Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Source of Unease
Shortly before eleven in the morning, Yan Feifan, busy in the emergency department, took advantage of a rare break to quickly drink a few sips of water.
Just then, Ye Lin came running over happily and whispered, "Mr. Yan, that person from last night with the really foul fart? They actually came to our hospital!"
"And they’re seeing Mr. Zheng, the head of Gastroenterology, at the specialist clinic."
Yan Feifan murmured an "oh" and then asked in confusion, "How do you know?"
"Did you have someone stake out the outpatient clinic?"
Ye Lin giggled. "Mr. Yan, you doctors have your circles, and we nurses have our own."
"I mentioned what happened last night in the nurses’ group chat, and my friends were even more interested than I was. They all started keeping an eye out."
"All morning, they sent me more than a dozen candid photos for confirmation. Persistence pays off, and they finally got her."
"Mr. Yan, look..."
On Ye Lin’s phone screen, Yan Feifan saw a woman in casual clothes, her hair in a bun, with a somber expression on her face.
The woman in the photo wasn’t wearing any makeup, but Yan Feifan recognized her at a glance. It was the woman from yesterday.
Ye Lin put her phone away and said, "The gastroscopy and ultrasound results should be out soon."
"But if they really do suspect a tumor, there will be even more tests."
"That would mean it’s more than ninety percent confirmed."
"Mr. Yan, we should have the results this afternoon!"
Yan Feifan sighed softly. "I hope my diagnosis was wrong."
"Mr. Yan, how could your diagnosis possibly be wrong!"
Ye Lin said supportively, but then she realized what Yan Feifan meant and quickly added, "But if she really does have a gastrointestinal tumor, an early diagnosis is always a good thing."
She changed the subject. "Mr. Yan, I’m treating you to a big meal tonight. A real feast."
"Western, seafood, or something else—Mr. Yan, you pick. I’ve budgeted a whole month’s salary for this meal."
Yan Feifan smiled. "You treated me last night. It should be my turn to treat you today."
"Though, I can’t afford to treat you to a feast."
Ye Lin quickly waved her hands. "No, no, it’s my treat."
"I won’t feel right if I don’t treat you to a big meal."
"Why wouldn’t you feel right?" Yan Feifan asked in return.
Ye Lin’s expression stiffened for a moment before she gave an awkward smile. "Mr. Yan, I want to treat you to a big meal to thank you for bringing me good luck."
Seeing Yan Feifan’s probing gaze, which seemed to pierce right through to her soul, Ye Lin moved a little closer to him and lowered her voice. "Um, Mr. Yan, let me tell you something."
"I got official confirmation today. After my current shift rotation is over, I’ll be leaving the emergency department and transferring to the Plastic Surgery Center."
Yan Feifan murmured an "oh" and said, "Congratulations!"
The outpatient clinic and the emergency department were widely recognized as the two most exhausting and thankless departments in the hospital.
The Plastic Surgery Center, on the other hand, had relatively lighter work, not to mention its bonuses and benefits were arguably the most generous of all the departments.
Ye Lin said with a blush, "Mr. Yan, you brought me such good luck the moment you came to the emergency department."
"I’d feel terrible if I didn’t thank you properly."
Seeing that Yan Feifan still seemed intent on refusing, Ye Lin said assertively, "Mr. Yan, it’s settled!"
"Don’t you dare sneak off on your own after your shift ends!"
With that, she turned and ran off.
But after taking only two steps, Ye Lin doubled back.
She hesitated for a moment, then asked cautiously, "Mr. Yan, you and Mr. Wang from the Plastic Surgery Center... you don’t have any conflicts, do you?"
Yan Feifan’s heart skipped a beat. "Ye Lin, have you heard some kind of rumor?"
"I haven’t heard any—"
Ye Lin stopped mid-sentence.
She pointed behind Yan Feifan and said worriedly, "Mr. Yan, Mr. Qin and Mr. Wang are coming over."
"They’re... probably here for you, aren’t they?"
Yan Feifan turned and saw Dr. Qin Ying, her expression stern, walking toward him alongside a smiling Wang Chuan, the head of the Plastic Surgery Center.
He hurried forward to greet them...
"Teacher! Mr. Wang!"
In response to Yan Feifan’s greeting, Qin Ying nodded. "Yan Feifan, Mr. Wang needs to discuss something important with you."
"Leave your work for now and go with him."
After a pause, Qin Ying added, "Yan Feifan, follow your heart. No one can force you to do anything."
"You don’t need to be afraid of anything. Your teacher has your back."
As she said this, Qin Ying shot Wang Chuan a deep, warning-filled glare.
Wang Chuan gave a faint smile and gestured to Yan Feifan. "Yan Feifan, this isn’t the place to talk. Come with me."
Yan Feifan was rather confused.
Given the trouble Yan Ziruo had caused, he felt a bit apprehensive.
However, seeing that Mr. Qin had no particular reaction to Wang Chuan’s invitation, Yan Feifan could only brace himself and follow Wang Chuan out of the emergency department, still wearing his white coat.
Yan Feifan followed Wang Chuan to the hospital staff parking lot near the emergency building and got into a Mercedes sedan.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Yan Feifan noticed that Wang Chuan was driving them off the hospital grounds. He asked worriedly, "Mr. Wang, where are we going?"
"To see someone!"
Wang Chuan explained, then chuckled. "Yan Feifan, you have nothing to be afraid of."
"I have a family and a career, and a certain reputation. I took you with me in plain sight. It’s not like I’m going to do anything to you, am I?"
Yan Feifan gave a sheepish smile and offered a half-truthful explanation. "I’m not worried about you doing me any harm, Mr. Wang."
"It’s just that the accident I had has left its mark on me. Now, I get a little nervous and apprehensive whenever I get into a car."
Wang Chuan murmured an "oh" and nodded. "Once bitten, twice shy. I understand, I understand!"
"Don’t worry, I’m an experienced driver. There won’t be any problems."
Yan Feifan grumbled to himself, ’You’re also one of the reasons I’m feeling uneasy.’
Just then, the phone in his pocket began to buzz.
Yan Feifan took out his phone and saw it was a call from his older sister.
He answered the call and, to show he had nothing to hide, put it on speaker.
"Sis, what’s up?"
"Feifan, you know that menopausal patient I told you about yesterday? Well, her people took photos of all her medical records, test reports, lab results, everything, and sent them over."
Yan Feifan grunted in acknowledgment. "Okay, Sis. Send them to me. I’ll look them over when I have a spare moment."
He hesitated. ’I’d better not tell Sis I’m with Wang Chuan just yet,’ he decided. ’No need to make her worry for nothing.’
’I’ll figure out what this guy is up to first.’
Yan Feifan told his sister he had something to do during lunch and that she should eat on her own, then ended the call.
A moment later, he received dozens of images from his sister on WeChat.
Opening the images one by one and quickly scanning the information, Yan Feifan found himself becoming completely absorbed.
’This patient’s condition is incredibly complex,’ he thought. ’And unusually fascinating...’