After a brief moment of thought, Xue Li nodded, “Then get in the car.”
Although he also needed to go to the capital, it was still inappropriate for him, as a man, to travel alone with his sister-in-law for the four or five days it would take on the green train. Having a female companion would make it easier to take care of his sister-in-law’s emotional needs.
Yu Qing opened the car door and got in, then asked with concern, “How is Commander Huo doing now?”
“I don’t know. My grandfather has already gone to help.”
“Your grandfather is?”
“Xue Jing!”
When mentioning his grandfather, Xue Li raised his eyebrows and lifted his chin proudly. “Dr. Yu, have you heard of my grandfather’s name?”
Xue Jing was a renowned figure in the medical field in China, known to everyone in the profession. Although Yu Qing hadn’t received formal medical education, she was aware of the esteemed reputation of Old Master Xue.
Moreover, Old Master Xue was the chief editor of a certain medical textbook.
“I’ve heard of him.”
After saying this, Yu Qing looked at Xue Li with a curious gaze and asked, “Then why did you become a soldier? Shouldn’t you have become a doctor?”
Xue Li: “…”
He couldn’t help but sigh and rub his forehead. “Why does everyone have such a stereotypical impression? Just because my grandfather is a doctor, I have to be one too?”
Almost everyone who heard that his grandfather was “Xue Jing” asked him the same question.
“Your whole family should be doctors, right?”
Xue Li didn’t argue. His family was a medical family. From the moment he was born, the scent of medicine was the most familiar to him. Growing up in such an environment, he was forced to study medicine.
But he didn’t like being a doctor.
As the eldest son in the family, he had no choice but to shoulder the responsibility.
Until his younger brother was born when he was fifteen.
From the moment his brother could speak, he could recognize various medicinal herbs and understand which medicines were needed for which symptoms. It was as if he was a natural prodigy in medicine.
When his parents shifted their focus to his younger brother, Xue Li was finally free!
At the age of seventeen, he resolutely chose to join the military to serve the country and went to the farthest reaches of the northwest!
Yu Qing looked apologetic. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have stereotyped you. Serving in the military and studying medicine are both ways of contributing to the country.”
After a pause, she glanced at Xue Li somewhat sheepishly and asked, “When we get to the capital, would it be possible for me to visit your grandfather?”
“Visit my grandfather?!”
“Yes!”
As a leading figure in the domestic medical field, Elder Xue Jing was someone Yu Qing also wanted to get to know up close. Her medical knowledge was still quite shallow.
Suddenly, Xue Li remembered something. He was already twenty-four this year, and his family had been pressuring him to get married and have children. However, since he was stationed in the far northwest, they couldn’t nag him too often.
But this time, since he was returning to the capital for Brother Huo’s sake, he was sure to face relentless pressure!
He blinked and said, “Then can I ask you for a favor?”
“What favor?”
“Pretend to be my girlfriend.”
These days, free love was all the rage. Having Dr. Yu pretend to be his girlfriend during his stay in the capital would save him from being forced into an arranged marriage!
“Uh…”
Yu Qing hesitated for a moment, but seeing the sincerity in Xue Li’s eyes, she nodded in agreement. “Once we leave the capital, you’ll have to come up with an excuse to say we broke up.”
“No problem!”
As they chatted, Wen Ci came out of the courtyard carrying two large suitcases. Xue Li immediately got out of the car and took them from her. “Sister-in-law, let me handle this.”
“Okay.”
Wen Ci had already changed out of her water-sleeve costume but had packed it in her suitcase. She wanted Huo Jingyuan to see her in that outfit the moment he woke up.
·
The atmosphere during the journey to Haishi was extremely tense.
Yu Qing didn’t know what comforting words to say and simply held Wen Ci’s hand the entire time.
By the time they arrived in Haishi, it was nearly eleven or twelve at night. Xue Li used his introduction letter to book a room at a guesthouse for Wen Ci and Yu Qing.
He would sleep in the car.
The car would be taken over by another comrade the next day.
Early the next morning.
The three of them boarded the earliest green train leaving the northwest.
The sleeper compartment had four beds. Wen Ci and Yu Qing took the lower bunks, while during the day, Xue Li sat in the corridor outside the sleeper car.
Four days passed in the blink of an eye.
As the capital city, the train station in Beijing was bustling with people. Xue Li carried the luggage and asked, “Sister-in-law, should we go to the hospital first?”
For critical patients, even family members were usually not allowed in the wards. Xue Li thought it might be better to first return to the military compound to drop off their things and inquire about Brother Huo’s current condition.
“The hospital.”
“Alright.”
As they walked out of the train station, Xue Li flagged down a taxi on the wide road. The municipal hospital was quite a distance from the train station.
“Wen Ci, over here.”
Wen Ci turned her head at the sound of her name. On the opposite side of the road, a military off-road vehicle was parked. The driver’s window rolled down, revealing a handsome face.
It was her biological brother—Jiang Chen.
“Mom and Dad asked me to pick you up and take you to the hospital.”
Wen Ci lowered her eyelids. “Let’s go.”
In the 1980s, taxi fares were exorbitant, costing several yuan for just a few kilometers. With a free ride offered, there was no reason not to take it.
Xue Li sat in the front passenger seat, while Wen Ci and Yu Qing sat in the back.
After getting in the car, Xue Li felt the atmosphere was a bit strange. He glanced at the two in the back through the rearview mirror and then at the man driving.
He was somewhat puzzled. Weren’t Sister-in-law and this man biological siblings?!
Why did they seem so unfamiliar?
After a while, Xue Li spoke up, “Brother-in-law, how is Brother Huo doing now?”
Jiang Chen was momentarily stunned by the term “brother-in-law,” then replied, “I don’t know the specifics, but he’s not in critical condition.”
Hearing this, the stone in Wen Ci’s heart finally settled.
As long as he wasn’t in critical condition, it wasn’t a big deal!
Xue Li also let out a long sigh of relief and said with relief, “As long as he’s not in critical condition, it’s fine. He’ll just need a few months to recover, and he’ll be as good as new.”
After about ten minutes of driving, they arrived at Beijing Municipal Hospital.
Xue Li had played in this hospital since he was a child and knew it like the back of his hand. He led Wen Ci and Yu Qing to the inpatient surgery building.
The building had security guards stationed at the entrance.
Xue Li walked over, leaned on the security booth’s window, and said with a smile, “Uncle Zhang, long time no see!”
“Xiao Xuezi, you’re back?!”
Xue Li: “…”
Hearing the familiar nickname, he felt the urge to facepalm. He turned to Yu Qing and explained, “Don’t overthink it. Uncle Zhang is a native of old Beijing and has a strong accent!”
It’s just that the accent made it sound like he was being called a eunuch.
***(This likely happens because “Xiao Xuezi” (小薛子)—a casual or affectionate way of calling him—resembles the old way of addressing eunuchs in imperial China. Historically, eunuchs’ names were often stylized with “-zi” (子) at the end, like “Xiao Li Zi” (小李子) for a eunuch named Li.
So, when Uncle Zhang calls him “Xiao Xuezi”, it sounds similar to how eunuchs were traditionally addressed, making Xue Li feel awkward.)****
“How’s the patient my grandfather came out of retirement to treat?”
“He’s in the silent phase. It’s past visiting hours now.”
(In medical terms, “silent phase” (静默期) typically refers to a period in a disease or condition where symptoms are not actively showing or are minimal. It can indicate a latent stage before progression or recovery.
In this context, it likely means the patient is in a stable but non-interactive state, possibly recovering or in observation.)
Xue Li blinked. “Can’t you make an exception?”
“No, but your brother can.”
Xue Li: “???”
He looked as if he had suffered a serious blow and asked in disbelief, “My little brother is at most ten years old this year, right? Why can he go into the building?”
Uncle Zhang slowly explained, “Your brother skipped grades. He’s young, but he’s been by your grandfather’s side observing consultations since he was little. His medical skills are good enough for him to serve as an intern doctor now.”
Xue Li fell into an even deeper silence.
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