the state-run restaurant.”
There was no place to shower on the green train, so they could only wipe themselves down with a towel. They had left in a hurry, only packing clothes, and hadn’t showered for four full days.
“No.”
Before Yu Qing could respond, Xue Li reacted vehemently. He then looked at Yu Qing, blinked, and said, “Dr. Yu hasn’t fulfilled her promise to me yet. I’ll bring her back tonight.”
“What promise?”
Wen Ci narrowed her eyes, her gaze shifting between the two as she asked curiously, “What have you two secretly agreed on behind my back?”
“Nothing,” Yu Qing blushed slightly, somewhat shyly saying, “I just promised Comrade Xue to act as his girlfriend and accompany him to meet his parents.”
“Acting as a girlfriend~” Wen Ci’s eyes fixed on Xue Li, her gaze directly meeting his, filled with curiosity and teasing, “Shouldn’t Yu Qing go home and take a shower first before meeting the parents?”
“Right.”
Xue Li scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
At that moment, Jiang Chen’s car was still parked at the hospital entrance. He sat with his legs crossed, holding a “big brother” mobile phone to his ear, casually saying, “Whether she comes back or not is none of my business. The house of Old Commander Huo hasn’t been reclaimed by the authorities, so she can still live in the military compound.”
After finishing his sentence, he listened to the incessant chatter on the other end of the phone, his expression growing impatient, “No matter what, you’ve raised Xiao Ye for over twenty years. How can you just disown her over a small matter?”
A few days ago.
Su Guilan accidentally found out that Jiang Ye wasn’t in Beijing but had gone to the northwest. She was furious and even gave Jiang Chen a severe scolding.
She declared that from now on, she would act as if she never had a daughter named Jiang Ye.
Hearing the yelling on the other end of the phone, Jiang Chen made up an excuse, “I can’t talk anymore, I need to drive. We’ll discuss this when I get home.”
Xue Li, familiar with the situation, opened the car door and said with a smile, “Brother-in-law, could you drop me off at the Xue family compound later?”
Suddenly, he noticed the “big brother” mobile phone in Jiang Ye’s hand and widened his eyes in surprise, “Brother-in-law, is this the legendary ‘big brother’ mobile phone?!”
The “big brother” mobile phone was extremely expensive in the 1980s, costing as much as two houses near the city center of Beijing.
Tens of thousands of yuan.
Jiang Chen waved his hand dismissively, “It’s nothing special.”
His eyes showed a hint of curiosity as he looked at Xue Li. He had originally thought Xue Li was just a soldier from the northwest, but it seemed his identity was more significant.
“Are you the brother of the little miracle doctor Xue?”
Xue Li: “…”
It had only been seven or eight years since he left Beijing.
How had he gone from being the eldest son of the Xue family to the brother of the little miracle doctor Xue?!
“Are you Xue Chongsu’s brother?” Jiang Chen repeated.
Xue Li nodded.
The Xue family was a prominent medical family in Beijing. During the war, they unconditionally donated their ancestral wound treatment prescriptions, saving countless severely injured soldiers.
Now, they had another little miracle doctor under the age of ten.
“Why did you join the army?” Jiang Chen asked curiously.
When Wen Ci got into the car and heard their conversation, she could tell from Jiang Chen’s ingratiating demeanor that Xue Li’s family background was extraordinary. She leaned closer to Yu Qing and whispered, “Do you know about Xue Li’s family?”
Yu Qing nodded, “His family is a super, super powerful medical family. The book on “difficult and complicated diseases” you saw at the hospital was written by his grandfather.”
Wow!
Wen Ci was somewhat surprised after hearing this.
In the 1980s, being a doctor who could compile books was a big deal.
“Old Mr. Xue has never had a failed case in his life. The fact that Commander Huo survived this time must be related to Old Mr. Xue. I agreed to pretend to be his girlfriend also to meet the old gentleman.”
Wen Ci nodded slightly.
When she had time, she would definitely visit the old gentleman to thank him for saving her husband’s life.
·
The Xue family compound was on the way to the military compound.
Xue Li got out of the car and walked to the rear seat, signaling Yu Qing to roll down the window. He said earnestly, “Dr. Yu, I’ll pick you up for lunch at noon.”
“Okay.”
After confirming the pickup time repeatedly, Xue Li resolutely walked towards the Xue family compound. With each step, his stride became firmer, as if he were marching towards his death.
As they drove towards the military compound, the atmosphere in the car was silent.
Noticing more and more people in military uniforms around, Jiang Chen, holding the steering wheel, spoke unhurriedly, “Mom wants you to stay at the Jiang family home.”
“No need,” Wen Ci refused.
She had asked Xue Li whether Old Commander Huo’s house had been reclaimed by the authorities. The answer was that as long as Huo Jingyuan remained in the military, the house would not be confiscated.
“Suit yourself.”
With that, Jiang Chen stepped on the accelerator. As they approached the entrance to the family quarters, he suddenly asked, “Is your sister doing well in the northwest?”
“Do I have a sister?”
“You!” Jiang Chen exhaled, forcefully suppressing the anger in his heart, and lowered his voice, “I just want to know if Jiang Ye is doing well in the northwest.”
“I haven’t seen her much.”
Wen Ci was telling the truth.
She had only met Jiang Ye a handful of times.
Apart from seeing her once when she first arrived in the northwest, the only other time was during a military arts performance a few days ago, where she saw her leading children in singing the national anthem on stage.
Jiang Chen frowned deeply.
When they reached the entrance of the family quarters, Jiang Chen stopped the car and said calmly, “If you’re not coming home, at least say hello to Mom. She’s been thinking about you.”
Wen Ci replied indifferently, “I’ll do it when I have time.”
The family quarters of the northwest military region were different from those in Beijing.
In Beijing, the family quarters were filled with lush, green trees, creating an ecological environment. In contrast, the northwest family quarters were covered in yellow sand, with hardly any green plants in sight.
Wen Ci had an excellent memory. Huo Jingyuan had taken her to her grandfather’s house once, and she remembered the way.
The gate to Old Commander Huo’s house was not locked, and someone regularly cleaned it. Wen Ci slowly pushed open the gate, and the spacious courtyard made Yu Qing’s eyes widen in surprise.
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