Chapter 114

Wang Chuan arrived at River Right Community and knocked on the door of 201, Building Seven.

The sound of slippers scraping against the floor grew closer—creak—the door opened.

"Wang Chuan, what are you doing here? Wang Jia said you've been busy lately."

Shen Mianshuang looked surprised.

"Wang Jia's talking nonsense. I was busy today at noon. It's done."

"Come in. There's mineral water in the fridge—help yourself."

The rental apartment was small; beyond the kitchen was the bedroom. Wang Chuan pulled out a chair from the small dining table and sat down.

"Doctor Shen, if there's anything else you need, just say it." Wang Chuan picked up the fruit knife on the table and peeled an apple, the skin coming off in one continuous strip.

He slowly handed it to Shen Mianshuang: "Repaying kindness with kindness—you helped me on my first day of internship. This time, I won't let you leave the hospital like you did in your past life."

"I have no more difficulties. This morning, the Department Director came to see me on behalf of the hospital and told me to rest and recover."

Shen Mianshuang replied.

Wang Chuan took a sip of mineral water and said, "By the way, Doctor Shen, has your brother been behaving himself these past few days? I can go check on him at the restaurant."

"It's too much trouble!" Shen Mianshuang refused. Since last night, Shen Xiaobing still hadn't replied to her messages—but tomorrow, he would surely respond.

Every month on the 16th, Shen Mianshuang mailed medicine back to her mother.

On that day, Shen Xiaobing also sent Shen Mianshuang a letter to mail together.

The letter would say he was doing well in Mingzhou City, so their mother wouldn't worry, and include a selfie or a photo of the two siblings together.

Although she could learn about her brother's situation a day early and feel reassured, asking others for help made Shen Mianshuang feel guilty.

Wang Chuan smiled: "It's no trouble. I was already planning to go to Southwest Restaurant and asked the Boss to deliver a takeout meal to the Emergency Department at six tonight. I'll bring it to you then."

Shen Mianshuang lifted her beautiful eyes slightly. "If it's convenient, then check on Shen Xiaobing's situation. Thank you, Wang Chuan."

She took a sheet of paper from the bedside table. "Wang Chuan, this is Li Wei's Rotation Out-of-Department Certificate. The Director has already signed it. I finished writing it this afternoon—take it to him."

"No problem."

"Li Wei—he's been these past fourteen days, his mind hasn't been on learning clinical skills. He barely managed to complete his tasks, but I gave him a passing grade."

Wang Chuan took the certificate and glanced at it. "Doctor Shen, Li Wei studied medicine because he was forced to. After graduation, he'll go home to sell tiles—his father runs a building materials market."

"I see. Well, everyone has their own choices. Wang Chuan, what about you? Being a doctor means hardship when you're young, but it's a stable, meaningful job."

"Some say doctors become more respected as they grow older—that refers to traditional Chinese medicine. We study Western medicine. When we're old, our hands shake holding scalpels and electrocautery tools—it won't be so admirable anymore." Wang Chuan didn't answer directly.

Shen Mianshuang thought for a moment, then asked: "I heard from Wang Jia that you're also learning business—Deputy General Manager of a bar?"

Wang Chuan took the apple core from Shen Mianshuang, walked a few steps, and tossed it into the trash bag. "I'll decide after graduation. People's thoughts sometimes change every day."

"My mind hasn't changed—I want to be a doctor, a Pediatric doctor, curing those innocent, lively children. Just thinking about it makes me happy."

Shen Mianshuang's lips curved into a smile.

Wang Chuan laughed: "Doctor Shen, I believe you'll become a renowned Pediatric doctor one day. When I have a child who gets sick, no matter where I am, I'll come find you."

Shen Mianshuang picked up the thread and smiled back: "I've only been in undergrad for a few years—I won't become famous so quickly. If you have a child early, I won't be able to help you."

"Doctor Shen, I'm twenty this year—I can't even get a marriage certificate yet. I won't have a child so soon."

Shen Mianshuang realized she couldn't keep talking—further conversation would drift into personal matters—so she changed the subject:

"I plan to pursue a master's degree, then a Ph. D. If not for wanting to start working and save money sooner, I might have taken the Postgraduate Entrance Exam right after undergrad."

Hearing this, Wang Chuan felt even more certain: something huge must have happened in his past life to force Shen Mianshuang, who loved being a doctor, to leave the hospital.

Nine times out of ten, it was Shen Xiaobing's fault.

After chatting a while longer, Wang Chuan took the full trash bag from the room and headed straight for the restaurant.

Wang Chuan negotiated with the Southwest Restaurant Boss: five dishes and one soup, plus delivery fee, totaled 258 yuan.

After paying, Wang Chuan asked the restaurant Boss: "Has Shen Xiaobing been off work these past few days?"

The Boss snorted: "That little bastard stole money from the cash register and ran off."

"Boss, why don't you report him to the Police?"

"Nah, we're all from the same hometown. I'll just deduct his unpaid salary from last month."

Wang Chuan thought: "You're a real piece of work, Boss—May's salary still hasn't been paid by June 15th. Not a good man at all."

He asked again: "Has Shen Xiaobing left no message at all?"

"He said he quit and plans to open his own restaurant."

After asking, Wang Chuan stepped out of the restaurant, thinking: Shen Xiaobing, that little scoundrel, wants to open a restaurant? He's probably off gambling again, day and night.

He remembered when he gave five thousand eight hundred to Xin Yisheng's man, Ding Ge—he'd handed him a Business Card.

As he walked, he called: "Ding Ge, Wang Chuan."

"Doctor Wang, what's up? No business at the Emergency Department? You want me to go chop up a few people and send them over?"

As he spoke, Wang Chuan heard a chuckle coming from the other end of the phone.

"Ding Ge, today's my last day at the Emergency Department. Tomorrow I'm transferring to another department. I need to ask you something—has Shen Xiaobing been to you these past few days?"

"What's most important when you're out in the world? Keep your word. I promised Doctor Wang, so I won't let him come back to gamble."

Then where did Shen Xiaobing go?

Ding Ge's voice came through the phone: "Shen Xiaobing's been gambling for nearly two years. Gambling addiction isn't something you can just cut off easily. He's probably gone to another gambling spot in a different district."

Wang Chuan asked: "Do you know which places?"

"Doctor Wang, those are all private gambling dens in Mingzhou City—I can't tell you. If they get raided by the Police, they'll come after you and me."

"But I can give you a hint: it's the European Cup right now—lots of people are placing bets. Ask around yourself—you'll probably find something out."

With that, Ding Ge hung up.

Wang Chuan remembered that day at the Bar—Cao Te had said someone in Mingzhou monopolized bets from Hong Kong.

"Cao Te, can you find out who in Mingzhou is monopolizing the soccer bets?"

Cao Te felt puzzled, thinking, 'What is Wang Chuan up to? With such accurate predictions, could he really be determined to gamble on a soccer match?'

He replied aloud, "Understood, Director Wang, I will immediately ask a friend to inquire."

When Wang Chuan returned to the Emergency Department of Mingzhou First Hospital and pushed open the door to the Doctors' Office,

Nurse Chang Min and several other nurses pulled the strings on a few small party poppers; boom, boom, several sounds rang out.

Looking around, he saw not only Zhang Yang and Wu Qinghua, but also Lin Rui, Sun Ke, and other doctors.

Director Gao Cheng was surprisingly present as well; he walked up to Wang Chuan and said, "Wang Chuan, you are the most outstanding Intern in our Emergency Department. Upon graduating next year, why don't you stay and work here in the Emergency Department of Mingzhou First Hospital?"

Zhang Yang and Wu Qinghua chimed in one after another, saying, "Wang Chuan, come to the Emergency Department; let us all fight side by side."

Wang Chuan recalled the nearly one hundred Case Records from the past and every little moment of their Cooperation.

Small pearls welled up in his eyes; he wiped them away with his right hand and said, "Thank you all! Thank you."