After interrogating Lu Yanli, the higher-ups initially believed she was the mastermind behind the incident.
Unexpectedly, Lu Yanli revealed that someone had called her and given her the idea.
“According to the higher-ups, the voice on the call Lu Yanli received was indistinguishable between male or female.
Moreover, the call came from a hospital phone, not the communications office, where scrutiny is much stricter. The higher-ups said they’ve tasked the technical department to trace the call, but they likely won’t find anything,” Sheng Zexi relayed the information he’d obtained from the leadership.
Gu Jianing understood. In this era, electronic information technology wasn’t advanced, so failing to trace the call was perfectly normal.
“Given that the perpetrator could pull this off, doesn’t it mean they had the means to do so? And where did those means come from?” Gu Jianing asked.
Sheng Zexi’s eyes brightened. He hadn’t expected Ningning to pinpoint the most critical issue so quickly.
“Exactly. That’s why we highly suspect it’s was an enemy spy!”
“An enemy spy!”
Gu Jianing frowned. Enemy spies existed in every era, but they were especially prevalent in this time.
The question was, who could it be?
Actually, there was something Sheng Zexi hadn’t told Gu Jianing: their last mission’s mishap was also highly suspected to be linked to an enemy spy within the military leaking secrets.
The investigation was still ongoing, and the hidden rat had yet to be caught.
Gu Jianing had no leads either.
She did have one suspect in mind-Li Shuyao-since Li Shuyao harbored over ninety percent hostility toward her.
But she also felt it was unlikely.
First, Li Shuyao’s animosity toward her was probably because of Sheng Zexi, stemming from unrequited love.
Second, Li Shuyao was a member of the Li family, and the Li family’s background…
But if it wasn’t Li Shuyao, then who? This incident was clearly targeted at her.
Of course, it could also have been aimed at Sheng Zexi.
If she had truly been implicated in a patient’s death, her husband Sheng Zexi would also have been affected.
“Alright, if we can’t figure it out for now, don’t dwell on it. Matters like this will be investigated by the relevant authorities. The most important thing is for you to protect yourself, Ningning,” Sheng Zexi said, gently stroking Gu Jianing’s head.
Gu Jianing snapped out of her thoughts and nodded. “Mm, I will.”
Two days later, a verdict was reached regarding Lu Yanli.
Lu Yanli was stripped of her medical license and sentenced to ten years in prison. Her husband was also demoted two ranks, making future promotions highly unlikely.
It could be said that the punishment was extremely severe.
Meanwhile, news of Gu Jianing’s ability to treat tuberculosis spread throughout the military district.
“A miracle doctor! She can even cure tuberculosis. Truly, skill isn’t determined by age,” remarked one military spouse.
“If only Dr. Gu had married Deputy Regiment Commander Sheng earlier and come here sooner, my father might not have…” A young soldier, whose father had died of tuberculosis the year before last, wiped away tears as he spoke.
“I always knew Sheng Zexi had sharp judgment. The girl he set his sights on was bound to be extraordinary,” commented a senior officer.
“Old Chen snatched her up as his disciple first—typical of him to act so fast,” said a renowned doctor from the military hospital.
“I heard Dr. Gu will be giving a lecture soon, sharing her tuberculosis treatment methods. She’s truly selfless—what a great doctor,” praised the medical staff.
From then on, Gu Jianing’s reputation in the Northwest Military District soared once again.
Moreover, because of this incident, no one dared to question her medical skills due to her youth.
In fact, based on the accounts of those who had witnessed her work, some even believed she had the ability to bring the dead back to life.
How could a doctor with such miraculous skills be anything but exceptional?
As a result, after that day, Gu Jianing was flooded with patients, and the Traditional Chinese Medicine department became bustling once again.
—
Back in the capital, Grandpa Sang and Grandma Sang received a call from Gu Jianing and Sheng Zexi. The couple said they would return to the capital before Qingming Festival to pay respects to Sheng’s late mother. Sheng Zexi’s leave had already been approved.
The elderly couple was overjoyed at the news.
Especially upon learning that the two would be staying at the Sang residence, they spent their free time preparing a room—fluffing quilts, arranging pillows, and making sure everything was perfect for the young couple’s arrival.
“If only Xiaowan were still here… How happy she would be,” Grandma Sang said, her eyes reddening at the thought of her daughter, Sang Yuwan. “She would have adored Ningning, and seeing Zexi married and about to become a father would have brought her so much joy.”
Xiaowan had been such a kind, gentle soul. It was just a shame she had ever met Sheng Xinhao.
If only she hadn’t married him—would things have turned out differently?
That scoundrel Sheng Xinhao had once claimed to love Xiaowan deeply, yet barely a year after her death, he married Fang Wanrong. After that, his treatment of Zexi grew worse and worse.
No wonder Zexi had grown distant from him.
“Come to think of it, that old fool hasn’t shown up lately,” Grandma Sang remarked.
Previously, after tricking Sheng Xinhao into transferring money and property to Zexi, he would often shamelessly drop by to ask whether they had convinced Zexi and Jianing to divorce.
But lately, he hadn’t come at all.
Grandpa Sang scoffed. “That old fool is hospitalized—of course he isn’t coming.”
“Hospitalized? What happened?”
…
Here, Sheng Xinhao was indeed hospitalized.
At this moment, Sheng Xinhao lay on the hospital bed, while Fang Wanrong stood by with their son and daughter.
The director of Beijing Military District Hospital explained the examination results: “Brigadier General Sheng, based on our tests, your arm appears to be suffering from a condition called brachial plexus nerve injury.”
“This is a severe complication resulting from the previous injury to your left arm.”
“Was your arm wounded by shrapnel back then?” the doctor asked.
Sheng Xinhao nodded. “Yes, but the shrapnel was removed afterward, and the wound healed.”
The injury to his left arm had occurred when Sheng Xinhao was young and serving in the military. During a mission, he was cut by shrapnel from an enemy-planted grenade.
At the time, medical conditions were harsh, and treatment methods were far less advanced than they are now.
Back then, Sheng Xinhao had pulled out the shrapnel himself, briefly bandaged the wound, and continued fighting.
That battle ultimately ended in victory, marking the most crucial step in the rise of his military career.
After the mission, the wound on his arm healed, and he paid no further attention to it.
However, in recent years, his left arm had occasionally experienced sharp pains. Since he primarily used his right hand for tasks, Sheng Xinhao didn’t pay much mind to his left arm and ignored the discomfort.
It wasn’t until a year ago, when the stabbing pain in his left arm and shoulder intensified, that he had no choice but to come to the hospital for an examination.
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