The Provincial First Hospital had excellent conditions. The medicine for patients was prepared and sealed in plastic bags.
Not only was it clean and hygienic, but the temperature was also just right when delivered to the hospital room.
Du Heng watched with envy. If his Health Clinic had such a setup, it would definitely reduce the workload significantly. He’d have to ask about the cost when he had time. If it wasn’t too expensive, he’d get a set for the Health Clinic.
The patient drank the medicine, but Du Heng’s system didn’t register any count.
Du Heng understood this wasn’t because his treatment was wrong; rather, the patient himself was to blame. The illness was the same as yesterday’s, so it wouldn’t be counted again.
Du Heng chatted with Xu Pinglin in the office for about half an hour. Afterward, they went to check on the patient again.
At that moment, the patient was in the bathroom, comfortably passing gas.
Just as they entered the hospital room, a rumble of heavenly thunder erupted from the bathroom.
They waited by the sickbed for a while before the patient walked out of the bathroom, looking relieved. He was a little embarrassed when he suddenly saw Du Heng and Xu Pinglin.
"How do you feel now?"
"Much better. My stomach is still gurgling, but I can pass gas now. It feels great."
"That’s good. Remember, no more raw or cold food. Don’t drink cold water either; only hot boiled water. Later, when you’re lying down, put a hot water bottle on your stomach. Make sure it’s not too hot."
Once the patient was settled, Du Heng said his goodbyes and left.
Although Xu Pinglin was a Deputy Director, and it wouldn’t matter if he didn’t come to the hospital, he was still very busy whenever he was there.
This time, Du Heng wasn’t disturbed on his way home. He’d intended to read, but somehow, he drifted off to sleep over his book.
When he woke up again, Wang Shuqiu had already returned.
From the look on Wang Shuqiu’s face, Du Heng knew her trip hadn’t gone well.
He scrambled out of bed, splashed his face with water in the bathroom, and then tried to pull Wang Shuqiu out of the house.
"Where are you going?" Wang Shuqiu didn’t feel like moving.
Du Heng gently kissed Wang Shuqiu’s cheek. "Let’s go see a movie. Then I’ll treat you to something delicious."
Wang Shuqiu kissed him back but still flopped lazily onto the bed. "No, look at the time. The movie will end close to 11:00 PM. Besides, I’m exhausted. I don’t want to go out."
Then, as if remembering something, she asked, "You haven’t eaten yet, have you? I’ll order some takeout. Let’s just chat here instead of going out, okay?"
Seeing that Wang Shuqiu was genuinely tired and had no intention of going out, Du Heng lay down on the bed beside her. "So, what’s wrong? Did the talk with your mother not go smoothly?"
As Wang Shuqiu ordered takeout on her phone, she said lightly, "I expected as much. I never hoped she’d change her mind all at once."
She passed her phone to Du Heng. "See if there’s anything you want. Order it yourself."
Du Heng loved good food but wasn’t a picky eater. He enjoyed steak with red wine as much as barbecue with flatbread. But asking him to choose was a bit much.
He gently pushed the phone back to her. "You decide. I’ll eat whatever you get."
"Alright then." Wang Shuqiu took back the phone and began to choose, continuing to recount her day’s conversation. "Anyway, I made my stance clear to my mother. If she keeps using family money to subsidize my uncle, I won’t go home anymore, and I won’t get involved in family matters either."
Wang Shuqiu turned her head and looked at Du Heng seriously. "I also told her we don’t need any betrothal gifts for our wedding. I won’t let you give a single cent."
Du Heng chuckled, looking at Wang Shuqiu. She’s quite the homemaker. "We still have to give betrothal gifts. Otherwise, the people in your village will gossip."
Hearing this, Wang Shuqiu became a bit agitated. "I said no gifts! And even if you give them, they should come to me, not my mother!"
"To you, then. All to you, alright? Don’t be angry. Now, hurry up and order me some takeout." Du Heng smiled, coaxing her like a child.
"Ugh, what I mean is, if the money goes to my mother, given her and my uncle’s tendencies, it’ll probably all be in my uncle’s pocket within two days."
Du Heng felt a bit awkward; it seemed he had misunderstood her.
"Alright, it’s your call. If you say we give them, we give them. If you say we don’t, we don’t. How’s that?"
"That’s more like it." She finally seemed pleased. After happily placing the order on her phone, she said, "I’ve already planned it out. You’re the Dean now, earning over 5,000 yuan a month, and I make over 4,000. If we save for two months, we can renovate the house and get some new furniture."
As she spoke, she snuggled into Du Heng’s embrace, dreaming of their future. "The house is so well built; we can’t just leave it empty. What kind of renovations do you think would be best?"
Du Heng took a deep breath. He sensed another meaning in Wang Shuqiu’s words: marriage. Of course, he didn’t mind that at all.
The more time they spent together, the more he liked Wang Shuqiu. Her beauty was part of it, but mainly, this woman made him feel incredibly secure, like they could truly build a life together.
He put his arm around her. "You decide. Whatever style you like, we’ll decorate it that way. Or... how about we buy a house near your work?"
Wang Shuqiu’s face lit up for a moment, but her smile quickly faded. "Let’s not. Tingting is starting college soon. Your big brother and sister-in-law raised you. Now that you’re able, you should contribute more to help them out. Plus, Du Yi has his studies too. There are still so many expenses. Let’s forget about buying a house for now."
Du Heng was touched. He was tempted to tell her about the extra 50,000 yuan monthly system reward, but the words died on his lips several times. He decided against it. He’d rather surprise her once everything was arranged.
"Oh, by the way, Xiao Fang has been recovering well lately. I was thinking of bringing him to Jinzhou so you can continue to look after him. Also, my uncle’s family has been visiting our place like crazy recently. I’m worried it might agitate Xiao Fang again, so I want him to be further away. What do you think?"
As Wang Shuqiu spoke, her eyes, a complex mix of worry, apprehension, and a hint of pleading, were fixed on Du Heng.
Du Heng had only spent less than twenty-four hours with Zhao Xinfang, eight of which Zhao Xinfang had been asleep.
But he genuinely liked the young man.
To be brutally honest, he wasn’t fond of his future parents-in-law and had many reservations about them. He might be happier without them.
But this young brother-in-law, aside from his epilepsy, was someone Du Heng found no fault with.
So Du Heng agreed readily. Looking at Wang Shuqiu with doting eyes, he said, "Sure, let him come. If he doesn’t mind, don’t give up your lease on this place; let him stay here.
It’s not good for a young man to stay cooped up at home all the time. He should see more of the world. Besides, Xiao Fang is smart and good-looking. Who knows? Maybe some wealthy woman will snatch him up for her bridal chamber one day."
Wang Shuqiu’s eyes lit up, and she playfully punched Du Heng’s arm. "What are you saying? That’s my brother!"
"That’s precisely why I’m saying it—because he’s your brother. I wouldn’t say this about anyone else," Du Heng teased. "A rich woman would be a great catch! Of course, I’d think of my brother-in-law for such a good thing. Who knows, maybe we’ll even get to bask in Xiao Fang’s glory someday!"
"You’re just being ridiculous."
"Haha, but seriously, if a rich woman did snatch Xiao Fang, would you be okay with it?"
"I think you’re the one who wants that!"
"You wound me! Haha."