Chiang Qing was startled by Cheng Su’s sudden harshness, feeling a slight panic in her heart, but when she looked again, that severity had disappeared, as if it had been merely an illusion.
Despite that, Chiang Qing was still somewhat shocked. How could a village girl from the countryside possess such an imposing aura?
"However, speaking of misunderstandings, there actually is one." Cheng Su suddenly continued, "I heard from Old Qi that Miss Chiang knew about Old Qi’s birthday and even went out of her way to bring a gift?"
Chiang Qing’s heart skipped a beat, but she quickly composed herself and said, "Well, I did it out of gratitude for all the support Commander Qi gave us when our medical team was deployed to the countryside. It was also a gesture on behalf of our medical team."
"Doctor Chiang, you’re taking it too seriously. We are all colleagues, and it’s only right to lend a hand to one another; there’s no need for such gratitude. As long as the sentiment is received, that’s all that matters. But Doctor Chiang, you went so far as to send an expensive gift, which can’t help but make people think more about it." Cheng Su’s lips curled slightly, it was unclear whether in a cold smile or sarcasm.
"Let’s not mention that Doctor Chiang, an unmarried woman, is giving an expensive gift to a married man in private. Just that alone is problematic. What would people think if they found out? Might they say that Doctor Chiang has ulterior motives, not just the wine?" Cheng Su glanced at her coldly and continued, "Originally, the help Old Qi provided was part of his duty. If he accepted such a gift, I’m afraid the leaders above might think he’s arrogant and unclean for wanting a payoff for a minor deed. Isn’t that akin to taking a bribe? For a soldier, focusing on integrity is definitely important, not to mention one’s personal reputation. So, Doctor Chiang, don’t make this mistake again next time. Otherwise, if Old Qi ends up with a bad influence because of this, it won’t be easy to handle. Surely Doctor Chiang wouldn’t want to see Old Qi’s future hindered, right?"
Chiang Qing’s face darkened as she said, "It was just a small gift, Sister-in-law Qi is making too much of it."
"Not sure if Doctor Chiang has heard of a little story?" Cheng Su glanced at her.
"What story?"
"In Ancient England, there was a famous nursery rhyme that went like this: ’For want of a nail, the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe, the horse was lost; for want of a horse, the rider was lost; for want of a rider, the battle was lost; for want of a battle, the kingdom was lost.’ " Cheng Su spoke slowly, "The literal meaning of this, Doctor Chiang, being an educated person, presumably doesn’t need me to explain, right? You see, just because of a missing nail, it led to the loss of a kingdom, quite unthinkable, isn’t it? But it indeed was a little nail that triggered a series of subsequent effects. Do you still think that it’s just a small gift and irrelevant?"
Chiang Qing stood there in a daze. She hadn’t expected Cheng Su to recite such a philosophical story, and one she hadn’t heard of before.
"If Doctor Chiang still doesn’t understand, then referring to it as ’butterfly effect’ wouldn’t be too far-fetched. We must never underestimate a small action. Lesser characters have their significant uses, and small actions can lead to a series of effects. What those actions eventually lead to depends on what those actions are." Cheng Su smiled, but the warmth did not reach her eyes.
Having said that, Cheng Su glanced at her watch and said, "Oh dear, look at me, talking and losing track of time. I’m truly sorry for holding you up, Doctor Chiang. You’d better go on duty now, and I should head back to the company. Goodbye then."