Chapter 450: Chapter 427: The Desire for Survival
Xiao Lin walked down the hallway of the school hospital, the sound of his leather shoes crisp against the concrete floor, his grip on the medical records tightened as he pushed open the door to the ward.
"Niu Niu, have you been good today?" A smile filled his handsome face, the white coat he wore emitted the scent of disinfectant; Xiao Lin was accustomed to soaking his work clothes in disinfectant before wearing them again, simply as a habit without any particular reason.
"I’ve been good, but mom hasn’t been." Her sweet voice carried a hint of protest upon seeing Xiao Lin, her pouting lips made a smacking sound.
"Ah, why does our lovely Niu Niu look unhappy? Come, here’s a gift." Xiao Lin lovingly stroked Niu Niu’s hair, placing candy in her palm: "Tell Brother, how hasn’t mom been good?"
"Mom she..."
"Niu Niu!" Dan Qing sat up from the bed, her voice stopping her daughter’s unrestrained words: "Don’t disturb Dr. Xiao, be good."
"I heard from the director that you want to be discharged." His large hand held her small one, leading Niu Niu to sit on the sofa bed: "The nurse also told me you’re refusing to take the medicine I prescribed, why is that?"
Xiao Lin seriously gazed at the person on the bed, perhaps due to the Profound Lady Heart Scripture, Dan Qing’s complexion appeared bright, despite the illness showing on her face, unable to resist her mature aura.
"I..." Dan Qing silently lowered her eyes: "The former doctor said my illness requires a kidney transplant to be cured, otherwise taking more medicine is just a waste, and I don’t want to waste."
Listening to this excuse, Xiao Lin stood speechless and walked to Dan Qing: "I don’t prescribe medicine casually, but it’s definitely effective when used. Western medicine may not be as root-treating as Chinese medicine, but its advantage lies in being quick and effective, able to control the disease in a short period."
"I also told mom that Brother Xiao’s words are definitely credible, but mom just won’t listen and even scolds Niu Niu." As if finding an ally, Niu Niu followed Xiao Lin to Dan Qing, took her hand, and rested her small face on it: "Mom’s hand is very cold, I want mom to always be with Niu Niu." Her tender voice made Xiao Lin irresistibly want to hold her.
"Dan Qing, I think long ago, I already made things very clear to you, what you should care about in this world is not money or anything else, but life." The kidney source had not yet been found, and as Dan Qing’s doctor, no one was more anxious than he was. The medication used only controlled the further deterioration of the disease. His heart felt deep guilt towards this mother and daughter. If he had considered carefully before departing for the Middle East, perhaps Dan Qing wouldn’t have ended up with a weakened immune system due to nutritional deficiencies. Now the opportunity to remedy was fleeting like a blooming flower.
"Dr. Xiao, I understand everything you’ve said, but..." Dan Qing still wanted to argue, raising her head to look at Xiao Lin’s expression, her voice became increasingly soft.
"As your doctor, naturally I can understand your feelings, but also hope you can understand ours." Xiao Lin lifted a corner of the blanket, raised his hand, and held Dan Qing’s pulse.
Slow and erratic pulse, occasionally disappearing pathways made him furrow his brows: "Niu Niu, can you help Brother go call the nurse outside?" He turned his head to gently touch Niu Niu’s head, softly asking.
"Brother Xiao, you’re simply sending Niu Niu away, I want to hear what you want to say to mom, I know mom might leave Niu Niu one day, I’ve been preparing for it, so Brother Xiao, please don’t treat Niu Niu as a little kid, even though I’m only nine, I understand."
"Go, and call the nurse over, okay?" Despite maintaining an adult’s tone while talking with Xiao Lin, the quivering voice made Dan Qing unable to resist drawing a gasp: "Mom needs Niu Niu’s help, let the nurse sister bring the medication needed today, okay? Let’s help mom do these things together, okay?"
Niu Niu looked worriedly at her mom on the bed, then nodded, and lightly closed the door when she left the ward.
"Is this the desired outcome? For a child not yet ten to prematurely face a reality, is this how you show your love for your daughter?" With Niu Niu present, Xiao Lin dared not speak too harshly: "Just now felt your pulse, how long have you neglected the Profound Lady Heart Scripture? I let Xia Xue teach you this Heart Method so you could protect your heart pulse from being too quickly eroded by the virus. Now, I want to know, what’s wrong with you?"
Dan Qing’s behavior differed so much from the beginning, the process from positive thoughts to self-abandonment only took a short week, or perhaps even less. He needed to know what his patient was close to abandon for.
"I..." Dan Qing bit her lip, forcing a blush upon her pale face: "I know without a kidney source, I’m just a burden, even if there’s a kidney source, there may be rejection due to a mismatch. If so, I’d rather leave something for Niu Niu, so she can live worry-free in the future."
"What do you mean?" Xiao Lin opened the window, walked to it, pulled out a cigarette from his pocket, and silently smoked: "During my absence, who has come to the hospital?" From Dan Qing’s words, he couldn’t hear that she had prepared a sum of money for Niu Niu, and quite a substantial amount indeed, worry-free life; that was truly laughable. What on earth was this woman thinking? If even mom is gone, what difference does more money make for a child? Moreover, is that money so easy to take?
"No one! No one has come." Dan Qing hurriedly denied, nervously clutching a corner of the blanket and twisting it: "How could anyone come to visit us, we mother and daughter have no one to turn to."
"Oh? Really?" He flicked the ash into a portable ashtray, not having the habit of carelessly discarding cigarette ash: "Then I’m very curious, how do you plan to create a carefree life for Niu Niu, with your current state?"
"I..."
"Dan Qing, I don’t care who came by or what they told you, if you can’t even trust your attending doctor, then I have nothing to say, you’re tarnishing my reputation." Xiao Lin exhaled smoke towards the window, feeling the need to understand the woman behind him. Her contradictions and struggles were just a small female drama in his eyes. What mattered to him was, who was that person, and what was the purpose of their instigation?
"Dr. Xiao, I really didn’t mean it that way." Dan Qing’s explanation only made Xiao Lin feel more uninterested.
"I will find a kidney source for you. Until then, I hope you cooperate with my work. Given your current physical condition, even if I find a kidney source, your body won’t withstand such a large surgery. If a rejection occurs, no one will be able to save you." Xiao Lin extinguished the cigarette butt, closed the window, and walked step by step to Dan Qing. His dark eyes focused on this woman: "There’s no truly carefree life in this world. Money can’t achieve it. The only person who can give Niu Niu a carefree life is you."
"Dr. Xiao!" Dan Qing grabbed Xiao Lin’s hand: "Do I still have hope?"
"As long as you want to live, there is hope. Even if there’s only a little chance, I won’t give up." This was Xiao Lin’s promise to Dan Qing, as well as his perseverance to himself. As long as there was even a sliver of possibility, he would do everything he could, not for others, but for himself. It was the only time he wanted seriously to save someone dying on the edge of death, a determination to contend with the Grim Reaper.
"Dan Qing, you must believe in me, understand?"
Dan Qing nodded vigorously, looking into those dark eyes. She was no longer lost. This man had an undeniable presence, a kind of aura that made people want to approach and trust him. If possible, she sincerely hoped to always look at such a man. With such thoughts about him, she suddenly burst into laughter.
"What’s wrong?"
"No, it’s nothing." Dan Qing turned her head awkwardly, not daring to meet Xiao Lin’s eyes directly: "I just feel that knowing you is God’s great favor to both me and Niu Niu."
"It’s good you know that. Don’t think wildly anymore. Before I perform the surgery for you, take good care of your body; it’s the best repayment to me." Xiao Lin sighed in relief. If even the patient herself abandoned the will to survive, then his excellent skills would be to no avail.
"Dr. Xiao, how can you smoke in the ward?" The nurse, pulled by Niu Niu, walked into the ward, with the cart full of medicines that needed to be injected.
"Ah! Xiao Yuan’s nose is indeed the most sensitive in the hospital, even such a faint smell can be detected by you." Xiao Lin winked playfully at the nurse, causing Xiao Yuan to blush.
"Such a strong smell can be sensed by anyone. Niu Niu, did you notice it?" Xiao Yuan deliberately turned to Niu Niu, who had her hands behind her back, and asked.
"Well..." Niu Niu looked at Xiao Lin and then at Xiao Yuan, her round eyes darting around: "Niu Niu has a bit of a cold today, her nose is blocked, what can she do?"
"Niu Niu, you’re getting corrupted following your Brother Xiao!" Xiao Yuan rubbed Niu Niu’s fluffy head and pouted at Xiao Lin: "The dragon of our school hospital really is indiscriminate in all sizes, not vague at all."
"Uh..." Realizing he gained another nickname, Xiao Lin was taken aback.
Xiao Yuan skillfully hung the drip bottle on the stand, inserted the needle into Dan Qing’s vein, adjusted the flow rate of the drip, and instructed Dan Qing: "This one is for protecting the heart and blood vessels, it will be slower. Later, I’ll bring over a hot water bag to put under your arm, so you’ll be more comfortable."
"Thank you!" The cold of the liquid entering the vein made Dan Qing shiver involuntarily.
"Dr. Xiao, Dan Qing’s veins are too thin. With this dosage, I’m worried they will collapse in less than two days. Should we place a venous catheter for her?"
"Handle it as you see fit, I have no objections. This is a small issue that can be directly addressed." (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to visit Qidian () to vote for recommendation and monthly tickets. Your support is my biggest motivation.)