Chapter 53: Xin Chanxi, stop acting up

"Sarcastic girl, Xin Chanxi."

Wang Chuan gave her a nickname; Xin Chanxi was completely different in style from Lin Weiwei, who had stood here that day.

"Blowhard uncle, Wang Chuan."

The two exchanged glances, then tilted their heads and turned, each standing on opposite sides of the road.

Wang Chuan thought to himself: just now taking a taxi here, twenty kilometers, surcharge started after ten kilometers, cost fifty yuan—painful to his wallet.

The bulk of his pocket money was still those four thousand yuan; he could only wait until next year's bear market bottom to buy in.

"Xin Chanxi, let me help you save some—how much zero spending money did your parents give you?"

Wang Chuan walked over and said.

"How to save?" Xin Chanxi's eyes showed a hint of curiosity.

"We carpool. It's hard to hail a taxi here anyway—split the fare, fifty-fifty. You save half, twenty-five yuan."

Xin Chanxi laughed: "Blowhard uncle, you think I'm stupid? If we carpool, do I save half but you don't? Besides, I don't carpool with strangers."

Though rejected, Wang Chuan deduced: if Xin Chanxi truly wanted to refuse, she could've just said no—no need for so many words.

So his lips curled slightly: "Think it over. The taxi hasn't arrived yet."

Saying that, he walked back to the other side of the road, hands in pockets, gazing up at the sky.

Xin Chanxi glanced at Wang Chuan a few times, recalling what her senior high homeroom teacher repeated daily: "You kids, what are you doing talking about love in high school? There'll be plenty of time in university—you'll get sick of it."

In senior year, you must study hard—this is the fairest thing you'll ever encounter in your life.

Wang Chuan matched the type of boyfriend she wanted to find in university.

Thus, lost in idle thoughts for over twenty minutes, not a single taxi appeared.

On both sides of the suburban road, camphor tree leaves rustled with a rustling sound, making Xin Chanxi, who was waiting for a taxi, feel increasingly irritable.

She felt a pang of regret—she'd been studying well at home.

For no reason at all, she'd brought her driving school tuition, meant to be paid only after the college entrance exam, and come all the way out here this afternoon to this godforsaken, distant driving school.

She looked up toward Wang Chuan on the other side.

Suddenly, Wang Chuan broke into a quick, short sprint forward.

'Taxi!' Finally, a taxi appeared in Wang Chuan's direction.

Thud—the taxi door slammed shut as Wang Chuan climbed in and told the driver: "Master, to Mingzhou First Hospital in Heshu District."

Then he rolled down the window and called to Xin Chanxi, who was panting as she ran over: "Xin Chanxi, want to carpool? Two seconds to decide..."

Wang Chuan didn't finish speaking.

Screech—Xin Chanxi didn't answer; she simply yanked open the door and slid into the back seat.

"Master, drive! First, to Donghu Manor."

Before Wang Chuan could react, she pinched his arm: "Wang Chuan, I'm your girlfriend. If you dare leave me behind, I'll tell my parents."

'Is this girl really a senior high student? So bold—doesn't want to carpool, just tries to ride for free.'

Wang Chuan immediately said: "First, to Mingzhou First Hospital."

"First, to Donghu Manor!"

The driver said: "Donghu Manor and Mingzhou First Hospital are fifteen kilometers apart."

In the rearview mirror, watching the two bickering back and forth, he sighed—definitely a quarreling couple.

The driver helplessly said: "Take your time deciding. There's still ten kilometers to the fork—tell me then which way to go."

Going to Donghu Manor first meant paying fifteen extra kilometers' fare—he couldn't afford that loss.

Wang Chuan saw Xin Chanxi wouldn't budge, and he couldn't physically force her—she'd just report him to the police station and it'd be over.

So he quietly sent the same text to Li Wei, Luo De, Wang Jia, and Pei Nanli: Call me immediately. He didn't know who wasn't working, so he texted them all.

Soon, his mobile phone rang.

Wang Chuan stopped arguing with Xin Chanxi and answered: "Ah! What?! Another finger amputation? Okay, I'm coming right away. Tell the patient to relax—I'll get back and reattach his finger for sure."

"Master, first to Mingzhou First Hospital. Xin Chanxi, stop acting up, okay? Saving lives is urgent."

Xin Chanxi's accumulated life experience told her: hearing "saving lives is urgent" silenced her. She lowered her head and said nothing more.

Arguing further would put her on the wrong side of reason.

"Alright, hold on tight—I'm stepping on the gas."

The taxi sped off with Wang Chuan's spirits lifted.

At the fork, the right tunnel led to Donghu Manor, the left highway to Mingzhou First Hospital.

Suddenly, Xin Chanxi shouted: "Master, turn into the tunnel! There's a car stopped at the tunnel entrance—might be an accident."

The driver saw it too and quickly turned right, stopping behind a minivan.

Wang Chuan immediately ordered: "Turn on your hazard lights. I'll go check."

He flung open the door—searing heat surged out.

He found the minivan driver unconscious; Wang Chuan's palm touched the driver's back.

Ding dong—a clear information tag floated above the driver's head: 【Core Temperature: 41.8℃; Heart Rate: 145↑; Unconscious; Skin Dry, Hot, No Sweat.】

"Damn, it's Heat Stroke! Xin Chanxi, call 120—say it's Heat Stroke. Master, come with me—hurry, carry this man to the riverside shade."

They carried the minivan driver to the riverside shade. Wang Chuan tested the water—it was deep, no shallow area; submerging the driver risked drowning.

He could only quickly strip off the driver's extra clothes, leaving only his underwear, and position him on his side.

Wang Chuan pried open his mouth, checking for obstructions—vomiting in unconsciousness could cause suffocation.

He turned to the taxi driver: "Master, listen to me—wet your clothes and repeatedly wipe his neck, armpits, and groin."

Both worked frantically; Xin Chanxi, after calling 120, joined in, fanning desperately with dry clothes.

Soon, the sound of the 120 ambulance approached. Wang Chuan touched the minivan driver again—his head display showed temperature had dropped from 41.8℃ to 40.2℃.

It seems this physical cooling method is very effective.

After the ambulance took the patient away, the taxi driver said, "Doctor, aren't you still going to Mingzhou First Hospital to save someone? Let's go quickly."

The taxi started up again and drove toward Mingzhou First Hospital.

At this moment, Xin Chanxi's hands were sore; looking at Wang Chuan, who was covered in sweat, the scenes of him rescuing the patient just now replayed before her eyes, and now he was rushing to save another patient.

"Wang Chuan, I am truly sorry!" Xin Chanxi felt there was no point in arguing with a young doctor dedicated to saving lives and healing the wounded.

"It's fine; you did great too, making calls and directing traffic. That driver just now should thank you for spotting him immediately." Wang Chuan's voice was gentle, without a trace of blame.

Upon reaching the entrance of Mingzhou First Hospital, Xin Chanxi urged Wang Chuan to hurry and save people, saying she would pay the fare.

Wang Chuan got out of the car and had not walked many steps.

He heard Xin Chanxi's voice from behind: "Wang Chuan, wait a moment."

Wang Chuan stopped and turned around to see Xin Chanxi remove her black face mask.

Her almond-shaped eyes were bright, her nose bridge delicate and straight, and her cherry-red lips full.

"Wang Chuan, do you remember me now?"