Chapter 2926: 2726 Causing Trouble

The next day, Gao Shaojie went to handle his resignation procedures.

Liu Zewei accompanied him the whole way, finishing the paperwork as quickly as possible, then took Gao Shaojie back to the ward for a quick round.

Revisiting the old place was one reason; Gao Shaojie knew Liu Zewei also needed his support to steady his position. Although Liu Zewei was already stable, more strength in this regard is always better—no one would complain about having too much.

As they walked, Liu Zewei said, "Old Gao, the TIPS surgery patients I've been handling have been going smoothly; a few patients had minor issues, but nothing serious."

His tone held some delight and pride. Gao Shaojie smiled; he knew Liu Zewei's mindset too well.

Only with someone familiar and free of conflicting interests would he show such a slightly reckless emotion. With anyone else, he'd surely keep his thoughts deep and guarded.

They chatted casually, stepped out of the elevator, and suddenly saw dozens of people packed tightly outside the ward door— a frightening sight.

Something had definitely happened.

Liu Zewei paused. Two hours ago, at shift change, everything was fine—how did things blow up after he and Old Gao took a turn around the administrative office? Had a morning surgery gone wrong, with relatives causing trouble here?

He quickly ran through today's surgeries in his mind.

From Liu Zewei's perspective, there shouldn't be any problem. He strode over, puzzled, only to see security maintaining order in the crowd.

The security guards at the Medical University Affiliated Hospital—Liu Zewei could say endless things about them.

That security team captain used to wander around several northern provinces as a professional medical troublemaker; while not outright evil, he's no good either. Having taken over the hospital's security post, rumor has it they've started moonlighting as parking lot attendants.

Really, what sort of people are these?

Liu Zewei felt a bit displeased; maybe this incident was stirred up by that bunch of damned troublemakers.

That security team captain—I've seen him twice in the capital. Both times people went to see Zheng Lao Ban for minor ailments, nothing serious, just nauseating. Zheng Lao Ban doesn't seem to care for him either, merely out of a doctor's benevolence… Liu Zewei still harbors resentment about it.

As for Dahungya, better let him drop dead; treating him would only bring more harm.

Nowadays the crackdown on black societies has reached the point where there's hardly any black left to hit; even the big brothers who washed their hands of the underworld years ago have been dragged out—so why can't Dahungya restrain himself a bit?

Pushing through the crowd, Liu Zewei saw two guards swaggering with fake batons, pointing and shouting at the onlookers to keep back and not rush the ward.

Seeing Liu Zewei approach, the two guards' dog‑like faces twisted, their mouths stretching to their ears, saliva almost dripping out.

"Director Liu, you're back," a guard said with a servile smile, "Please come in, please come in."

"What's going on?" Liu Zewei adopted the air of a senior director and asked in a low voice.

"Director Liu, isn't someone causing trouble here?" the guard said. "Our captain heard and is bringing people right away. Rest assured, to keep medical order, we brothers would lay down our lives."

Liu Zewei couldn't be bothered listening to the guard's vague talk and strode inside.

At the door of a ward sat a brazier, with a woman in her sixties on the ground, her limbs twitching continuously, muttering incoherently.

Seeing this scene, Liu Zewei felt a chill in his heart.

He had witnessed several scenes of professional medical troublemakers—burning paper money in braziers, even leaving corpses in wards, refusing to move them no matter what.

Once a hospital treated a terminal cancer patient who had signed a refusal‑of‑treatment consent form; after the patient died, the family hired professional troublemakers to cause a scene.

The hospital and doctors felt there was no mistake in treatment, and this time they also refused to back down.

Under the troublemakers' direction, the corpse was left in the ward for a whole week, eventually rotting away.

Calling the police did no good; the crowd outside the ward consisted of seventy‑ and eighty‑year‑olds recruited from who knows where. The officers dared not touch them, only could coax and plead like begging grandsons, but to no avail.

Afterwards the police could only advise the hospital to settle with money.

It's frustrating to recall; Liu Zewei's memory of the incident is fresh. As soon as he sees burning paper money, he thinks of unfurling banners—although hanging banners now counts as part of the anti‑black crackdown, it doesn't stop people from practicing nonviolent noncooperation.

"Director Liu," a team‑leading professor came up, looking aggrieved.

He surnamed Qin, and Gao Shaojie greeted him familiarly.

Qin Professor and Director Jin were close; after Director Jin fell ill, Gao Shaojie and Liu Zewei teamed up to give him a nasty surprise. Under normal succession, this Qin Professor would be first in line to inherit the position.

Liu Zewei guessed that part of the pressure he mentioned might come from this Qin Professor, Gao Shaojie thought.

"What's going on?" Although he knew he'd have to take the blame, as the senior director it was Liu Zewei's duty to step up. He gritted his teeth, and his bald head shone a little brighter.

"A patient scheduled for surgery tomorrow—his family somehow dragged in some rural folk… sigh, they're causing a ruckus," Qin Professor said helplessly.

He had seen this folk custom years ago, but hadn't encountered it in ages; now it looked unfamiliar. Hearing Qin Professor, Liu Zewei immediately recalled it.

"……" Liu Zewei said expressionlessly, "You're just going to let them carry on like this?!"

"Director Liu, I can't do anything either," Qin Professor spread his hands. "What do you say I should do?"

Looking at the chaotic crowd, at the woman on the ground clutching a pair of chicken‑claw‑like hands twitching unconsciously, Liu Zewei sighed.

He hadn't seen anything like this in twenty or thirty years.

The last time was when he went to support a county‑town hospital and witnessed this "folk custom." But for them to bring it to the provincial city hospital—that's going too far.

Liu Zewei didn't act rashly; Qin Professor was right—doctors can't do much in such a situation. This is also the thorny problem Qin Professor tossed his way; if Liu Zewei rushed in rashly, he'd end up embarrassed and become a joke in Qin Professor's eyes.

Although it doesn't affect the big picture, it also proves from the side that he lacks the responsibility and ability of a director. Wanting to be a department head, technical skill alone isn't enough.

Whether he can settle the matter is also an important point.

He silently watched the old woman acting strangely before the brazier, feeling a surge of annoyance, his mind racing to find a good solution.

But Liu Zewei had no good ideas.

That woman looked ill, uttering eerie sounds that made one's blood run cold.

"Director Liu, think of a solution—continuing like this isn't acceptable," Qin Professor said.

Liu Zewei's heart suddenly echoed with the voice of a "General."